Straight To The Source

After more than two decades in hospitality, Amelia Birch has built a business that reflects exactly what she believes in.
Amelia is the founder of Famelia, Australia’s only wine bar and bottle shop dedicated exclusively to championing women winemakers and women-led wine businesses. But her journey to Famelia was far from straightforward.
In this episode of Straight To The Source, Amelia joins Lucy Allon to share how losing her award-winning restaurant, The Book Kitchen, forced her to rebuild, reassess and create something with deeper purpose.
She explains why Famelia became exclusively focused on women-made wine, how conscious consumerism can drive meaningful industry change, and why hospitality should feel welcoming rather than intimidating.
The conversation also explores sustainable hospitality, achieving two Food Made Good stars from the Sustainable Restaurant Association, entrepreneurship, motherhood and Amelia’s belief that authentic, values-led businesses can make a greater impact than those focused on profit alone.
This is an honest conversation about women in wine, rebuilding after adversity and creating a hospitality business that genuinely stands for something.
What You'll Hear in This Episode
From The Book Kitchen to Famelia: How losing her award-winning restaurant during Sydney’s light rail construction reshaped Amelia’s career and approach to business.
Why Famelia exclusively champions women winemakers: The customer behaviour and industry realities that inspired Amelia to create a wine bar and bottle shop dedicated to women-made wine.
The visibility gap for women in wine: Why many customers still do not realise how few women are represented across the wine industry.
Making wine more approachable: Amelia’s mission to remove intimidation, gatekeeping and unnecessary complexity from the wine experience.
The power of conscious consumerism: How everyday purchasing decisions can support women winemakers, independent producers and businesses with purpose.
Purpose over profit in hospitality: Why Amelia measures success through authenticity, community and impact rather than revenue alone.
Building a values-led hospitality business: How purpose can guide decisions, strengthen customer loyalty and create a clearer point of difference.
Sustainability at Famelia: What achieving two Food Made Good stars from the Sustainable Restaurant Association means and how Amelia is embedding sustainability into daily operations.
Leadership shaped by adversity: How business loss, resilience and reinvention influenced Amelia’s leadership style.
Motherhood and entrepreneurship: The realities of raising two teenage boys while growing an independent hospitality business.
The future of Famelia: Amelia’s ambitions for the business and her broader vision for women in wine and hospitality.
Going Straight To The Source: Amelia's powerful definition of respecting provenance, recognising producers and choosing to support the people behind every product.
Follow Amelia Birch & Famelia
@famelia.wine
• @amelia.famelia
Resources & Mentions
Famelia Wine Bar & Bottle Shop: https://famelia.com.au
• Sustainable Restaurant Association – Food Made Good Standard: https://www.foodmadegood.org
About Straight To The Source
Straight To The Source brings you closer to the chefs, producers, growers and makers across the entire food chain, the people shaping where food is headed and why it matters. Hosted by food experts Tawnya Bahr and Lucy Allon.
Follow, rate and review Straight To The Source to help more people discover the stories shaping Australia's food and hospitality industry.
You can find us:
• Straight To The Source Podcast: https://lnk.to/jBCTBE
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/straight_to_the_source/
• Website: http://straighttothesource.com.au
Keywords
Amelia Birch, Famelia Wine Bar, women winemakers Australia, women in wine Australia, hospitality leadership, purpose driven business, conscious consumerism, sustainable hospitality, Food Made Good, Sustainable Restaurant Association, Australian wine podcast, hospitality podcast Australia, female entrepreneurs Australia, Sydney wine bar, sommelier Australia, hospitality sustainability, hospitality leadership podcast, Straight To The Source podcast, Lucy Allon, Tawnya Bahr
@straighttothesourcepodcast: https://www.youtube.com/
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this episode of Straight To The Source, Tawnya Bahr is joined by professional game harvester Rob Gallina, founder of Australian Bush Harvest, and chef, hunter and founder of Bush River Kitchen, John Ralley.
Together they unpack one of the biggest developments in Australia's wild food industry: the approval of Australia's first mobile game meat processing facility, creating a fully traceable, ethical and sustainable supply chain for wild game meat.
From venison, wild goat and kangaroo to responsible harvesting, bush cooking and chef education, this conversation explores Australia’s greatest untapped protein resources.
Rob explains how mobile processing will allow premium game meat to move from field to market within 72 hours, while John shares how hunting, foraging and cooking wild food have shaped his approach to hospitality and the dining experiences at Bush River Kitchen.
If you're interested in sustainable food systems, ethical sourcing, Australian producers, hunting, or wild game, this is an episode you won't want to miss.
