Food for Thought

After an illustrious career spanning both the advertising and hospitality industries, Simon Anderson sits down with me&u to discuss all things Black Sabbath, food halls and advertising, as well as his latest venture - founding hospitality venue consultancy, 'Ideas F.C'. 

We’ve got the ingredients that’ll help your business grow.

Find out how more than 6000 bars, pubs and restaurants use me&u to make every ...

Meet the dynamic duo winning over the hearts and stomachs of Melbourne – Dan Leuzzi and Tom Giurioli. Co-founders of Freddy's, the self-described "friendly neighbourhood pizzeria" and Tommy's Booze, giving their take on Limoncello and surrounding liqueurs straight from Nonna's recipe book.

We spoke all things from: The Australian Government’s love of taxation, growing up around Italian food culture, signing ...

Join us for a behind-the-scenes look at the creative minds behind After Hours, a design studio that sets the stage for unforgettable experiences in the food and beverage industry. 

Meet Jas and Shy, the dynamic duo behind After Hours, who bring their artistic flair and passion for design to collaborate with bars, restaurants, and cafes. With an intuitive understanding of the industry, they work their magic to craft captiva...

Join us as we explore the culinary realm of Chef Mark Limacher and the renowned Ortega Fish Shack in Wellington, New Zealand. With a focus on fresh seafood and a casual dining atmosphere, Ortega Fish Shack has become a go-to spot for seafood enthusiasts in the city. Mark Limacher, the owner and chef, brings his creativity and expertise to the table, offering a variety of delicious seafood dishes that highlight local flavors.

Pete Gillespie is the brains and brewer behind one of the world’s great independent beer brands. 

In 2011 Pete, brother Ian and their mate Jos Ruffell started brewing beer out of a run down auto workshop in Wellington, New Zealand, brewing just 50L of experimental, wild and at times wacky beer at a time - and Garage Project was born.

Since then, Pete and the team have created literally hundreds of different beers and with cans as dis...

In 2007 Darah opened his first pub, the Mercat Cross in Melbourne’s CBD, and has since created a growing empire that includes some of Melbourne’s most loved bars and restaurants, including Fancy Hank’s, Welcome to Thornbury, Natural History and Good Heavens to name a few, while also building fast casual brands Mr Burger and Belle’s Hot Chicken. 

The 100 Burgers Group, of which Daragh is a director, now employs hundreds of peopl...

Ann is a hospitality strategist with extensive sales, marketing and operational experience working with and for such brands as Pizza Hut, Beefeater and Whitbread, where she was responsible for 280 pubs across the UK.

With more than 30 years of living and breathing hospitality, Ann has a genuine love for  - and deep understanding of - the industry and spends her days - and nights - bringing valuable insights, like-minded people,...

We continue the conversation with Nick Stone, founder and CEO of Bluestone Lane. Nick took Melbourne’s famed coffee culture and brought it to the US a decade ago and now flat whites and avocado smash are served at more than 60 Bluestone Lane cafes and coffee shops around America. 

Last time we spoke about creating culture, the importance of rituals, the value cafes provide communities and whether the cost of a coffee should inc...

Nick is the CEO and founder of Bluestone Lane - an Australian-influenced hospitality brand based in New York. 

Nick took Melbourne’s famed coffee culture - and while he didn’t quite bottle it - he brought it to the US and almost a decade after opening the first venue, there are now more than 60 Bluestone Lane cafes and coffee shops located throughout the United States.

In this episode:

• Nick shares the reason he took Aust...

Nat is the owner-baker of Beatrix Bakes, one of Melbourne’s most-loved bakeries. When it opened in 2011 Nat quickly found fans and fame for her take on traditional country bakery treats and today has transformed the bakery into an online store selling whole cakes that consistently sell out.

She is the author of a best-selling bakebook of the same name, has appeared on MasterChef sharing some of the secrets to her incr...

Calvin is head of Australian operations for Brewdog - a Scottish craft beer company that over the past 15 years has expanded across the UK, EU, US and now Australia.

Calvin has pulled off the incredible feat of opening three new venues over just a few months across the east coast of Australia - in Brisbane's central party hub of Fortitude Valley, Pentridge Prison in Melbourne and in Sydney's South Eveleigh. These...