Hospo Dojo Podcast
Episodes
Building a Hospitality Brand That Lasts: The Knafeh Bakery Story
28 Jan 2026
Contributed by Lukas
What does it really take to build a hospitality business that cuts through noise without losing its soul? In this episode, Paul Ayyash sits down with ...
Award-Winning Pastry Chef Philip Khoury on Reinventing Pastry
06 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
How do you rethink pastry at the highest level without compromising flavour, texture, or the craft behind it? In this episode, Paul sits down with Phi...
From Naples to Sydney: The Regina Pizzeria Story w/ Matteo Ernandes & Emanuele Riemma
12 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
How do two Italian chefs turn friendship, discipline, and a love for pizza into a restaurant that’s redefining modern Italian pizza? In this episode...
From the Kitchen to the World Stage: Feeding Nations with Meat & Livestock Australia with Sam Burke
05 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
What does it take to represent Australian meat on the world stage? In this episode, Paul sits down with Sam Burke, Corporate Chef at Meat & Livest...
Chasing Hats & Finding Purpose: Chef Brendan Fong on Hospitality Leadership
09 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Building a career in hospitality often means weathering intense kitchens, chasing recognition, and finding your identity along the way. Few stories ca...
From Michelin-Starred Kitchens to Leading Barilla’s Culinary Vision with Chef Andrea Tranchero
24 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
What does it take to carry the weight of Italian cuisine onto the global stage—without losing its soul? In this episode, Paul sits down with Andrea ...
From Concept to Culture: Building Hospitality Brands w/ Example
17 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
What does it take to build a hospitality brand that doesn’t just serve food and drinks — but creates culture, community, and lasting connection? I...
Shaping the Dining Experience: Custom Plates for Australia’s Top Restaurants w/ Sam Gordon
10 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
What goes into crafting handmade plates for Australia’s top restaurants? In this episode, Paul sits down with Sam Gordon, a third-generation potter ...
Cooking With Sustainability in Mind w/ Caitlyn Koether
03 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
How can fermentation help kitchens cut waste and cook more sustainably? In this episode, Paul sits down with Caitlyn Koether, Head of Fermentation at ...
The Mastermind Behind Gelato Messina: How Donato Toce Changed Dessert Culture
27 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
How do you take a single gelato shop and turn it into one of Australia’s most iconic dessert brands? In this episode, Paul sits down with Donato Toc...
What It Takes to Build a Venue People Remember w/ Jimmy Hurlston
21 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
What happens when you walk away from a safe career to chase a love for burgers and shape a city’s food culture? In this episode, Paul sits down with...
What Makes a Venue Stand Out to Time Out w/ Leah Glynn
13 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
What does it take to build a strong team in hospitality without losing your soul in the process? Ever wondered how to get your venue featured in one o...
People Over Positions: How Great Hospitality Leaders Create Culture w/ Claire Stenhouse
06 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
What does it take to build a strong team in hospitality without losing your soul in the process? In this episode, Paul sits down with Claire Stenhouse...
People Taste the Brand Before the Food: The Creative Method w/ Tony Ibbotson
30 Jul 2025
Contributed by Lukas
What makes a hospitality brand truly stand out? In this episode, Paul sits down with Tony Ibbotson, founder and creative director of The Creative Meth...
What Happens When You Grow Too Fast? Adriano Zumbo’s Hard Lessons
16 Jul 2025
Contributed by Lukas
What happens when your business grows faster than your resources, and you’re the one left to carry it? In this episode, Paul sits down with Adriano ...
The Making of a Modern Baker: Daniel Pasquali’s Pastry Journey
30 Jun 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Can passion, personality, and pastry open doors? How do you craft an identity in the crowded world of baking? In this episode, we sit down with Daniel...
How Vannella Cheese Helped Introduce Cheese to the Australian Market
17 Jun 2025
Contributed by Lukas
What does it take to scale a handcrafted product without compromising tradition? Giuseppe Minoia — General Manager and second-generation cheesemaker...
130 Years of Wine, Family & Innovation: Brown Brothers’ Journey
14 Jun 2025
Contributed by Lukas
How does a family winery stay innovative after 130 years of tradition? Emma Brown, Head of Innovation at Brown Brothers, represents the fourth generat...
How Bubba Pizza Scaled to 20+ Stores w/ Damian Hopper
12 Jun 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Growing a family business into a successful franchise is no easy feat, especially in the fiercely competitive pizza industry. In this episode, we sit ...