What You'll Hear in This Episode
Why Australians still know very little about game meat despite having one of the world's richest wild food resources.
The story behind Australia's first mobile game meat processing facility and why it's set to transform the industry.
How ethical harvesting creates fully traceable, premium Australian game meat.
Why chefs should embrace venison, wild goat, kangaroo, rabbit and other game meats.
The difference between hunting, harvesting and culling.
Why education is the missing ingredient preventing game meat from becoming mainstream.
How Australia's export market has limited local access to premium game meat.
John Ralley's journey from pastry chef and restaurant owner to chef, hunter and founder of Bush River Kitchen.
Rob Gallina's mission: connecting feral animal management with sustainable food production.
Why wild venison differs from farmed venison in flavour, texture and nutrition.
The importance of nose-to-tail cooking and using every part of the animal.
Bush cooking techniques, campfire recipes and cooking with wild ingredients.
Why game meat could become a more affordable, accessible protein source for Australian families.
The environmental benefits of responsible feral animal management.
How Australia compares with New Zealand, Europe and North America when it comes to wild game.
The future of Australian Bush Harvest and the growing opportunities for chefs, butchers and consumers.
Why provenance, sustainability and responsible sourcing are shaping the future of Australian food.
Follow our guests
Rob Gallina
@australianbushharvest
@gameonenterprise
John Ralley
@bushriverkitchen
About Straight To The Source
Straight To The Source brings you closer to the chefs, producers, growers and makers shaping Australia's food future.
Hosted by food experts Tawnya Bahr and Lucy Allon, every episode explores the people, ideas and innovations driving Australian food and hospitality forward.
Follow, rate and review Straight To The Source to help more people discover the stories behind Australia's food industry.
You can find us:
Straight To The Source Food Podcast: https://lnk.to/jBCTBE
Straight To The Source Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/straight_to_the_source/
Straight To The Source Website: http://straighttothesource.com.au
Tawnya Bahr
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tawnyabahr/
Instagram: @tawnyabahr
Lucy Allon
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lucyallon/
Instagram: @lucy_allon
Keywords: game meat Australia, Australian game meat, venison Australia, ethical hunting, ethical harvesting, Australian Bush Harvest, John Ralley, Rob Gallina, Bush River Kitchen, mobile game meat processing, sustainable protein, wild venison, deer meat Australia, kangaroo meat, wild goat, feral animal management, bush cooking, hunting Australia, Australian hospitality podcast, food sustainability, Straight To The Source.
@straighttothesourcepodcast: https://www.youtube.com/
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Chef Anna Polyviou doesn't do anything by halves. In this episode of Straight To The Source, host Tawnya Bahr sits down with the bold, unapologetic pastry chef behind Anna's Mess, the dessert that captures exactly who she is.
Anna opens up about her wild start as a hungover, almost-fired apprentice at Hotel Sofitel, and how a pastry competition (which she lost) changed the entire trajectory of her career. From there, she went on to win Best Apprentice in Victoria, train under Pierre Hermé in Paris, and build a career spanning international hotels, television, and global brand ambassadorships.
This conversation covers it all: coming out as a lesbian in her Greek family, her mother's initial heartbreak over her moving overseas, the launch of her new Greek patisserie Polyviou, her time on I'm a Celebrity... Get Me Out of Here, DJing between dessert plating at F1 events, and why she believes discipline, not talent, is what actually gets you to the top. Honest, funny, and refreshingly real, Anna proves that success doesn't come from playing it safe.
Key Takeaways
Anna's rocky start as an apprentice, and how she nearly got fired
Winning Best Apprentice in Victoria and training with Pierre Hermé in Paris
Coming out and navigating family expectations as a Greek woman
Building a career across TV, hospitality, and global events
Launching Polyviou, her new Greek patisserie in Sydney
Life lessons from I'm a Celebrity... Get Me Out of Here
Why she says there's no such thing as too many boundaries to push
About Anna Polyviou
Anna Polyviou is one of Australia's most recognisable pastry chefs, television personalities and food creatives. She first made her name leading the pastry kitchens at Shangri-La Sydney before becoming known nationally through MasterChef Australia and numerous television appearances.
Today, Anna balances hospitality consulting, major event collaborations, international food experiences, brand partnerships and mentoring emerging chefs, while preparing to open her new Greek-inspired patisserie, Polyviou.
Known for her bold personality, creative energy and fearless approach to food, Anna continues to champion authenticity, innovation and the next generation of hospitality professionals.
