WELCOMEIFTHEREWASevera timefornewbeginnings, 2021 is it:
a newdecade,a freshstart,andwiththat,a determinationtomake
everymomentcount.Interestingly,it wasa conversationwithNeilPerry
thathelpedshapeourthinkingforthisissue.In a timeoftransitionfrom
thebusinesseshebuilt,heexudedenergyandpositivitymid-pandemic,
pouringpassionintohisnewventure,HopeDelivery.A charitybackedbythe
RockpoolFoundation,it hascreatedmorethan300,000mealsforthosein need.
Youcanreadallaboutthisinspirationalideaonp 100andcooktherecipestomatch.
The word‘hope’continuedemerging,withcolleagues,friendsandindustrystalwarts adding
totheselayers,andit feltlikea finewordtobuilduponforthisissue.
OurlongtimecollaboratorColinFassnidgestarteda soupkitchen,cookingmealsforworkersin
needthroughoutthepandemic,oftenusingproducedonatedfromourpartners,suchasbutcherandhis
fellowcolumnistAnthonyPuharich.HethenpartneredwithourdrinksguruMikeBennietoleavecarepackages
acrossthecity.It inspiredbothoftheirregularcolumnsthismonth,anda collaborativeeventspartnershipwasborn
(watchthisspace!).MarkLaBrooyoftheThreeBlueDuckssawhisworldchangearoundhimasthegroup’srestaurants
andnewventureswentintolockdown.Atthesametime,hebecamea newfather,andfoundhisattitudetofoodand
cookingchangedforthebetterasa result.Hesharessomeheartfeltrecipesonp 52.Talentedrestaurateursand
entrepreneursMauriceTerzini,RinaldoDiStasioandChrisLucashelpedeachotherthroughrecentmonthswith
friendship,foodandwine– andusuallyvirtually,asthesematesfromdifferentstatesbecomevocaladvocatesofthe
challengesfacingthehospitalityworld.Theirstoryonhowfoodandfriendshiphelpedthemcarvea newfutureis on
p 60.AndI’msureformanyofus,theCovid/Christmascarbloadingmayneedaddressing,andHughFearnley-
Whittingstallis heretoshowyouhowtobehealthydeliciously(p94),likewiseKirstenJenkins’cleverwholesome
brunches (p 44). And of course,thereis alwaystimefornaughtinessandfun– ourriff on a cultural icon with
ourlamingtonremix,onp 116,offersthisin spades.
Wecontinuetodreamoftravel,beit closetohomeorfurtheraway.Becausein anytimeofchallenge,
friendship,foodandgoodtimesforgenewbeginnings.Wehopethisissueprovidesa welcomedentree
into a new decade, the balm you need, and the inspiration you are seeking for a hope-filled year ahead!PHOTOGRAPHYBENDEARNLEYSTYLINGKIRSTEN JENKINSKerrie McCallum,EditorialDirectorFollow me: @kerriemccallum @kerrie_mccallumDRINKS6 delicious.com.au
ED’S LETTER.