Hands covered with dirt, Tom Eadie yanks a bright purple radish from the earth then chomps down on it, soil and all. “I think, now more than ever, to be innovative is to be simple,” he says, after he swallows breakfast.
Going back to basics is Eadie’s main ethos, both personally and professionally. The chef-turned-baker – and owner of Berkelo, a string of artisanal bakeries on Sydney’s northern beaches – believes it’s time to slow down and rediscover real connections.
“We need to focus more on community and go back to the things that we’ve moved away from, which have been part of human civilisation for thousands of years,” says Eadie. “We’re kind of in the ‘all on your own, in your own apartment’ mentality, eating processed things that haven’t been cared for. We’re not made to be eating in that fashion.”
Eadie, who was previously the executive chef at The Boathouse Group, has spent the past nine months transforming a former horse arena in Terrey Hills into an edible haven. The organic produce grown at his farm supplies all four of his bakeries and is also sold at local markets.
“Our corner-store concept is quite practical – it’s about providing sustenance to a town and taking things back to the way they used to be,” explains Eadie. “There used to be a mill and a bakery in every town, there were farms too, and as the world has commercialised, more franchises have taken over. In my opinion they don’t provide nutrition, they do the exact opposite.”
This story is from the July 2020 edition of Gourmet Traveller.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Sign In
This story is from the July 2020 edition of Gourmet Traveller.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
Barossa Valley
We hit the road for a weekend escape, exploring the best regional Australia has to offer. This month we head to the Barossa Valley in South Australia.
Legends of reinvention
As ultra-luxe hotel group Rosewood takes on three benchmark New Zealand lodges, MICHAEL HARDEN gets the read on this next chapter.
EVERYDAY
Easy entertaining, weeknight dinners and suppers to share, all made with speed, without sacrificing flavour.
Australia's most wanted
For love or money, building a wine collection pays dividends. NED GOODWIN reveals the Australian fine wines to put away.
MEET THE MAKER GREG LAMBRECHT
When US-based engineer Greg Lambrecht invented wine preservation system Coravin a decade ago, he changed the way we drink premium wine.
SANDALFORD
Following its recent reboot, this historic WA winery restaurant is ready to wine and dine a new generation of guests, writes MAX VEENHUYZEN.
PITZI
The team behind Fico trot out a chic new pasta bar which makes simplicity something special, writes ALIX DAVIS.
BATHERS' PAVILION RESTAURANT
A new era is dawning at a lower north shore landmark, writes MATTY HIRSCH, with an astute new recruit leading the way
VUE DE MONDE
A Melbourne icon emerges from a makeover refreshed and energised, writes MICHAEL HARDEN.
STEPHANIE ALEXANDER
Kylie Kwong celebrates the individuals helping to grow a stronger community. This month, we meet chef, author and original cook's companion, Stephanie Alexander AO.