People & Places Mentioned
Hotel Sofitel Melbourne – Where Anna completed her apprenticeship alongside some of Australia's leading chefs.
William Angliss Institute – Where Anna studied hospitality before securing her apprenticeship.
Pierre Hermé, Paris – The legendary French pastry chef Anna worked alongside after winning an international scholarship.
Shangri-La Sydney – Where Anna became Executive Pastry Chef and created the groundbreaking Sweet Street dessert activation.
I'm A Celebrity... Get Me Out Of Here! – The experience Anna credits with helping reset her life after one of her darkest periods.
Juniper Health – The health and wellness program helping Anna prioritise nutrition and wellbeing.
Gema Group – Hospitality and events partner behind Formula One, LIV Golf and major national activations.
Polyviou Patisserie – Anna's upcoming Sydney bakery celebrating Greek family recipes with a contemporary twist.
About Straight To The Source
Straight To The Source brings you closer to the chefs, producers, growers and makers across the entire food chain, the people shaping where food is headed and why it matters.
Hosted by food experts Tawnya Bahr and Lucy Allon.
Follow, rate and review Straight To The Source to help more people discover the stories shaping Australia's food and hospitality industry.
You can find us:
Straight To The Source Food Podcast: https://lnk.to/jBCTBE
Straight To The Source Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/straight_to_the_source/
Straight To The Source Website: http://straighttothesource.com.au
Tawnya Bahr
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tawnyabahr/
Instagram: @tawnyabahr
Email: tbahr@straighttothesource.com.au
Lucy Allon
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lucyallon/
Instagram: @lucy_allon
Email: lucy@straighttothesource.com.au
Have a story to share or a producer we should visit? Drop us a line. We always love hearing from you.
Anna Polyviou, Anna Polyviou podcast, Straight To The Source podcast, Tawnya Bahr, Lucy Allon, Australian pastry chef, MasterChef Australia chef, Greek Australian chef, women in hospitality, hospitality leadership Australia, pastry chef Australia, mental health hospitality, chef mentorship Australia, Greek patisserie Sydney, Polyviou patisserie, hospitality entrepreneur, female chef Australia, hospitality careers, Juniper Health ambassador, Shangri-La Sydney pastry chef, Pierre Hermé pastry, Hotel Sofitel Melbourne, Sweet Street Shangri-La, chef resilience, hospitality podcast Australia.
@straighttothesourcepodcast: https://www.youtube.com/
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What does it take to quit the comfort of Sydney's eastern suburbs, pack a single bag, and talk your way into one of the world's best restaurants, without speaking the language? For Remy Davis, it just takes curiosity, the right contacts, and a willingness to scrub stairs with a metal scourer until you've earned your spot at the fire.
In this wide-ranging conversation with Tawnya, Remy traces his journey from shucking oysters at Otto in Woolloomooloo to grilling €600-a-kilo turbot at Elkano in Spain's Basque Country, to cooking for a fully booked Bessie's in Surry Hills, with stints across London, Italy, and a full year in San Sebastián along the way. Three passports. Countless kitchens. Zero recipes (more on that later).
He's back in Australia now, buzzing with optimism about Sydney's evolving dining scene, and sitting on something exciting he's just not ready to reveal yet. This is a chef who backs himself and has the passport stamps to prove it.
Key Takeaways
On backing yourself: "Why not me?" Remy's answer to imposter syndrome is simple: back yourself and take the leap.
On Elkano's no-recipe kitchen: Expecting secret formulas, Remy instead found a culture built on intuition, craftsmanship and not a recipe in sight.
On produce philosophy: Spain's markets taught him that great produce starts with people who dedicate their lives to mastering a craft.
On kitchen culture: Skills can be taught. Curiosity, respect and work ethic matter most.
On travel as a career strategy: Passports help, but curiosity is what opens doors. His advice? Get out and cook somewhere new.
On Australia's dining scene: Diners are seeking experiences, not just meals. The venues succeeding are delivering genuine value and connection.
About Remy Davis
Remy Davis is a Sydney-based chef with stints in London, Italy, and Spain's Basque Country under his belt, including a formative year at Elkano, one of the world's most revered fish restaurants. He completed his culinary training at TAFE Ultimo and cut his teeth at Otto on the Woolloomooloo wharf before heading overseas to work in Michelin-calibre kitchens.
Back in Australia, he was the chef behind the opening menu at Bessie's in Surry Hills, and most recently cooked at Fire Kitchen as part of Vivid Sydney. He's currently working on an unannounced project in Australia at the intersection of food and art. Watch this space.
