Tastemaker: Sophie Ladgrove, Head Chef at Veneziano Coffee Roasters
Sophie Ladgrove takes her coffee black and her porridge with a pinch of salt – a secret she learned from her late grandma. “Sadly, she’s passed now – but I carry her with me through my whole journey and try to put little parts of her inspiration into the menu,” explains Sophie. The rhubarb porridge on the breakfast menu at Veneziano Coffee Roasters(open in new tab) is a nod to Sophie’s grandma – and a delicious one at that. From growing up in a family that connected over food to dreaming up flavour-packed dishes with unexpected twists, Sophie’s approach to cooking is creative and considered. She recalls always being a fan of Jamie Oliver(open in new tab) in her early years: “I’d watch him cook, and I think my passion just grew from there. I decided to leave school early and become a chef,” she explains. Before heading up the kitchen at Veneziano Coffee Roasters(open in new tab), Sophie was a chef at the cult-favourite institution Three Blue Ducks(open in new tab), focusing on ethical, sustainable and authentic food experiences.
Read on to discover how Sophie’s past, palate and use of MasterFoods™ Professional products shape the food she serves every day.
Growing up with food in the family
“I’d spend the weekends with my granny and just get in the kitchen – she made it fun. And she also made eating fun, too. My drive to be a chef grew from there.” It wasn’t just her grandma’s porridge that left a mark on Sophie; there was also a classic roast chicken she recalls fondly. “We’d get in the kitchen together to make it with some Yorkshire puddings, and then the whole family would come over and we'd all enjoy it together,” says Sophie. “It was special having that family connection and being able to share food. I think the most important thing to me is that food connects everyone. It doesn't matter where you're from or what your background is.”
Making the most of MasterFoods™ Professional in the kitchen to save time
“I love the convenience of MasterFoods™ Professional products and the depth of flavour in the range. We’re able to marry those with our fresh ingredients and really lift dishes for the customer. There are so many different ways you can mix and match – whether it’s seasoning proteins (I like the Moroccan Spice Blend and Tuscan Seasoning for this) or adding sauce to the plate – it’s very versatile,” explains Sophie. It’s all about boosting flavour while helping Sophie’s team save time and focus on what matters most: getting those dishes out to hungry customers efficiently!
The secret sauce behind the café’s chilli scrambled eggs
“I love using MasterFoods™ Professional Peri Peri Sauce. We use it in the scrambled eggs here. It gives a great depth of flavour and adds the right amount of heat while complementing the creaminess of the eggs,” she says, going on, “Then they’re added to bread, topped with some chorizo crumb and some crispy fried sage.” It doesn’t end with Peri Peri Sauce in Sophie’s kitchen; she has some other favourites in the range that help build strong flavours for other dishes. “We use a lot of MasterFoods™ Professional sauces as base flavours for our signature sauces. When we're creating sauces in our kitchen, we’re using things like dijon and mayonnaise and making derivatives from those – like our burger sauces and all of our dressings.”
Keeping up with the Melbourne food scene
“I think being in Melbourne is a really big advantage. Everyone expects new things and creativity from chefs, so we go out there to try different things,” she explains. As for Sophie’s vision for the café’s menu? It’s about serving up bold yet approachable flavours that play well with coffee. “I’m getting the kitchen to a place where the food shines as well as the coffee. Using the MasterFoods™ Professional range allows me to bring bold flavours to the dishes, making them more appealing and customer-focused, helping both the food and coffee offerings shine together.”
Food trends and social media
“Social media is just such a big thing these days, and you have to keep up with what's happening. Everyone's on their phone, going to cafés and restaurants, taking pictures. It's just a whole new world of food, and we're lucky to live in that,” explains Sophie. “I see what’s happening on socials and often add things like bagels as specials – like our pastrami Reubens – and MasterFoods™ Professional helps us with the convenience of being able to do that quickly and easily, pushing out fresh ideas that keep up with people’s social feeds.”