We’re excited to introduce you to Eat Canberra’s first Intern from the University of Canberra. Bronte is a final year commerce and marketing student and is really excited about the opportunity to work with Eat Canberra. She will be with us over the next few months covering events, creating content and sharing more foodie adventures with you. Bronte was born in Canberra, loves to explore this beautiful city, travel and of course eat delicious food! She’s also a pescatarian so we’ll be bringing you more articles about where to get delicious meat-free meals from. Meet our food-loving Intern who you’ll be hearing more from very soon.
Why are you passionate about food?
Well anyone who knows me knows that food is my life, and I can eat a whole lot of it. My boyfriend knows that food is the best way to put me in a good mood. Endorphins aside, food is a great thing in bringing people together. Every week my family gets together for family dinner, my girlfriends and I catch up over a girls night feast, and I love to grab a meal with my partner. I’m also passionate about food because it allows you to get a taste of other cultures (pun intended). I couldn’t imagine a world where I didn’t have Thai, Turkish, Italian and Mexican food right at my fingertips.
Are you from Canberra?
Yes, I have lived in Canberra my entire life and I love it here! I do want to experience living in another city but I know I’ll always come back to Canberra because it’s home.
What’s your favourite thing about Canberra?
My favourite thing about Canberra is that you are never far from nature, as there’s always a beautiful walk up a mountain, around a lake or through a park nearby.
Obviously, I also love that the food culture here is amazing! Us Canberrans love to eat out, and we are spoilt for choice! There is an abundance of trendy cafes with unique menus, restaurants of every cuisine and heaps of amazing food festivals!
Do you cook? If so, what’s the best thing you’ve cooked?
I love to cook, but I am very slow and not the most talented cook. I much prefer baking. There’s just something about watching your cake rise in the oven as the smell wafts through the house… everybody knows that baked goods equal happiness. The best thing I have baked is probably my cinnamon scroll pull apart! My friends, family and boyfriend all love it so it never lasts very long.
What is your favourite Canberra restaurant or café?
This is a tricky question, because my food mood changes all the time. A café favourite would be Double Shot in Deakin, they hit the mark every time and I love how large the menu is. I love a good vego meal at Kingsland in Dickson – the duck rolls are to die for. But at the moment, my favourite restaurant, Griffith Vietnamese, is a Canberra classic (apparently Obama dined there)! The meals are so tasty, fresh and healthy and Mr Tan is the man!
If you have interstate visitors coming to Canberra, where do you take them to eat?
I love taking interstate visitors to The Hamlet in Braddon! It is a haven for all foodies who love a cool and casual atmosphere while they pig out on a variety of street foods. The Hamlet is super convenient when you’re in a group too because no cat fights need to break out over where the majority want to eat. Everyone can eat from somewhere different and get exactly what they want. I can have a hot dog, while someone else might want a pizza, souvlaki or pho. There’s so many options and then everyone’s got a happy belly.
Where is your favourite travel destination?
I have a few favourites, and it’s very hard to compare them because every place is unique and has its own charms. However, I was completely enchanted with Japan when I visited last year. Japan is such a beautiful country with lovely people, a vibrant culture, stunning temples and the most heavenly gardens imaginable. I travelled around Kyoto on my own and it was such an easy and wonderful place for a female solo traveller to be. Definitely on my revisit list.
I also have to give an honourable mention to Santorini, the Phi Phi Islands and the Swiss Alps Bas some of my most beloved travel destinations.
What is the best thing you’ve eaten overseas?
Sorry but it’s impossible for me to choose just one… to name a few:
- Street food in Thailand,
- Souvlaki in Greece,
- Tonkatsu in Japan,
- Gelati in Florence,
- Fresh pineapple in Fiji
- Crepes in France
- Pub food in England and,
- Tapas in Spain.
What is your favourite restaurant you’ve ever been to?
Oh, I’m going to have to pick an obvious one: The Grounds of Alexandria in Sydney. They have well and truly earned their success. When you visit for a meal, you get so much more. You can see and feel how much the team has gone out of their way to make it a special place and a wonderful experience for you. The Grounds are almost a miniature village, with a florist, petting zoo, bakery, smoothie bar, coffee roaster, café and a bar.
What was your first memory of food?
Let’s just say I wasn’t always such a foodie. As a kid all I ever wanted to eat were hot chips and fish fingers. My earliest memory of food was sitting at the dinner table for hours because my parents would say “you’re not leaving the table until you eat your vegetables”. My how times have changed! I love my veggies now (I kind of have to since I don’t eat meat)!
Amelia Bidgood
Amelia is the Founder and Editor of Eat Canberra and the Founder and Managing Director of Eat Canberra Food Tours. She's a qualified journalist, presenter, freelance writer and also runs a boutique communications agency working with small business owners on all things social media, content creation and marketing. She's taught cheesemaking classes, judged hospitality and tourism awards, completed the WSET Level 1 Award In Wines, loves to cook and has travelled to 23 countries. She's also passionate about mental health and has recently started studying to become a Counsellor.