People & Places Mentioned
Christopher Thé - Now at Hearthe (formerly Black Star Pastry); started his career at Claude's
John Ralley - The mutual connection who helped Remy land London trials; co-cooked with Remy at Fire Kitchen during Vivid Sydney
Alex Herbert - Orchestrated Fire Kitchen at Vivid Sydney; Remy's shoutout: "She did a fantastic job. Like an orchestra."
Inés Barajan / Sabor, London - The London restaurant that turned Remy's attention to Spain; Sabor means flavour, and it showed
Elkano, San Sebastián - The world-ranked Basque restaurant that gave Remy the best year of his professional life. No recipes. €99/kg turbot. Tennis elbow from flipping fish. Zero regrets.
Aitor (Elkano) - The head chef who eats with his team — from family to KP — every service. White tablecloth, no exceptions
Nathan Sassi & Morgan Mcglone (Bar Copains / Vincenzo's / Bessie's) - The duo who pulled Remy back to Sydney and into the Bessie's project
Bessie's / Alma, Surry Hills - Opened January 2025. Fire-focused, produce-driven, built over a year of trans-continental planning
About Straight To The Source
Straight To The Source brings you closer to the chefs, producers, growers and makers across the entire food chain, the people shaping where food is headed and why it matters. Hosted by food experts Tawnya Bahr and Lucy Allon.
Follow, rate and review Straight To The Source to help more people discover the stories shaping Australia’s food and hospitality industry.
You can find us:
Straight To The Source Food Podcast: https://lnk.to/jBCTBE
Straight To The Source Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/straight_to_the_source/
Straight To The Source Website: http://straighttothesource.com.au
Tawnya Bahr
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tawnyabahr/
Instagram: @tawnyabahr
Email: tbahr@straighttothesource.com.au
Lucy Allon
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lucyallon/
Instagram: @lucy_allon
Email: lucy@straighttothesource.com.au
Have a story to share or a producer we should visit? Drop us a line — we always love hearing from you.
Keywords: Remy Davis chef, Straight To The Source food podcast, Tawnya Bahr, Lucy Allon, Elkano restaurant San Sebastián, Basque Country chef, Australian chef overseas, fire cooking Sydney, Bessie's Surry Hills, Vivid Sydney Fire Kitchen, Sydney chef, hospitality podcast Australia, chef career advice, Otto Woolloomooloo, Bar Copains Sydney, TAFE culinary training, OzHarvest,, chef mentorship Australia, Tasting Success Mentoring Programme, San Sebastián food scene, Michelin kitchen experience.
@straighttothesourcepodcast: https://www.youtube.com/
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What does it look like when fifth-generation farming meets modern food entrepreneurship? For Sue Heward of Singing Magpie Produce in Monash, South Australia, it looks like sun-dried Smyrna quinces, semi-dried black and white figs, vine-ripened Shiraz grapes dried on the vine, and artisan gift boxes that tell the full story of the Riverland.
In this rich, grounded conversation recorded on the Heward family orchard, Tawnya Bahr sits down with Sue and her father Frank - a man who has farmed this property for over 60 years - to trace 105 years of family growing history, the birth of Sue’s business, Singing Magpie Produce nearly a decade ago, and the hard-won lessons of building a value-added food brand from the ground up.
What You'll Hear in This Episode
105 years on the land - Frank traces the Heward family's growing history from the original quince trees to today's pecans, figs, quinces and grapes
The fruit fly reality - How Queensland fruit fly regulations have reshaped what the Hewards can sell fresh, pushing them further into value-adding and manufacturing supply for Maggie Beer and Beerenberg
The grape glut crisis - With Riverland winegrapes unwanted by the market, Frank explains how Sue turned the problem into "Dad's Vine Ripened Shiraz" - sun-dried Shiraz with a flavour that tastes like eating wine
How Singing Magpie began - Sue returned from 16 years in Melbourne, swapped a career in health prevention for commercial cookery, and spent her first year back picking figs and figuring out her next act
The first product and a Champion Award - Starting with 50 kilos of preservative-free, semi-sun-dried black figs sold on Facebook, the brand grew fast. The Smyrna sun-dried quince - made from her mother's recipe - won Champion at Sydney Royal Fine Foods in its first year
The sticky quince syrup - A zero-waste product born from the poaching liquid; reduced for seven hours until it's sweet, tart and just on the edge of caramelised. Works with cheese, duck, lamb and dessert equally
The full product range - From sun-dried mangoes to persimmons, jujubes from Black Sheep Produce in Loxton, locally sourced Medjool dates, and Solomon Gold vegan chocolate hand-tempered in the Riverland
The spectacular diced fruit mix - Deliberately sultana-free; packed with black and white figs, peaches, pears, apricots and candied lemon (the very same lemon used in the quince cooking process, wasted by no one)
Breast cancer and the business - Sue shares how a diagnosis at 50, followed by five months of chemotherapy, forced her to step back from the day-to-day - and accidentally prompted the team expansion and systems thinking that made the business stronger
Tasting Australia 2026 - A marquee event for 50-60 guests on the quince orchard, in collaboration with Temperance Restaurant and Hotel Renmark, in 65mm of unexpected Riverland rain. It was magical.
