Brenda Fawdon, founder/chef, Mondo Organics
Do what you love and be grateful for every day ...
For chef, restaurateur, cooking school teacher and food presenter Brenda Fawdon, food isn’t just the stuff you cram into your gob when the clock says so – it’s nature’s nourishing tonic, and the cornerstone of her work for the past few decades. As the culinary pioneer behind Australia’s first licensed organic restaurant, Brenda is committed to sharing her knowledge about natural nosh and biodynamic wines, and helping others to adopt a healthy relationship with food. Between manning the Mondo Organics kitchen, hosting classes and transforming her own plot of land into an organic orchard and edible garden, Brenda has somehow found the time to pen her first cookbook, Wholehearted Food. Her lifelong love affair is celebrated with a tome of nutritious recipes for anytime of day, focusing on unprocessed, unrefined, nutrient-dense dishes. Ahead of the Wholehearted Food book launch kicking off at West End’s Avid Reader tonight, The Weekend Edition chatted to Brenda about good health, weekend rituals and the local dining scene.
Describe yourself in ten words …
Generous, driven, ambitious, dynamic, passionate, visionary, leader, funny, pioneer, ethical.
If we rummaged through your grocery bag, what would we find?
Seafood, loads of seasonal veggies and some fruit, yoghurt, hard tofu, organic butter, almond or rice milk, almonds, quinoa or rice flakes, ground dandelion root, raw honey, maybe dark chocolate and some pinot noir or riesling.
What’s one foodstuff you couldn’t live without?
That’s a challenge! Probably lemons – I have a Meyer lemon tree at my place at Tamborine Mountain that produces 80 lemons twice a year.
What five things complete your week?
Happy customers. Exceeding expectations. Breathing mountain air. Eating local food from the markets. Connecting with people and animals I love.
The last time something took your breath away was …
Standing in front of Gaudi’s La Sagrada Familia Catholic church in Barcelona one week ago.
You launched your first Brisbane restaurant Primavera in 1981 – what was the local dining scene like at that time?
It was extremely different to now. People came, they enjoyed what you served and let you know – social media didn’t exist, and neither did mobile phones. How did we cope? Really well, actually …
What have been the most rewarding – and most difficult – aspects of running the Mondo Organics restaurant and cooking school?
I have enjoyed the constant learning curve and the opportunity to grow as a wholefood chef and leader in the industry. I love being part of my cooking school participants’ healthy food choices and inspiring them to cook nourishing and delicious food. Running a restaurant is a constant challenge in regards to monitoring expenses, staff and creating income.
What are the basic tenets of your food philosophy?
Natural, nourishing, real, clean, whole, seasonal, local, sustainable and ethical.
How have you seen the community’s response to organic food change over the past few decades?
I’ve certainly seen a big change since we opened Mondo back in 2000. Australia’s organic products sector has grown 34% in sales since 2010. It is one of the top five growth industries in Australia, according to recent reports. The industry is forecast to grow by 15% annually. More than one million people in Australia now purchase organic products on a regular basis.
Congratulations on your new book, Wholehearted Food. What can readers expect to find between the covers?
Health-promoting fresh juices and nutritious breakfast recipes. Alternatives for people with allergies and food intolerances. Sustainable seafood and ethical meat and poultry recipes. Legume and wholegrain recipes. Loads of vegetarian options and a chapter dedicated to unprocessed sugar, dessert and sweet treats.
How do you like to start your weekend?
Thinking about creating a new dish for my blog, Wholehearted Food, a long, relaxed breakfast and enjoying being on the mountain – it’s such a peaceful place to relax.
How do you like to unwind?
Gardening, reading, going to the beach and cooking at home.
What are your essentials for a well-spent weekend?
Good food, good wine, good music and good company.
What’s your favourite thing to do on a Sunday evening?
It’s the end of my week, so I like to drive up the mountain in the afternoon, relax on the deck with snacks and wine, and watch the sun go down over the Gold Coast.
What are you reading at the moment?
Toxin Toxout by Bruce Lourie and Rick Smith, published by UQP. It’s about getting harmful chemicals out of our bodies and our world.
What inspires you?
Creative, genuine forward thinkers. People who follow their heart and passion in life, and never give up.
What was your childhood dream?
To be happy.
What has been your greatest achievement?
Surviving the hospitality industry for 31 years and my new book, Wholehearted Food.
What are your words of wisdom?
Do what you love and be grateful for every day.
Only a local would know that … Mondo has been serving the addictive crunchy potato squares (known to locals as ‘CPS’) for the past ten years.
FAVOURITE WEEKEND SPOT TO:
Perk up … Palm Beach Parklands Dog Beach.
Relax … On my deck at Tamborine Mountain.
Dine … Breakfast at Elk Espresso, Broadbeach.
Indulge … Dinner at The Fish House, Burleigh Heads.
Shop … Flannerys, Miami.
Catch-up … Breakfast at Mondo Organics on Sunday morning.
Be inspired … Watching paragliders jump off the summit at Tamborine into strong thermal currents.