Love thy Stranger

This LTS conversation we had with Helen from The Babes Project happened smack-bang in the midst of Melbourne lockdown over zoom and while it has taken a long time getting it up on-the-line, (because half of the the LTS Team (the half that knows how to produce and edit) was going through some serious wedding planning and some full-on health challenges), we're so happy it's finally up!So... here is our very powerful conversation with The Babes Project founder and CEO Helen Parker - one of the most inspirational humans we've had the privilege of chatting with and whom we now call friend...After facing her own crisis pregnancy at the age of 20 with limited support Helen established The Babes Project in 2009 with the goal of ensuring women had access to the help and care needed as they prepared for parenting.Helen continues to run The Babes Project with a fierce determination to expand the organisation until every woman knows she can access support in her pregnancy.  Helen loves her coffee, time with girlfriends, cooking and family - but she has also been known to get onto Tik Tok and shake up a cocktail or two.We love Helen, Babes Project and our chat; we invite you to listen in on the conversation and to support, partner and/or participate in the work of Babes!Web:The Babes ProjectInstagram:@[email protected]_Facebook:The Babes ProjectLove thy Stranger is recorded on Wurundjeri land in the outer east of Naarm, that you will find on a map as Melbourne, Australia and we acknowledge the Traditional Custodians of the land, the Bunurong Boon Wurrung and Wurundjeri Woi Wurrung peoples of the Eastern Kulin Nation and we pay our respect to their Elders past, present and emerging.Sovereignty was never ceded.Support the show

I don't have favourites when it comes to my podcast guests but if I did Serena would be one of 'em!  Serena has an amazing cultural tale filled with delicious and insightful stories, relationships and great wisdom gleaned from a life lived with empathy, compassion and a genuine desire to love the stranger well.Serena has been in the hospitality industry for around 15 years but embodies hospitality in all she is and all she does.  She is the daughter of a real estate agent and a diplomat, and started her career as a host at TGI Fridays. Serena has a 'way'  with people which quickly garnered respect amongst her hospo peers, earned her a number of professional accolades and made way for many growth opportunities and leadership roles  within the industry including managing the iconic Melbourne cocktail bar - 1806 - under the supervision and tutelage of industry legend and mentor Sebastian Raeburn, Jungle Boy, Tommy Collins, Employees Only and most recently with Merivale. All the world truly is a stage for Serena who oozes creativity; whether she finds herself behind a mic, a bar, a coffee machine or in front of a camera, in the gym and even in an orchard - which became evident in-and-through one of her most recent iso projects -  @madamwoosgoodstuff - an experimental kitchen that was birthed during lockdown after she was gifted car loads of beautiful fruit and produce during a stint on a fruit farm with her mate Jimmy!There is so much to this human that you can probably expect a follow up episode down the road because I'm not sure we scratched the surface but it was such a privilege and pleasure to begin...You can find Serena here:Instagram:@mdmwoo@madamwoosgoodstuffAnd her take on The Jasmine Cocktail here:LTS Podcast Guest RecipesLove thy Stranger is recorded on Wurundjeri land in the outer east of Naarm, that you will find on a map as Melbourne, Australia and we acknowledge the Traditional Custodians of the land, the Bunurong Boon Wurrung and Wurundjeri Woi Wurrung peoples of the Eastern Kulin Nation and we pay our respect to their Elders past, present and emerging.Sovereignty was never ceded.Support the show

On this episode of LTS we talk with Sarah "Sas" Cook, the founder, Director of Movement Zone and XtremeInc Youth Projects who has utilised Dance as a conduit for creating spaces and communities of diversity and inclusion!  Sass is, truly, a practitioner of hospitality, not just in and through her work as a Dance Teacher but in and through her entire life - Sass exudes hospitality - and it is brilliant!Sas grew up in Castlemaine and at an early age shone as a gymnast and dancer and after studying full time dance in Melbourne and after a car accident, she decided to return to her hometown and established Movement Zone.This passion for teaching was not only confined to the Dance Studio but has extended out into the community and evolved into producing different programs, choreographing works & events for youth, working with different organisations and thousands of young people in Schools all over Australia. In 2005 & 2006 Sarah headed to the Kimberly s, touring for a month at a time in remote Indigenous Communities training & choreographing for their annual Croc Festival.It was through Movement Zone that Sarah took part in the first To The Xtreme festival, showcasing dance, skating and music which has become an annual event that now includes scooters, parkour, BMX, street art, music, djing, circus performance and more. It was from this first event that inspired her to set up the organisation XtremeInc Youth Projects, back in 2009.Today as XtremeInc's and MZ Director, she continue's to work with young people in developing various programs and initiatives and, having built this in Castlemaine, her goal is to take this further around regional Victoria."I want to train others, to pass the torch, and ensure young people carry on this work. It s successful because it s happened organically. It hasn t come from government, but the community." Sas Cook.Web...Movement Zone Dance StudioXtremeInc Youth ProjectsInstagram...@movementzone@xtremeinc_youthFacebook...Movement ZoneXtremeInc Youth ProjectsFor the "Sass&Coz" playlist AKA "Recipe for Dance" Playlist check it out here:"Recipe for Dance" PlaylistLove thy Stranger is recorded on Wurundjeri land in the outer east of Naarm, that you will find on a map as Melbourne, Australia and we acknowledge the Traditional Custodians of the land, the Bunurong Boon Wurrung and Wurundjeri Woi Wurrung peoples of the Eastern Kulin Nation and we pay our respect to their Elders past, present and emerging.Sovereignty was never ceded.Support the show

