Introduction

Gourmet Food Safaris started almost 15 years ago when my mothers group asked me to take them to the Lebanese restaurant in Punchbowl that I was always raving about on radio. It occurred to me that people love exploring some of many cuisines around us but like having their hands held and being given an introduction.

Over the years, I’ve been lucky enough to establish great contacts – fabulous people and places - as a result of my work writing books and making Food Safari and The Food Lovers Guide to Australia. Sharing what I know, introducing people to inspiring and passionate guides and small businesses that keep traditions going – this is joy for me - and delicious inspiration for our guests.

In 2007 we were voted Best Tour Operator by the prestigious Australian Newspaper’s Travel and Indulgence awards, we’ve had many stories written and filmed on what we do and we continue to strive to offer unique and delicious experiences.

Maeve O'Meara - Gourmet Food Safaris Director

Maeve O’Meara’s whole life revolves around food — as well as designing and attending many Gourmet Food Safaris, Maeve also spends time making beautiful food television with her partner Toufic Charabati at Kismet Productions – three series of Food Safari and Italian Food Safari and now French Food Safari.

Maeve was Food Presenter on top-rating lifestyle show Better Homes and Gardens, winning two major international awards for her work on the show. She also created and co-presented 5 series of the acclaimed Food Lover's Guide to Australia, winner of the coveted Gold Ladle in the World Food Media Awards for Best Food Television Program. She has co-authored 12 books on food including a cookbook Lamingtons and Lemongrass and is author of bestselling Food Safari – Glorious Adventures Across a World of Cuisines and Italian Food Safari.

Suzy Brien is the Manager of Gourmet Food Safaris and has guided our many guests over 10 years.

We like to think that she is the calmest person who walks the earth – nothing is a problem and everything has a logical solution. Suzy has traveled widely and adores to discover new and interesting places. She is loved by our guides and businesses alike and is very happy to help guide your choices amongst our many safaris.

Liz Kaydos - Guide - Greek Gourmet Food Safari in Marrickville, Cypriot Odyssey Gourmet Food Safari, Kangaroo Island Gourmet Food Safari, Greek Islands Gourmet Food Safari and Sardinia & Corsica Gourmet Food Safari

Liz Kaydos is a good Greek girl who grew up in Marrickville in a very traditional household. She has the best radar for good food and great characters of anyone and these skills are put to ample use as researcher for the award winning Food Lovers Guide to Australia on SBS TV. She owned and ran the Gertrude and Alice bookstore in Elizabeth Street Sydney, a beautiful boudoir of a bookshop which had the most unusual books for discerning readers.

Sam Cosentino – Guide - Italian Gourmet Food Safari in Haberfield and all things Italian

Adrian Cirillo - Guide - Italian Gourmet Food Safari in Haberfield

Adrian is one of the reasons why our Haberfield Italian safari is such a success.  Adrian started in the restaurant industry when he was 16 years old and is the former owner of  "Castel Mola" restaurant in Leichhardt, which he bought when he was 21 years old. Adrian grew up in a bustling Italian family and says he learned everything he knows from his mum. In 2002 Adrian started with gourmet safaris and says he looks forward to the tours each month because of the great atmosphere that is involved, along with meeting the guests and sharing his passion for all things Italian.

Fatima is famous for opening Sydney’s first Portuguese restaurant, Alfama in Surry Hills and introducing many people to their first taste of that delicious simply prepared food from her homeland. More recently she has set up a 5 star catering business Exclusive Cuisine which caters for everything from state functions to high brow dinner parties.

Manuela Barroso - Guide - Portuguese Gourmet Food Safari in Petersham

Manuela was born and raised in the Portuguese countryside, in a family where her mum and aunties were the queens of the kitchen...and Manuela, being the oldest child was the chief assistant, learning all their traditional recipes. Manuela brought her large store of recipes and her love of her homeland with her to Australia 19 years ago and is delighted to pass on her passion and knowledge to our guests. Manuela was head of her own Portuguese Style chicken shop in Surry Hills, and is now the purchasing and production manager of Pastabilities, and developer of new recipes.

Peter Nguyen arrived in Australia at the age of three and lived in the Cabramatta Hostel until his family settled in Cabramatta. He is passionate about food and has worked as manager of his Auntie Angie Hong’s successful Thanh Binh restaurants in Cabramatta and Newtown for 8 years.

Peter is also a qualified engineer and works at Ryde Council. He enjoys introducing people to the cuisine of his homeland and is very knowledgeable about ingredients and cooking. His grandfather’s dying wish that Peter return to Vietnam regularly was answered when Peter and Maeve designed specialist food trips which run in spring and autumn.

Susie Schenker comes from a food obsessed family and as well as teaching, now indulges her passion for food with Gourmet Safari trips. Her grandparents opened the first continental cake shop in Bondi and the food tradition continues, with Susie leading our World in a Day tours - Mediterranean, European and Spice safaris.

Nino Lo Giudice - Guide - Italian Classics and Italian Walking tour

Nino inherited his love for food and passion for cooking from the best cook in the universe: his mum. He inherited his sweet tooth from his maternal nonno, one of the best pastry chefs in Catania, the Sicilian seaside city which also ensured seafood would become a staple and rich black cuttlefish ink sauce a favourite. His father’s side cultivated the rich volcanic soil of Mt. Etna and continues to keep the entire family in fresh produce. Nino also spent many years at his parents’side supplying Sydney with the finest arancini this side of the Mediterranean. He is an actor, an ancient historian and a youth worker servicing Sydney’s Italian community. Nino loves sharing food and culture and considers it a privilege to be leading these tours.

Michelle Bollard - Guide - Vietnamese Gourmet Food Safari in Cabramatta

Loves to cook and she wants to share the simplicity and flavours of Vietnamese cuisine so that everyone can create and enjoy it too. From a very young age Michelle has cooked authentic Vietnamese with her mother. She grew up shopping and eating in Cabramatta and has developed an appreciation of the cultural energy of Vietnam. Her passion is to produce fresh, organic home cooked meals and treats for her family and friends.

Franca Norris - guide to the beautiful Victorian High Country Gourmet Food Safari

Franca is the daughter of passionate mushroom collector Angelo Bonacci, who is also one of the stars of this safari, along with his wife Mary. Franca lives in Myrtleford and is proud to open up her Italian heritage and its culinary delights, cooking up freshly picked mushrooms for our group. She is keen to continue the old Italian traditions and her magnificent cellar hung with prosciutto and salami and full of bottles fresh tomato sauce and preserved fruits and vegetables is testament to her dedication and that of her family, she contributed to the chapter on preserving in the bestselling Italian Food Safari and hopes to write her own book of the great food traditions of her region.

Sharon Salloum - guide - Exotic Flavours of Middle East Gourmet Food Safari.

Sharon was brought up in a Middle Eastern household and learned to grow vegetables and herbs and cook at an early age, skills that have stood her in good stead in her role as chef at the beautiful Almond Bar in Sydney's Darlinghurst, a jewel of a restaurant filled with great cooking smells and exotic delights. Sharon appeared on the Syrian episode of Food Safari with her great recipe for fattoush, a salad with vegetables herbs and shards of Arabic bread.

Fotini Manikakis - Guide - Greek Gourmet Food Safari in Marrickville

Fotini is a film-maker who grew up in a close knit Greek family totally focussed on food. Her mother Helen is an exceptional cook and father George a keen fisherman. Fotini is a great cook herself and still uses many family recipes – though with a little less oil than her grandmother would have used. Fotini is our guide in Marrickville and Greek Odyssey safaris and loves passing on the culture and food of Greece to our guests.