Grant Collins: The Mind Behind Sydney's Gin Lane
09 Jun 2025
Contributed by Lukas
What makes a bar truly unforgettable? In this episode of the Hospo Dojo Podcast, I chat with Grant Collins — multi award-winning mixologist, bar con...
How AI Is Quietly Revolutionising Service Businesses w/ Bianca Brady
05 Jun 2025
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode, we chat with Bianca Brady, CEO & Founder of Axify, a smart conversational AI assistant that is transforming the way service busin...
The Brutal Hours Nobody Talks About: Kirsten Tibballs' Sweet Rise in Hospitality
03 Jun 2025
Contributed by Lukas
What makes a world-class pastry chef? Kirsten Tibballs opens up about her journey and how she turned her love of chocolate into a global platform. Kir...
Pizza, Burnout & Building a Better Kitchen Life w/ Alastair Hannman
03 May 2025
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode of the Hospo Dojo Podcast, Paul sits down with Al Hannmann, aka @althepizzabuddha, an international pizza consultant who walked away f...
From Dishwasher to World Champion: The Johnny D.F. Journey
10 Apr 2025
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode, we sit down with Johnny Di Francesco, the powerhouse behind Melbourne’s 400 Gradi and a global authority in pizza craftsmanship and...
From Barista to MasterChef 2024 Winner: The Culinary Journey of Nat Thaipun
23 Feb 2025
Contributed by Lukas
On this episode of the Hospo Dojo Podcast, I sit down with Nat Thaipun, winner of MasterChef Australia 2024, to chat about food, the hospitality grind...
The Untold Story of Chase Kojima: Success, Struggles, and Sushi
21 Jan 2025
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode, we sit down with Chase Kojima, the chef behind iconic restaurants like Sokyo, Kiyomi, Chuuka, Simulation Senpai, Senpai Ram...
From Lockdown to Cult Pastry: The Rise of Tarts Anon
20 Jan 2025
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode, we sit down with Gareth Whitton, the chef-turned-pastry guru behind Melbourne’s Tarts Anon. From Michelin-star kitchens to the chao...
How Peter Gunn is Revolutionizing Fine Dining with Ides in Melbourne
11 Dec 2024
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode of the Hospo Dojo Podcast, we sit down with Peter Gunn, the culinary mastermind behind Melbourne’s acclaimed restaurant, Ides. Known...
Beyond the Kitchen: Morgan McGlone on Pop-Ups, Fashion, and Fried Chicken
20 Nov 2024
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode, we sit down with Morgan McGlone, the founder of Belles Hot Chicken, a venue that has been redefining fried chicken in Australia since...
Crafting the Perfect Wood-Fired Ovens with The Brick Chef
13 Oct 2024
Contributed by Lukas
The restaurant world thrives on many trades that work behind the scenes, and in today’s episode, we’ve got Samuel Fraraccio, also known as The Bri...
The Man Behind Ho Jiak: Junda Khoo’s Recipe for Success
23 Sep 2024
Contributed by Lukas
What happens when a finance professional takes a leap of faith into the culinary world? Junda Khoo turned a small food court outlet into one of Sydney...
From Concept to Cafe of the Year: The Journey of Happyfield's Success
03 Sep 2024
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode of the Hospo Dojo Podcast, we are joined by Chris and Jesse, the masterminds behind Happyfield, the award-winning cafe known for its e...
Chef Ivan Brehm's Creative Mindset | Unlocking Culinary Innovation
16 Aug 2024
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode, Chef Ivan Brehm takes us through his culinary journey, combining science, art, and tradition to create unique dishes. He shares how h...
From Butter Blocks to Business Success: The Pepe Saya Story
14 Jul 2024
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode, we chat with Pierre and Melissa, the founders of Pepe Saya. We discuss how Pierre, also known as Pepe, took a childhood nickname...
Mastering the ART of Pizza | Dan and Matteo share their SECRETS!
30 Jun 2024
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode of the Hospo Dojo Podcast, we are joined by Daniel and Matteo, two of Australia's top pizza chefs. They bring their expertise and pass...
Food Truck Challenges: The Hustle Behind Burger Head | Josh and Tim
14 Jun 2024
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode of the Hospo Dojo Podcast, we are joined by Josh and Tim the founders of Burger Head.Influenced by their years of combined experience ...