On this episode of LTS we talk with Nornie Bro head chef and business owner of Mabu Mabu.  Originally from Mer Island in the Torres Strait, Nornie has been a professional chef for over 20 years. Her style of cooking is all about generosity and flavour. She has been creating dishes using native ingredients for much of her career, and is currently on a mission to make Indigenous herbs, spices, vegetables and fruits part of everyone's kitchen pantry.  Nornie is, to us, the absolute embodiment of true and pure hospitality.  This was the very first chat we ever had with Nornie and we felt welcomed and included in her world immediately.  We laughed alot and as we talked Nornie kept dropping hospitality truth bombs, wisdom and practical tips for a life of welcome, acceptance and inclusion as we went.We loved this conversation and we cannot wait to hang out at Mabu Mabu when this lockdown is over!ABOUT MABU MABU (Taken from their website)(Mabu Mabu) is a Torres Strait owned and run business with an emphasis on using fresh, seasonal and native ingredients to create beautiful dishes that bring people together. Mabu Mabu is a term from the Torres Strait that translates to 'help yourself' and Traditionally, a Mabu Mabu is a banquet, shared table or big family meal, it's how we like to enjoy food on the islands: surrounded by the people we love. (They're) passionate about native ingredients, and use a variety of indigenous herbs, fruits, succulents and spices in all of (their) dishes. (Mabu Mabu) wants to help create a truely Australian cuisine by helping people to understand native flavours, and to use them in their every-day cooking.  Web...Mabu MabuInstagram...@mabu_mabu_ausFacebook...Mabu Mabuor get in touch via [email protected] "Banny's" Wintry Lamb and Vegetable Soup Recipe...Love thy Stranger Guest RecipesLove thy Stranger is recorded on Wurundjeri land in the outer east of Naarm, that you will find on a map as Melbourne, Australia and we acknowledge the Traditional Custodians of the land, the Bunurong Boon Wurrung and Wurundjeri Woi Wurrung peoples of the Eastern Kulin Nation and we pay our respect to their Elders past, present and emerging.Sovereignty was never ceded.Support the show

On this episode we talk to Tim Cox aka Mr Merrymaker himself about how he got his start in the hospitality industry by taking a unique and unconventional route from accountant to Chef, catering & event business owner and Kitchen Manager of Servants Community Housing - a brilliant non-profit organisation that is passionate about breaking the cycle of disadvantage and social exclusion by providing affordable, safe housing for those on low incomes.Tim is very open and honest about his journey including some of the highs, lows and teaching moments he has experienced along the way.We loved our chat and hope you enjoy listening in!You can find Tim, Merrymaker and Servants Community Housing here:Web...MerrymakerServants Community [email protected] get in touch via [email protected] "Banny's" Wintry Lamb and Vegetable Soup Recipe...Love thy Stranger Guest RecipesLove thy Stranger is recorded on Wurundjeri land in the outer east of Naarm, that you will find on a map as Melbourne, Australia and we acknowledge the Traditional Custodians of the land, the Bunurong Boon Wurrung and Wurundjeri Woi Wurrung peoples of the Eastern Kulin Nation and we pay our respect to their Elders past, present and emerging.Sovereignty was never ceded.Support the show

