Valentine's Day 2026: Twelve dining experiences in Sydney and Melbourne

The Berry Donut Van is making its Formula 1 debut this March

Pallavi MathurMarch 2, 2026

The Famous Berry Donut Van On Tour is heading to the Formula 1 Australian Grand Prix at Albert Park Circuit, serving its cult hot cinnamon donuts on site from March 5. The touring van is a mobile edition of the original Famous Berry Donut Van, a long-standing fixture on the NSW South Coast in Berry that has built a devoted following over the years. The van is known for drawing long queues wherever it parks, and the Grand Prix appearance marks an exciting milestone for the brand as it takes its show to one of the country’s biggest sporting events. The hot cinnamon donuts are the hero of the menu, light and fluffy, cooked fresh to order and generously dusted in cinnamon sugar. The smell alone is reportedly enough to stop people in their tracks, which should make for interesting competition with the sound of the engines nearby. Alongside the donuts, the van will also be serving freshly ground coffee, hot dogs, smoothies and milkshakes across the Grand Prix weekend, making it a solid pit stop between sessions. Owner Teresa Nazareth says: “Taking The Berry Donut Van to the Formula 1 Australian Grand Prix is such an exciting milestone for us. Our hot cinnamon donuts are our signature offering, and there’s no better place to enjoy them than at an event as electric as the Grand Prix.” The Famous Berry Donut Van On Tour is a relatively new venture, set up to bring the full Famous Berry Donut Van experience to food festivals, music festivals and major events around the country, while the original van continues to operate from its South Coast home in Berry, NSW. Source: Edition PR Find more food and drink news on Crumb Wire.

100,000 free charcoal chickens: El Jannah is going all out this March

Pallavi MathurMarch 2, 2026

El Jannah is giving away 100,000 charcoal chickens with a side of garlic sauce nationwide from March 2, until stocks run out. The offer, worth over $2 million, is available at all El Jannah restaurants. The Lebanese-Australian chicken chain hasn’t offered much of an explanation for the giveaway. Even the Taytas, the Arabic grandmothers the brand holds dear, seem unconvinced. As one put it: “Free chicken? Wallah, is big mistake, no?” El Jannah has been serving charcoal chicken since 1998, with each bird marinated in a secret blend of herbs and spices before being slow-cooked over charcoal for a signature smoky flavour. The real hero, though, is the toum, a creamy garlic sauce made from a closely guarded family recipe that has built a cult following of its own. CMO Adam Issa says the giveaway is about making March memorable. “We thought, why not make March legendary?” he says. “We’re giving away 100,000 of our famous chickens because life’s too short not to eat good chicken and garlic sauce for free. So make sure you grab yours and let all your cousins know before your Tayta questions your life choices.” To claim a free chicken, customers need to download the El Jannah app, join Legendary Rewards and redeem in store. Existing app users can also refer friends and family to score an additional free chicken. Find more food and drink news on Crumb Wire.

Chef Profile: Foxtrot Hospitality’s Blaze Young on finding her voice in the kitchen and helping others find theirs

Pallavi MathurFebruary 27, 2026

Blaze Young was on her way to a career in law, but the kitchen had other plans. In this Crumb Wire chef profile, the Foxtrot Hospitality Executive Chef shares how a chance discovery of Perth’s restaurant scene led her from the floor to the pass, and to becoming one of Western Australia’s most recognised culinary voices. What first sparked your love for food, and how did you get your start in the industry? My earliest memories are sitting on the kitchen bench helping my mum knead dough, mix cake batter or stuff cannelloni shells. She used to cook her way through Gourmet Traveller every month, and I was so lucky to grow up in a family where food was how we spent time together. It’s still how I celebrate and connect today. While studying at uni, I picked up a job at one of Perth’s early small bar-restaurants in Northbridge (Bivouac) and found an entirely new kind of family. I fell in love with the ritual of dining; the energy of the room, the generosity of shared plates, the way a restaurant could feel like theatre, I was completely swept up in the romance of it all. I’d hang out in the kitchen with the chefs whenever I could, eating the specials on my break, everything tasted brighter, saltier and more decadent than anything I’d eaten before. I couldn’t get enough. After two years on the floor, I finally crossed into the kitchen. Through sheer luck, the late Kurt Sampson took me (a complete novice) under his wing and gave me three incredible years of rigorous, deeply generous mentorship that shaped everything that followed, the most formative culinary education I could have asked for. What’s been your journey so far – from your first job to where you are now? It’s been hard and fast. I started cooking professionally at 21 and always felt like I was playing catch-up with chefs who began at 15. I was constantly pushing, reading cookbooks on my days off, practising at home, and working long weeks in kitchens that were very different to how the industry feels today. I’ve been incredibly lucky with mentors. Kurt Sampson was a titan of flavour. In his kitchen, everything was made from scratch and everything he touched was delicious. One week we’d be breaking down whole pigs, roasting lamb on the spit over charcoal, hand-rolling filo pastry, making cheese – all in a restaurant that was open for breakfast/lunch/dinner seven days a week. It was an intense but priceless education. From there, I moved to Billie H under Alia Glorie, whose food felt ten years ahead of its time: elegant, restrained and deeply thoughtful. She taught me finesse and how to let ingredients speak. At Madalena’s, where I stepped into a sous chef role, I fell in love with seafood. Learning directly from fishers and suppliers while working with up to seven species on the menu at once. We even grew vegetables in a huge garden out the back, which shaped how I think about produce today. I spent years moving through kitchens trying to find the right team to step into head chef life with. That path eventually brought me to longtime friend Dimitri Rtshiladze. I joined him to open Foxtrot Unicorn, and within six months, we’d dreamt up Nieuw Ruin. It started as a small wine bar with snacks, a gentle entry into leadership, but within weeks, every food reviewer in WA had been through, and suddenly, it became a dinner destination. Nieuw Ruin became a space for freedom: to cook what I was curious about, support our suppliers, and pass on what I’d learnt while building a genuinely positive workplace. After two busy years, we opened Edward & Ida’s, our take on a nostalgic British pub. Ice-cold pints, plenty of banter, and a kitchen led by Cassi Garrett, built on the same values as Nieuw Ruin but expressed through classic pub cooking. What have been some of your greatest achievements and challenges along the way? The biggest lessons and the proudest moments have always been about people. Learning to lead a team with care, clarity and honesty is an ongoing process. Beyond the food, the role of an executive chef is to mentor and help young cooks find confidence, curiosity and their own voice. One of the hardest decisions I ever made was letting a chef go early in my career, but it taught me that protecting the culture of a kitchen matters as much as protecting the quality of the food. Hospitality is transient by nature, and I often encourage chefs to move on after a couple of years. Growth comes from new perspectives. Seeing my first apprentice, Pearl, now working as a CDP at St. John in London remains one of my proudest moments. Fergus’ cookbook sat on my bookshelf for years and watching her step into that world feels incredibly special. Outside your property/properties, what are your current favourite food joints? Emperor’s Kitchen in Leeming is a favourite, watching them roll dumplings fresh in the window is hypnotic, and I’m convinced it’s some of the best dim sum in Perth. City Garden is my go-to late-night spot; it never misses. My friends recently opened The Coolroom in Fremantle, and I dream about their soda bread and daily fruit plate; everything feels incredibly fresh and thoughtful. And if I get a rare night off, we’re usually headed to Sonny’s in Mount Hawthorn for wine and dinner. The service is beautiful, and Sofika’s cooking somehow gets better every time I go back (just make sure you order the bread.) Which chefs and cuisines inspire you most – past or present? I’ve always been drawn to classic, technical cooking, probably because I never went to TAFE and learnt through books instead. French and British gastronomy shaped a lot of my early understanding: Marco Pierre White, Phil Howard, Robuchon, Thomas Keller, Bocuse and Escoffier. I also sought out books written by women whenever I could...

