After more than a decade at Icebergs Dining Room and Bar, Chef Alex Prichard is trading Bondi for Berry with the launch of Sara Dining & Garden, a produce-driven restaurant grounded in farming, sustainability and regional hospitality on the NSW South Coast.

In this conversation, Lucy Allon sits down with Alex to discuss the realities of opening a farm-led dining destination in today’s economic climate, why chefs need a deeper connection to producers and how regional Australia is reshaping the future of hospitality.

Alex’s career has taken him through some of Australia’s most respected kitchens, including Momofuku Seiobo, Sake and The Cut, before becoming Head Chef at Icebergs at just 24 years old. Now, with Sara Dining & Garden, he’s entering a new chapter focused on immersive dining experiences, seasonality and creating a stronger connection between food, land and community.

From five-hour daily commutes and failed melon crops to Michelin in Australia and the pressures facing restaurants right now, Alex shares an honest perspective on what it takes to build a modern hospitality business.

What You’ll Hear in This Episode

Leaving Icebergs after more than a decade Why Alex decided it was finally time to step away from one of Australia’s most iconic restaurants and pursue his long held dream of opening a regional farm to table venue
The road from Bondi to Berry How commuting five hours a day from the South Coast to Icebergs reinforced both his love for the restaurant and his desire to build a life closer to family and community
The vision behind Sara Dining & Garden The story behind the partnership with Linnaeus Collection and the creation of a destination dining experience built around accommodation, produce, wellness and hospitality
Building a restaurant around the land How Alex and his team spent the past 12 months experimenting with crops, understanding the property and learning what can realistically be grown at scale

Pretty gardens vs ugly gardens Why designing a working farm that also functions as luxury accommodation required balancing operational efficiency with aesthetics
The harsh realities of farming What happened when Alex attempted to grow melons at scale and how weather, mould and seasonality has reshaped his approach to menu planning
Why 100% local isn’t always realistic Alex’s honest perspective on sourcing, commercial realities and why supporting great Australian producers sometimes means looking beyond your immediate region
Australian produce and luxury dining Why regional diners shouldn’t have to miss out on exceptional Australian seafood and produce simply because they’re outside major cities
Why every chef should grow something How harvesting ingredients yourself changes your understanding of waste, labour, value and respect for producers
The rise of regional dining in Australia Why more chefs are leaving major cities and how hospitality migration is reshaping dining destinations across regional New South Wales
Rethinking the restaurant experience How Alex wants Sara to feel more like visiting someone’s home than dining in a traditional restaurant, with guests encouraged to explore the farm and settle into the experience
The business realities facing hospitality The pressures of labour costs, shrinking margins, rising produce prices and why restaurants now need a genuine point of difference to survive
Solving regional hospitality challenges How Sara is approaching transport, non-alcoholic drinks and local engagement to create a sustainable regional dining model
Michelin, Australia and staying authentic Alex’s thoughts on Michelin arriving in Australia and why he hopes Australian restaurants never lose their relaxed, egalitarian style of hospitality
The importance of knowing your producers Why understanding the people behind ingredients matters just as much as the ingredients themselves, and how those relationships shape the way Alex cooks
The future of Australian hospitality Alex’s hopes for the next generation of regional restaurants, young chefs and a more produce-connected dining culture across Australia

Follow Alex Prichard, Sara Dining & Garden, and, Linnaeus Collection:

About Straight To The Source

Straight To The Source brings you closer to the chefs, producers, growers and makers across the entire food chain, the people shaping where food is headed and why it matters. Hosted by food experts Tawnya Bahr and Lucy Allon.

Follow, rate and review Straight To The Source to help more people discover the stories shaping Australia’s food and hospitality industry.

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Tawnya Bahr

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tawnyabahr/
Instagram: @tawnyabahr
Email: tbahr@straighttothesource.com.au

Lucy Allon

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lucyallon/
Instagram: @lucy_allon
Email: lucy@straighttothesource.com.au

Keywords: Alex Prichard, Alex Prichard podcast, Sara Dining and Garden, Sara Dining Berry, Icebergs Dining Room and Bar, Australian chefs podcast, Regional dining Australia, Farm to table restaurant Australia, NSW South Coast restaurants, Berry restaurants, Australian hospitality industry, Sustainable dining Australia, Produce driven dining, Australian food podcast, Hospitality podcast Australia, Straight To The Source

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