On this episode of Love thy Stranger we chat with Lydia Hean; Head Chef and Part Owner of Nine Yards Eatery in South Melbourne.  Lydia is a phenomenal Chef and one of the most inspiring humans and practitioners of hospitality I have been privileged to listen to and learn from!  I absolutely loved our chat and really valued Lydia's honesty, vulnerability, her story and the wisdom she carries and shared with me, that is well beyond her years.In this episode we discuss leading peers, how her passion was discovered and developed and what drives her love for hospitality!You can find Lydia and her phenomenal eatery here:Web:Nine Yards EateryInstagram:@nine_yards_southmelb II @chef_lydiaheanFacebook:Nine Yards EateryFor a BONUS and EXCLUSIVE Carrot Cake Recipe by Lydia click here:Love Thy Stranger Guest RecipesLove thy Stranger is recorded on Wurundjeri land in the outer east of Naarm, that you will find on a map as Melbourne, Australia and we acknowledge the Traditional Custodians of the land, the Bunurong Boon Wurrung and Wurundjeri Woi Wurrung peoples of the Eastern Kulin Nation and we pay our respect to their Elders past, present and emerging.Sovereignty was never ceded.Support the show

Erin is the real deal; brilliant, inspiring and what I would call a “serial social entrepreneur” who has, in her short time on planet earth, already started two non-profits that are impacting and bringing transformation to individual lives, local business, economy and communities in this nation and in nations around the world.We talk to Erin about how she began, what drives her and we hone in on her latest start up #emptyesky and it was a bunch of fun!Erin is most definitely a practitioner of generous hospitality and her story is inspiring to say the least so sit back and enjoy our conversation...To follow and get involved with Empty Esky check them out here:Empty Esky WebsiteFollow them on the socials here:FacebookInstagramTwitterOr reach out here:General enquiries:  [email protected] & Marketing enquiries: [email protected] thy Stranger is recorded on Wurundjeri land in the outer east of Naarm, that you will find on a map as Melbourne, Australia and we acknowledge the Traditional Custodians of the land, the Bunurong Boon Wurrung and Wurundjeri Woi Wurrung peoples of the Eastern Kulin Nation and we pay our respect to their Elders past, present and emerging.Sovereignty was never ceded.Support the show

Today we have a cracking and, at times, controversial conversation with Clinton Weir; director of Pineapple Jam - a bartending, events and creative consultancy.Clinton has over two decades of lived-experience in the hospitality industry as a career, competitive and champion flair bartender, hospitality and events entrepreneur and overall legend of a human being!This was a fun, insightful and inspiring conversation so we know you'll enjoy it!You can find Clinton and Pineapple Jam Hospitality here:Pineapple Jam HospitalityInstagramFacebookAnd for one of Clintons favourite cocktails and a fun video check out this:Ruby Rose MartiniLove thy Stranger is recorded on Wurundjeri land in the outer east of Naarm, that you will find on a map as Melbourne, Australia and we acknowledge the Traditional Custodians of the land, the Bunurong Boon Wurrung and Wurundjeri Woi Wurrung peoples of the Eastern Kulin Nation and we pay our respect to their Elders past, present and emerging.Sovereignty was never ceded.Support the show

On this episode of Love thy Stranger we chat with Charles Skadiang; owner and operator of The Melbourne Coffee Academy, hospitality veteran and one of Melbourne's most experienced, knowledgable and passionate coffee gurus.It was an absolute pleasure to chat with Charles in this forum to unpack a little of his hospitality passion, philosophy and practice!You can find Charles and the Melbourne Coffee Academy here:The Melbourne Coffee AcademyFor tips on how to make a delicious brew follow this link:Pour Over RecipeInstagram: @melbcoffeeacademyFacebook: Melbourne Coffee AcademyLove thy Stranger is recorded on Wurundjeri land in the outer east of Naarm, that you will find on a map as Melbourne, Australia and we acknowledge the Traditional Custodians of the land, the Bunurong Boon Wurrung and Wurundjeri Woi Wurrung peoples of the Eastern Kulin Nation and we pay our respect to their Elders past, present and emerging.Sovereignty was never ceded.Support the show

Michael Stamboulidis is, at the time of recording, the Hotel Manager of Rydges World Square in Sydney and is, in our humble opinion, one of the most passionate practitioners of hospitality we've come across.It may sound like a huge claim but it's made after a chance encounter in one of the lifts and an outstanding personal experience with him while he was the Director of Food & Beverage at QT Melbourne.Michael is wise beyond his years and his life-experience, so we know that you'll glean some profound insight and inspiration by leaning in on and listening to some of his story.We are so thankful that you decided to drop-in on the conversation and look forward to having you along for the ride; if you like what you hear please rate, subscribe and share the podcast with your networks...Love thy Stranger is recorded on Wurundjeri land in the outer east of Naarm, that you will find on a map as Melbourne, Australia and we acknowledge the Traditional Custodians of the land, the Bunurong Boon Wurrung and Wurundjeri Woi Wurrung peoples of the Eastern Kulin Nation and we pay our respect to their Elders past, present and emerging.Sovereignty was never ceded.Support the show