Dirty Linen - A Food Podcast with Dani Valent

Dirty Linen - A Food Podcast with Dani Valent

Author: A Deep in the Weeds Production Language: English Episodes: 50
Behind every great meal is a story, and Dirty Linen-A Food Podcast with Dani Valent pulls up a chair to hear them all. This isn't just about what's on the plate; it's about the real, often unspoken, world of hospitality. For two decades, food journalist Dani Valent has observed this universe, but here she moves from critic to confidant. Each episode goes into the spaces diners never see-the kitchens, the walk-ins, the fraught conversations after service. You'll hear from chefs, servers, owners, and producers as they share the triumphs, stresses, and secrets that define their daily lives. It's a raw look at the passion, pressure, and politics that fuel our restaurants, cafes, and bars. Produced by A Deep in the Weeds Production, this podcast offers a rare intimacy, built on Dani's deep connections and respectful curiosity. The conversations are candid, sometimes challenging, and always human. Tune in for a series that proves the most memorable flavors are often the stories we don't see on the menu.
Episodes
John Laureti (Cafe Lewi, Sydney) - the lure of Lewisham [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 39:04
Chef John Laureti owns Cafe Lewi in Sydney’s Lewisham with his wife Isabella Leva Laureti, a pastry chef. The pair have a background in fine dining but they decided to bring their skills and experience to a daytime cafe,…
Jason M Jones (Entrecote, Melbourne) -  turning 10 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 40:37
When you’re busy and always thinking about the next urgent matter, it can be hard to stop to celebrate the milestones. I love it when I see a restaurant share that they’ve turned 1 or 5 or 20. It’s great to take stock, f…
Zoe Birch (Greasy Zoe’s) - consistency and change [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 35:19
If there’s a type of restaurant that I appreciate most intensely, it’s small independent family places where the creativity has to be as much about business structure as food on a plate. Greasy Zoe’s is one of those busi…
Emma Sheahan ( Lumen People, Fitzroy) - Illuminating Lumen [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 29:11
We return to a favourite series on Dirty Linen: Illuminating Lumen. In this occasional catch-up, we enter the world of Lumen People, a cafe and wine bar that launched in North Melbourne in 2023, closed in 2025 and reopen…
Jenna Abbruzzese (Addington Downs) - farming with purpose [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 37:39
We’re back with Jenna Abbruzzese from Addington Downs in the second episode of our ongoing series about lamb farming. Jenna and her partner Alex farm with purpose and in alignment with strong values around nurturing land…
Lucy Ridge (Author) - Recovering chef [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 31:50
‘Recovering chef’ Lucy Ridge is the author of Fed Up: A Chef’s Adventures in Food, Farming & Feminism. Burnt out by hospitality, Lucy embarked on something of a chef’s gap year, seeking out female farmers and producers t…
Abi Balingit (Cookbook Author and Dessert Remixer) - the dusky kitchen [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 31:04
Melbourne Food & Wine Festival is on March 20-29 with local and international chefs and creators heading to Victoria to cook, share and inspire. There’s a big Filipino thread to the program and we’re chatting to one of i…