Like father, like son? Not always, but in this family-run business their differences only make them stronger.

By Yasmin Newman

"It’s my view that a business, just like a person, either grows or it dies. I don’t think you can get a business to a point that it’s not growing anymore." It is interesting in my conversation with proprietors Steve Rickards and his son Elliot of organic supermarket chain Wholefoods House, that symbolism for nature, and the natural cycle, keeps cropping up.

And just like a seedling blossoming into a tree, Wholefoods House itself, one of Sydney’s only all-organic food suppliers, has grown from one small store, cavernous and brimming with organic produce in Woollhara, to a mini-chain with another store located in the sleek suburb of Waterloo.

"It’s great to start small, because when you first start, you do nothing but make mistakes. Luckily though, because it’s small, they’re small mistakes and you can live with them," says Steve of starting out. "But if you go in big, then they’ll kill you."

Steve would certainly know what it takes to make a business work, having laboured as a commercial lawyer for businesses small and large for the past 20 years, before venturing into the organic food world.

"One of the things we adopt in this business is the idea of organic growth, rather than growth that’s too rapid. From my experience, a business can fail because management can’t keep pace." Wholefoods House at least seems to be heading in the right direction, with now more than 35 people on their permanent payroll.

Amongst other advice, "if you can grow, grow close to where you are already located – it’s smart because of logistics," and sage wisdom from his time practicing law, Steve is the first to admit he’s not the driving force behind the business. He hands that title over to his son Elliot who, along with an ex-workmate, conceived the idea back in 2004.

"This is my consuming hobby…stroke job! Elliot’s the ultimate boss," says Steve, who was brought on at the early stages for some start-up advice. But following a string of events, and an interest piqued by a solid business idea, has stayed on in the capacity of chairman, or mentor of sorts, along with managing the administration side of the business. "It’s fun! I do put in some hefty hours, but I can’t describe it in any other way."

Elliot also makes note of the long hours required to get a business off the ground, but puts it down to his obsessive-compulsive tendencies; "I’m still exhausted from the first week! I still haven’t had a chance to stop."

"He’s the inspirational guy, but he’s also an incredibly hard worker," Steve adds, and you get a real sense of respect the father has for the son.

"I think it’s the hardest thing in the world to work with your father," Steve says with admiration. "I will always think about my dad with whom I never worked. Neither he nor I would’ve had a bar of it."

Elliot follows on, "I think it [working together] has made us closer." In fact, both Elliot’s mother (Steve’s ex wife) and two of his other siblings are involved in the running of Wholefoods House. As Steve puts it, having a deep interest together, and time to hang around each other, has given them "a wonderful form of closeness."

But that’s not to say that trouble doesn’t brew from time to time; "When you’re working with anyone, constantly, and in high-stress environments, there’s always going to be times when you think…"

"You silly old fart!" interjects and laughs Steve.

Elliot smiles. "We go fishing. It helps relieve the stress!"

Or, it seems, they go for trips to visit their producers, many of whom are local farmers, or similarly, family businesses. "You’ll see photos in our stores of us in the paddocks, picking. That’s what we like to do. We like to get close to our products where we can. We like to get involved," says Steve, recounting a trip up to Tenterfield to help a short-handed farmer and his wife pick garlic.

"You have to love, and believe in what you do," says Elliot, who, like his father, enjoys educating customers about organic products. But while passionate about the organic movement, the two do not see themselves as advocates or ‘industry-type’ people. "We like to give people an awareness about where their food comes from, but not in a full-on way."

It’s no surprise then that Wholefoods House embodies the same ideals, providing organic food to its increasingly diverse clientele, without being elitist about the products. But while Steve sees the business as having a "life and personality of its own," it’s clear that it is a mix of the two ¬- the father, the business acumen, and the son, the passionate, driving force.

For one stop organics visit Wholefoods House at 119 Queen Street Woollahra, 02 9363 9879, or 9 Danks Street Waterloo, 02 9319 4459

Three chefs, three continents, three cultures. A global table celebration of cultural diversity and local unity.

By Melissa Lubowski

Food is a global language. And really, there is no better way to express cultural diversity and ethnic tradition than through food. Global Table, a Waverly Council initiative, is built on this premise. With their slogan, ‘One world, many foods,’ the event aims at bringing the community together through the universal language of, and love for, food.

Take Gerald Touchard, of Crepes Suzette, as a full-blooded French example. Trained as a chef in the south of France, French-born Touchard moved to Australia four years ago to work in some of Sydney’s top restaurants including Pello and Astral. However life in the fine-dining fast lane couldn’t compete with his passion for crepes. "My mother had a creperie… I have been making crepes since I was a child," he explains. "Crepes are everywhere in Paris and French people eat a lot of them!" Proud of his heritage and the cuisine of his homeland, Touchard cherishes the oppourtunity to feed an under-crepe-nourished Sydney. "To bring something new, or something that people may have remembered from a trip to France and been missing, makes me very happy," says Touchard, who won a prize for best dressed stall at last year’s Global Table.

In a world exemplified by so much conflict and polarity, sharing food across global borders is a way to come together and remind ourselves that despite being so different, we have a common thread – we all love to eat, and express our unique identities through food.

Go on your own taste adventure at Global Table, Saturday April 28, Oxford Street Mall, Bondi Junction. For more information visit www.waverley.nsw.gov.au/bondijunction

Some like it hot, others hotter still!

By Stephen Ostrer

The Taj Mahal conjures up images of India, but in the case of Taj Mahal Gourmet Foods, something quite different is on offer. Each week at the EQ Markets, this Taj Mahal serves up delicious African-Indian cuisine at its aromatic best. It’s a unique concept, and unfamiliar to most, but a must-try for all.

African-Indian heritage, and its subsequent recipes, herald from the 19th century, when Southern Indians were indentured by the Colonial British to work in African sugar fields. As proprietor Dhiren Pillay explains, "These homesick Indians had to adapt the family recipes to a whole new foreign culture, and the availability of local ingredients. What evolved was a unique blend of Indian and African influences entirely unique to Southern Africa."

Get saucy with these natural dips and tapas made with passion.

Allan, a fitter and turner by trade, created the bright blue-tiled tapas bar in ten weeks, from recycled timber and an old verandah grate. He cooks the chorizo, sweet capsicums and prawns over the grill, and Mathilde makes the sauces (from 400-year-old family recipes) and traditional tortilla, as well as serving the food. They also serve a jamon and grilled sweet capsicum roll, with verde or picon sauce.

Mojo Picon is at the EQ Markets on Wednesdays, Saturdays and Sundays. You can contact them by calling 02 9558 0140 or visiting www.mojopicon.com.au

A group of inventive farmers work with the natural environment to create uniquely delicious produce.

Andrew Sippel originally worked with Yates as their Re-vegetation Manager, and during his time with them he worked extensively on the saltbush genus. As he says, "I come from a family that have cattle properties so it wasn’t too hard to get excited about what saltbush could do for grazing animals." And it helped that bushies, drovers and shearers would always tell him how good the lamb tasted!

And his favourite way to eat saltbush lamb? "A butterflied leg cooked on a barbecue with a Moroccan marinade, and a good red to go with it!"

For more information on Drover’s Choice Saltbush Lamb, visit www.saltbushmeats.com.au or call them on 02 6889 1188