ExtraVirgin Food & Travel
Okay, 2024 might not officially be over but some of us are already planning a trip/s for 2025. In this podcast, the last for the year, talks a little about where she visited in 2024 but also offer some suggestions of trips and destinations you might like to put on your wish list - from cruising the Amazon to a new Orient Express luxury train journey, visiting the home of the world’s most famous cartoon dog and more. You'll find links to the places mentioned in the podcast on the
info_outlineExtraVirgin Food & Travel
Sonya Gellert has the enviable job of being a full-time food writer. She’s done a host of fabulous things throughout a career that's taken her from Australia to Japan, the UK and back to Australia. She's been a travel editor, restaurant reviewer, editorial food and drink writer, copywriter and recipe editor. She’s written for Table Magazine UK, Escape magazine, delicious Magazine, Vogue Living, Huffington Post and more and worked with food luminaries such as and We're going to hear about Sonya's career trajectory, what she likes to cook and eat, what makes a good recipe, her...
info_outlineExtraVirgin Food & Travel
Thanks to the incredible popularity of the show White Lotus, Sicily is red hot right now. In this episode, Natascha Mirosch chats with Carmel Ruggeri, former restaurateur-turned-tour guide, who runs extremely popular tours to a part of Italy not only blessed with natural beauty, but some of the country's best regional cuisine (cannoli anyone?) Carmel and Natascha chat about everything from the places you shouldn't miss, to the hand signs you should, never ever use, to the regional food specialities you just have to try. Carmel tells it how it is, with humour and...
info_outlineExtraVirgin Food & Travel
Guy Grossi has carved out a distinguished career and made a significant contribution to the hospitality scene over the last forty years, both as a restaurateur and chef. In fact, in 1996, Guy was awarded the L'insegna Del Ristorante Italiano by no less than the president of Italy, for his dedication to presenting and promoting "La Cucina Italiana" and the Italian lifestyle. He’s written four cookbooks and has been on a slew of television programs, from "Food Safari" and Iron Chef, to "My Kitchen Rules." He also runs a small empire of highly regarded restaurants countrywide, including his...
info_outlineExtraVirgin Food & Travel
We've talked about in a previous podcast (episode 81) but in this episode we’re about to revisit the subject (and the topic of buying property in Italy as a foreigner in general) with Michele Capecchi, a lawyer based in Florence, who has extensive experience in guiding foreigners through the red tape that is buying a property in Italy. Michele is managing partner of teaches International Business Law at at the European School of Economics and has been a a legal columnist with , the international magazine of the expat community in Florence for over 10 years. Michele...
info_outlineExtraVirgin Food & Travel
Have you been thinking of (or dreaming about) taking an Antarctic cruise? Cruising is huge and estimates have the cruise industry growing by another 9% in 2024. For some regular cruisers, particularly those with large disposable incomes, the great white continent, represents just another an as-yet unexplored cruise destination to conquer. For others, Antarctica is a long-cherished dream. But what’s it really like? What can you expect on a cruise to Antarctica? puts that question to travel journalist Catherine Marshall, who has been to Antarctica not once, but twice. They discuss the...
info_outlineExtraVirgin Food & Travel
We all know that getting out and communing with nature is good for both our body and our mental health, but where to start if you've never done any hiking but are keen to give it a go? Trekking, hiking, tramping, rambling or just plain walking - whatever you call if and whatever you aspire to, whether it's a kilometre on a flat countryside track to conquering rugged terrain over multiple days, or even taking it easy with a , it's an activity that most of us can achieve. If, like ExtraVirgin host, Natascha, however, you have lots of questions: (Am I too old? Am I too unfit? is hiking...
info_outlineExtraVirgin Food & Travel
was recently awarded . In this episode of ExtraVirgin, chats with Agnes executive chef, Ben Williamson, who also co-owns other popular restaurants , and . Western Australian-born Ben spent time travelling the Middle East, where he sharpenened his kitchen skills and learned about cooking from the heart - something that would become the cornerstone of his culinary philosophy. On his return to Australia, he settled in Brisbane, working in some of the city's most highly regarded restaurants, including a lengthy tenture at , where introduced the city to his modern re-imagining of...
info_outlineExtraVirgin Food & Travel
Is South America on your wish list but you worry it might be too challenging or unsafe? In this episode, ExtraVirgin host, who has just returned from 3 weeks in Uruguay, Argentina and Chile, shares her experiences. Her trip, travelling by plane, car and boat, starts in Santiago in Chile, where she visits an extraordinary museum and wanders the vibrant Yungay and Lastarria barrios. From there, she explores the Uruguayan capital, Montevideo, with its unique architecture and excellent restaurants, as well another fascinating museum dedicated to a famous and tragic incident...
info_outlineExtraVirgin Food & Travel
Group travel needn't involve being shuttled around on 50-seater coaches, taken to the major sights to snap your instagram pics, then...back on the bus to do it all again. In this podcast, host talks with Lisa Pagotto, founder of who offer small group trips to some destinations that are definitely off the well-trod tourist path. But, if you're usually an independent traveller, why would you consider group travel? It's one of the questions that Natascha poses to Lisa. They also discuss how the pandemic has shifted the way many people want to travel, who are the people who take...
info_outlineSommelier, importer and wine writer Jane Lopes reckons that Australia is making the most exciting wines in the world right now, and ExtraVirgin podcast host Natascha Mirosch, while she could be accused of being a little biased, agrees.
In this episode of ExtraVirgin Food and Travel Podcast, Jane and Natascha discuss Jane's background - including the soul-destroying experience of passing, then having her consort's Master Sommelier exam nullified; her newly released book: How to Drink Australian, co-written with her husband, Jonathan Ross and how a Californian-born, Nashville-dwelling American developed such a passion for Australian wine.
Jane also tips us off on one of her favourite great-value Australian wines, her "death row" Australian choice and her favourite Australian wine region.
Whether you already know how great Australian wines are, or have zero experience with them, pour yourself a glass of wine and have a listen.
Cin Cin!