The Dish on Dads
There’s something about the first Sunday in September. Spring is in the air, footy fever escalating, and dad’s get their day. Or at least a few kind words.
Happy Father’s Day! A nice tradition of celebrating fatherhood and expressing gratitude to the men involved, or an ad campaign to sell craft beer and hot sauce?
Either way we’re all about it.
I know one dad getting a break from making gelato this Sunday to sip tea wearing his new Aldi slippers (love you Dan!)
We’re lucky enough to know many more deserving and inspired dads. The juggle is real for these dudes between work, play, pizza making and being present.
Hope you enjoy this little insight into local dad business.
PAPA PASTA - Tristan
Tristan Fraser aka Toni for Rigatoni pops up all over the Coast with his mouthwatering Italian dishes, taking over restaurants, cafes, parties, bars, and any other spot where pasta-loving peeps form a long queue.
Who calls you dad?
Stevie, age 11, creative, intelligent and independent. Fox, age 14 months, bursting with personality and loves being outdoors in nature and at the beach.
My top dad activities are cooking pancakes with Stevie on the weekends and taking Fox out to feed the chickens and retrieve their eggs.
Best places for fam hangs on the Coast has to be the beach, plus a good bush walk. Venturing slightly further north around Norah Head and further is always nice (usually less busy than the southern end of the coast)
Dinners we all eat and enjoy are surprise, surprise pasta and pizza! All hand made from scratch including sauces.
When I’m working at home Stevie never shies away from helping with cutting long shapes from the pasta extruder and is quite skilled in using the good old pasta roller! Fox is always there watching in awe as we hand form the pasta shapes and has already got the nickname ‘little chef’ always wanting to be in the kitchen with his own pots and pans and wooden spoons.
My ideal Fathers Day scenario is a lazy morning, making scrambled eggs from our chooks for breakfast (with a cheeky Bloody Mary or mimosa), then out for a beach adventure, or a movie if inclement weather.
My fave gelato flavour is creama or amarena.
Find out about upcoming pasta nights and events @rigatoni_for_toni
MOVING MOUNTAINS - Matt
Matt Harrington wears many hats, helmuts and headphones. Professional mountain bike coach and guide @bikeflowadventures, DJ and activator @BouddiSoundsystem, and medical device product developer.
Who calls you dad?
Axel 11, soccer-mad and recently into geocaching with and without a bike. Tate, 8 is all about bikes, arts and animals
My work/life balance means flexing the post-corporate entrepreneurial muscle and trying to have as much fun and impact as possible without burning out myself or partner Jess!
For Bike Flow Adventures the boys are my sounding board for unnecessarily complicated ideas and plans! They run pop up stalls, recruiting their friends for events and adventures.
Fun time with them includes outdoor bikes, hikes, playing, talking, noticing stuff.
We love to hang in Bouddi, Pearl Beach, BMX Burgers, and half tide rocks with Zelda the whippet.
My go-to kid dinners are spaghetti carbonara or home fired pizza.
My ideal Fathers Day scenario is a few hours with, few hours without the kids. Stretch/yoga, social ride/hike. Being as present as possible!
When it comes to gelato I’m as fickle as the seasons. Citrusy sorbet in summer, nutty and chocolatey in winter.
Fathers Day Gift ideas? BikeFlow Vouchers - full or half day guided mountain bike adventures. Action, relaxation, refreshment. Strictly Dads only!
Shred with Matt @bikeflowadventures and dance under the stars @bouddisoundsystem.
GOOD TIMES - Dave
Winemaker Dave Knaston not only makes fine From Sunday wines, with his wife Michelle he owns and curates the best wine shops on the Coast. Upstairs Wines is a grown-ups candy store for those who love interesting, sustainable, and highly drinkable drops.
Who calls you dad? Willow (7) Kind and happy artist and Leo (5) Fun, loving and a ball of energy.
My favourite moments with them are the normal everyday things, makes it more fun. Whether cooking or gardening or just going for a walk, it's great to see everyday things in a new light.
We love hanging at Copa rockpool. In summer you don't need to make any plans, just head down and you know you will run into a million friends enjoying the glorious beach. Otherwise you will find us getting coffee and croissants at Burnt Honey or Bees Knees.