Axil Coffee and Audi Revolut F1 Team launch a limited edition Grand Prix blend

Pallavi MathurFebruary 27, 2026

Audi Revolut F1 Team has teamed up with Melbourne coffee roaster Axil Coffee on a limited edition blend timed to the opening race of the 2026 Formula 1 season at the Australian Grand Prix. The blend, called Roast 26, is named after the team’s race car, the Audi R26, and delivers notes of chocolate ganache and mixed berries with a subtle fruit kick. It is available at all Axil Melbourne cafes now and online. The collaboration brings together two brands with serious credentials. Axil Coffee is the roaster behind reigning World Barista Champion Jack Simpson, and the Audi Revolut F1 Team will be taking to the Albert Park circuit for the first time this season. Axil Coffee founder Dave Makin says the timing feels right for the brand. “We’re really proud to be collaborating with Audi Revolut F1 Team during race week,” he says. “Melbourne really comes alive during the Grand Prix, showcasing our internationally recognised baristas and coffee is very exciting.” Audi Revolut F1 Team Drivers Gabriel Bortoleto & Nico Hülkenberg Makin adds that the release is an opportunity to put Melbourne’s coffee culture on the world stage. “It’s a pleasure to be able to share the exclusive limited edition Roast 26 blend with both visiting F1 fans and coffee connoisseurs during such an exciting time in the city, and it’s a great opportunity for visitors to head in store and learn more about the calibre of our coffee that saw Melbourne’s own Jack Simpson crowned the best barista in the world.” In store customers can also enter a draw to win an Audi Driving Experience courtesy of Audi Australia. The Roast 26 blend is available at all Axil Melbourne stores and online now. Source: Theory Crew Find more food and drink updates on Crumb Wire.

Raw C is bottling the Easter egg experience and we’re into it

Pallavi MathurFebruary 26, 2026

Raw C has launched a limited-edition Gooey Caramel-Filled Easter Egg Coconut Water, available exclusively at Woolworths ahead of Easter. The 1L drink is the latest in a string of flavour launches and collaborations from the coconut water brand, which has been quietly pushing the boundaries of what tetra-packed coconut water can be over the past year. Previous launches have included a chocolate coconut water and a pistachio flavour developed in collaboration with Pistachio Papi, and the Easter release feels like a natural next step. This time around, the brand has gone full caramel egg, combining the flavour with Raw C’s coconut water base to create a dairy-free, vegan, gluten-free, non-GMO drink. For anyone who’s ever wanted an Easter treat that isn’t a chalky dairy-free chocolate alternative, this might be worth a look. Raw C founder Scott Mendelsohn says the drink was designed to capture the nostalgia of a classic Easter egg. “We wanted to capture that nostalgic, ‘melt-in-your-mouth’ magic of a golden caramel egg and bottle it. “This isn’t just a drink; it’s a liquid dessert. We’ve dialled up those rich, toasted caramel notes and paired them with our silky coconut water to create a velvety profile that hits every sweet spot (minus the dairy heaviness).” The 1L bottle is available now at Woolworths while stocks last. Source: UMM Find more food retail updates on Crumb Wire.

The Berry Donut Van is making its Formula 1 debut this March

100,000 free charcoal chickens: El Jannah is going all out this March

Chef Profile: Foxtrot Hospitality’s Blaze Young on finding her voice in the kitchen and helping others find theirs

Axil Coffee and Audi Revolut F1 Team launch a limited edition Grand Prix blend

Raw C is bottling the Easter egg experience and we’re into it

Urgent Recall: Kagro NSW Pinkfong Seasoned Seaweed Flakes 40g