Since I began this journal, my eyes and ears have been open to trends and habits that have become commonplace in the wide world of hospitality. My curiosity is constantly piqued, and there have been some common threads appearing that have fooled many people for years.

It’s fascinating to watch the latest trends in the ever exploding hotel scene. As more and more hotels squeeze into the emerging category between mid-range and luxury, but still fall into a five-star model, there are many tricks up a brands sleeve to lure a new and curious market.

When you fly up in the pointy end, airlines have a lot to answer for when they don’t deliver to expectations. Passengers who shell out significant funds for an indulgent experience know the drill.

In this buzzy, pitch-perfect Sydney pizzeria run by Executive Chef Luke Powell lies a dish that will surprise and delight pizza lovers.

It’s rare that I’m taken by complete surprise by my choice of accommodation. Certainly, many times I have been disappointed, where my abode has not lived up to its reputation, but rarely has it been the other extreme - so vastly better than I expected. Boy, it sure has on this latest trip to Tasmania. 

OK, I’m going out on a bit of a limb here. I have forever been a little perplexed about the complex issue of pairing wines with dessert. Just when I think I’ve got it right, I’m stumped by another complete mismatch that throws it all up in the air again.

Recently I’ve been thinking about some of the quirkiest aspects of flying. If you fly regularly on the same carrier it’s surprising how quickly these oddities stay in your mind and drive you a little bit around the bend.

I am a total devotee of traditional world cuisine. My frequent trips to Japan inevitably lead me to another astonishing meal, thus is the quality of restaurants there. Of course, the reality for me is that I visit as much as I would like to. This leads me to seek out the best quality I can find on my home turf.

It’s not all luxe resorts, fine dining and top wines for me. There is so much more out there to discover. We are living in an age where experiential travel is a priority for most, and I’m completely on board with it. The less time spent lolling in your hotel room the better. Unless of course, you’ve scored a Presidential Suite you just wouldn’t in your right mind tear yourself away from.

No other country assaults my senses quite in the way Japan does. Not a day goes by when my mind doesn’t wander to a past experience, a certain place or time, which led me to one of those magical “only in Japan” moments that happen to you, and only you, when you go.

The sheer vastness of Australia often surprises many. It’s one of the world’s largest continents and the one with the greatest uninhabitable land. With vast desert right through the centre, the only really comfortable areas to live are on the coasts and around a quarter way inland.

In our ever more complicated and busy worlds, our choices in just about everything have increased tenfold. So, it is also with the aviation industry.

I haven’t been to Sardinia yet, but I have certainly been enjoying the unique, often rustic flavours of it’s wonderful cuisine wherever I can find it. Luckily, here in Sydney, we have one of its very finest exponents in chef Giovanni Pilu. His two-hatted beachside restaurant, Pilu, is a temple of fine Sardinian cuisine. Just a stone’s throw away however, lies his more relaxed but no less excellent restaurant, AcquaFresca, which turns out easy-going Sardinian classics cooked with the same outstanding attention to produce and fine cooking.

AcquaFresca By Pilu
88 Evans Street, Freshwater NSW 2096
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Originally, cocktails were a simple mix of spirits, sugar, water, and bitters. In the 1860’s, a liqueur was introduced into the mix, forming the beginnings of the true, alcoholic cocktail.

#PASTAPORN

I knew this would be a different beast as the bottarga and the sea urchin came as two sauces, both with different textures and density. Creamy and luscious. Mixing them through the pasta created a bomb of umami. Tasting of the sea, of course, but not overpoweringly. A lovingly made and creative dish and a spectacular way to showcase two of the seas most exotic ingredients. I’ll be back for more of this.

Olio Kensington Street
Level 2, The Old Rum Store
2-10 Kensington Street, Chippendale, Sydney NSW 2008
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Through many years of collecting wine, I have been intrigued how much my palate has changed over the years. Thinking back to when I began in the mid-1980’s, I was a mere novice.

Is anyone else a little puzzled about that little oddity that often appears at the beginning of your dining experience?

These heady days of travel are all about bucket lists. Those often long lists of destinations and experiences to be ticked off before either we, or perhaps more appropriately, they – are gone.

Being someone who eats out a great deal, I’ve seen a lot of trends come and go.

Dare I make a bold statement? Can I say that this is the #1 most popular food on the planet?