About Singing Magpie Produce
Singing Magpie Produce is an artisan dried fruit and specialty food brand based in Monash, South Australia, in the Riverland. Founded by Sue Heward, the brand grows from a fifth-generation family orchard and sources exclusively from Riverland producers to create premium, preservative-free dried fruits, sun-dried quinces, quince syrups, specialty gift boxes, and seasonal products.
Singing Magpie is a multi-award-winning producer. Their sun-dried Smyrna quince won Champion at the Sydney Royal Fine Food Competition in 2017, and the brand has since collected Gold and Silver medals at the RAS NSW Royal Fine Food Show and Australian Food Awards, appeared on MasterChef Australia (2018), have twice won the SA State title at the delicious. Harvey Norman Produce Awards (2019 and 2025), and in 2025 became a National Finalist in the Sun-Dried Fruits - From the Earth category. Their products are stocked and supplied to food service clients across Australia through their collaboration with Straight To The Source.
People & Places Mentioned
Frank Heward - Sue's father; fifth-generation grower; 60+ years on the Monash property; innovator (mushroom tunnels, dried fruit, pecan planting)
Petty Orchards - Frank's grandmother's family orchards in Doncaster-Mitcham, Melbourne; a well-known horticultural name in the region
Maggie Beer Products - 24-year supply relationship for figs and quinces for manufacturing
Beerenberg - Current manufacturer customers for Heward Orchard
Black Sheep Produce - Heidi and Dave, Loxton; growers of jujubes (Chinese red dates) supplied to Singing Magpie gift boxes
Solomon Gold - Vegan chocolate sourced from Sydney; hand-tempered by the Singing Magpie team
Almond Co. - Riverland almonds used in Singing Magpie gift boxes
Tasting Australia - Festival platform that brought guests from Adelaide, Mildura, Mount Gambier and Inverloch to the Monash orchard
Temperance Restaurant / Hotel Renmark - Collaborators on the Tasting Australia orchard event
Straight To The Source - food consultancy; 10-year relationship with Singing Magpie; connected the brand to chefs and food service nationally
Sydney Royal Fine Food Competition - Premier national food competition (Royal Agricultural Society); Singing Magpie's Smyrna sun-dried quince won Champion Award in its debut year
delicious Produce Awards: Multiple award winner, including most recently 2025 From the Earth South Australian National Finalist
Resources & Links
Singing Magpie Produce - Find their products and gift boxes online
Sydney Royal Fine Food Competition - rasnsw.com.au
Tasting Australia - South Australia's premier food and drink festival - tastingaustralia.com.au
Breast cancer awareness - Check your breasts monthly. National Breast Cancer Foundation - nbcf.org.au
About Straight To The Source
Straight To The Source brings you closer to the chefs, producers, growers and makers across the entire food chain, the people shaping where food is headed and why it matters. Hosted by food experts Tawnya Bahr and Lucy Allon.
Follow, rate and review Straight To The Source to help more people discover the stories shaping Australia’s food and hospitality industry.
You can find us:
Straight To The Source Food Podcast: https://lnk.to/jBCTBE
Straight To The Source Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/straight_to_the_source/
Straight To The Source Website: http://straighttothesource.com.au
Tawnya Bahr
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tawnyabahr/
Instagram: @tawnyabahr
Email: tbahr@straighttothesource.com.au
Lucy Allon
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lucyallon/
Instagram: @lucy_allon
Email: lucy@straighttothesource.com.au
Keywords: Straight To The Source Podcast, Straight To The Source, Sue Heward, Frank Heward, Singing Magpie Produce, Riverland, South Australia, Australian food producers, family farming, generational farming, Australian figs, semi-dried figs, Smyrna quince, quince products, Riverland Shiraz, dried fruit Australia, artisan food products, value-added agriculture, food innovation, Australian produce, provenance, regional Australia, food entrepreneurship, farm to table, producer stories.
@straighttothesourcepodcast: https://www.youtube.com/
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.