Our family dinner tradition is every Wednesday night at Lady Copa. A Margarita, A Roma and a bottle of From Sunday Shiraz!
Like my dad I cook weird food and try to make the kids eat it even though I know it's not bolognaise or chicken nuggets. We both always lost the battle.
For dessert I can't go past a little Hokey Pokey gelato.
Managing the business with a young family can be challenging. With both of us working in the business it really is a juggle. On one hand we have a fair bit of flexibility but we also end up working a lot of weekends and nights. Luckily we have amazing staff which means we can be with them when it counts.
My ideal Fathers Day scenario is a chill day. Potter round the garden, cook a bbq over the outdoor fire, few glasses of wine and early to bed.
If you’re buying a bottle for someone the stereotype wine for men is big and bold reds but I'm usually having some sort of chilled red, Australian made but with Italian varietals. Suits our climate and cuisine. But really whatever dads like, I'm not too fussy, I just like exploring it all.
Find Dave and his delicious varietals at Upstairs Wines in Ettalong and Long Jetty. Follow @upstairswines for tasting events and specials.
TO THE MOON AND BACK - Cam
Cam Cansdell is one of Coast’s most renowned chefs and restaurateurs. Culinary Director at Bells at Killcare, Cam also recently added florist to his creative repertoire.
Who calls you dad? Little Miss is 2.5 years old. She is cheeky, inquisitive, talkative, independent, always smiling, an adventurer.
We cook a lot together, she has her own set of safety knives and wants to do everything that I do. She loves to eat, I love to cook. She loves the garden, I love gardening.
Our family dinners are different every night. If I am not making a curry, I’ll cook on the fire outside or Little Miss will ‘help’ roll out some pasta.
Our special thing when the sun goes down is always checking for stars and the moon.
Out and about is usually a walk to the Ettalong foreshore to kick the ball around.
On the weekends we will grab a kebab and falafel plate from Sulo’s Shish and take it with us.
My ideal Father’s Day is a simple meal at home over the fire. A piece of fish and a glass of wine or two!
Dessert could be Raspberry Swirl Gelato, fresh raspberries a must.
Keep tabs on Cam’s cooking adventures @cameron_cansdell. Find floral wonder and Food & Flower workshops @flowergirllane
BBQS AND BLUEY - Josh
Josh Dixon is General Manager of The Springs and Brand Ambassador for Traeger Grills. His hugely popular videos and reels, often featuring the family, prove BBQing is a love language.
Who calls you dad? Daughter Emilia (Mila) – just turned 5 going 16!! My little princess has a massive heart and personality to match. Son Oliver (Oli) – 18 month little dude – loves/annoys his big sister and always saying “dadda”…
The best days are playground adventures and taking them to the beach (where Oli loves to eat the sand and Mila chases the Seagulls!!). Naturally gelato afterwards.
The kids are my world and my world is theirs. Mila loves coming to golf – brings her own golf clubs and gives it a go. She also gets involved in cooking – loves baking cakes and cookies along with helping me cook bbq. She joins me on Instagram live when I’m creating food. Oli hopefully will follow in his big sister’s foot steps but at the moment loves eating pork ribs and more beef short ribs!!
As a kids dinner special I do an 18hr low and slow brisket and Wing Wednesday. They love pasta so that is always on the menu as is chicken nuggets!!
Ideally I’d spend Fathers Day with my two amazing kids but at the moment they are living in Papua New Guinea (thank god for modern technology to be able to call and see them daily). If they were here I would take them for a walk along the beach, cook whatever they want to eat and finish with gelato (Hokey Pokey please!!) plus a nice glass of red wine while watching Bluey for the 2000th time haha.
For FD gift recs I’ve got a few! Highly recommend a Wood Fired Traeger Grill – so versatile in what you can cook and create – from briskets, pulled pork, wings and ribs right through to smoked cheesecake!!
If you love pizzas a Gozney Pizza Oven – unbelievable pizzas at home that the whole family can be part of. If your father figure has a bbq/pizza oven already getting a high quality piece of cookware from Ironclad is the next best thing or anything from the Yeti range – they will definitely love these gifts.
If he’s into golf a round at The Springs – mention my name and my team will look after you!!
Follow Josh and get served up grillspo @traegerdixon. Eat, drink, play and celebrate at The Springs.