“I Need It Now, Chef” Episode 2: Winter on the Plate
WITH CHEF TOM CLELAND
Every chef has that call.
"Can you get it?"
The answer has to be quick.
"Yes, Chef."
Episode Two of our Yes Chef series takes us inside Dear Sainte Éloise with Chef Tom, where winter menus are shaped not by trends, but by what's at its absolute best.
For us, this is what produce is all about.
It's not just delivering boxes. It's understanding what chefs are trying to create and sourcing the ingredients that help bring those ideas to life.
SDFP KNOWS ITS SEASONS….
Accounts Manager Ben has worked with Tom for years. He knows the questions before they're asked and understands that the first few weeks of every season are often when chefs are searching for something different, an ingredient, a variety, or simply the freshest version of what's available.
On this visit, that conversation became a menu.
Charcoal-kissed leeks layered over creamy macadamia with wattle seed dukkah. Crisp fried cauliflower paired with soft herbs, caramelised honey and pomegranate molasses. Blue mackerel from Ulladulla served with a smoky escalivada built around charred eggplant, capsicum, tomato and Spanish onion.
Simple dishes.
Exceptional produce.
That's the beauty of winter.
The season isn't about doing more—it's about letting great ingredients speak for themselves.
At Sydney Direct Fresh Produce, we're fortunate to work with chefs who constantly challenge us to source the best. Those relationships push our buying team deeper into the markets and closer to our growers, always searching for what's next.
Because every menu starts long before service.
It starts in the field.
It starts at the market.
It starts with produce.
And when the phone rings...
The answer is always the same.
Yes, Chef.
