FOOD WRITING
Tracking down world famous chefs and champion producers from around the globe,
there’s nothing Olivia won’t eat, write about or review, at least once.

Nature and Nurture
Australian Financial Review – Vancouver's setting is hard to beat. Framed by majestic peaks, the "city of glass" is mirrored in the pristine waters of Vancouver Harbour.
March 31, 2017/by Olivia Riordan
Guess Who’s Cooking Dinner
Australian Financial Review – Private chefs have seen it all. But as luxury is redefined, are some of the trimmings that go with it becoming more accessible?
November 4, 2016/by Olivia Riordan
After the snow melts
Australian Financial Review – It may be the largest ski resort in North America, but after the snow melts in Whistler Blackcomb a fresh wave of visitors arrive to enjoy its summer aspects.
September 6, 2016/by Olivia Riordan
Star turns
Australian Financial Review – Chefs on the menu. One New York City restaurant is challenging the adage that too many cooks spoil the broth.
August 26, 2016/by Olivia Riordan
You want art with that?
Australian Financial Review – New York museums go big on dining. From palette to palate, art and food entice the senses, so it’s only natural that at some point they intersect.
July 15, 2016/by Olivia Riordan
East meets west LA
Australian Financial Review – Los Angeles is a city that seems to have it all, yet three Australians found one thing missing.
April 22, 2016/by Olivia Riordan
Trail of taste temptations
Australian Financial Review – The restaurants of Dale offer much more than Yorkshire puds to discerning palates, writes Olivia Riordan.
March 24, 2016/by Olivia Riordan
Summer Series – Part 6: Darren Purchese, Burch & Purchese
Australian Financial Review – In the final part of our exclusive summer series of food, Melbourne dessert chef Darren Purchese keeps it short and sweet.
December 29, 2015/by Olivia Riordan
Summer Series – Part 5: Peter Gunn, Attica
Australian Financial Review – Our backyard comes to life in spring and into summer. Our son just loves the garden – everything from digging the seeds to picking the fruit.
December 23, 2015/by Olivia Riordan
Summer Series – Part 4: Mike McEnearney, No 1 Bent Street
Australian Financial Review – In the fourth instalment of our Summer Series of Food, chef Mike McInerney introduces us to a ‘birthday’ dish: one you have once a year, enjoy to the full, then look forward to the next one.
December 18, 2015/by Olivia Riordan
Summer Series – Part 3: Jaclyn Koludrovic, Icebergs Dining Room & Bar
Australian Financial Review – In the third instalment in Life & Leisure’s Summer Series of Food, chef Jaclyn Koludrovic makes granita the icing on this dessert.
December 11, 2015/by Olivia Riordan
Summer Series – Part 2: Benjamin Cooper, Chin Chin
Australian Financial Review – Life & Leisure's second installment in our Summer Series of Food sees popular Melbourne chef Ben Cooper add some heat to our entertaining.
December 4, 2015/by Olivia Riordan
Summer Series – Part 1: Martin Benn, Sepia
Australian Financial Review – The Life & Leisure Summer Series of Food returns again. To kick off our six-week series of exclusive recipes featuring fresh, seasonal ingredients, Sepia's head chef Martin Benn puts a new twist on an Aussie favourite.
November 27, 2015/by Olivia Riordan
An Indian restaurant with only one curry
Australian Financial Review – Being in the right place at the right time has paid off for Indian chef Gaggan Anand who has brought Indian fine-dining into the culinary mainstream.
October 2, 2015/by Olivia Riordan
City of riches
Australian Financial Review – There is much more to Philadelphia's culinary scene than cheesesteaks – but, after a weekend spent devouring centuries of art and culture, the humble hoagie can be yours to savour.
August 20, 2015/by Olivia Riordan
Yonder stars
Australian Financial Review – The event it so good, one diner went to every one of last year's 12 dinners … at $670 a time, that's really getting into the spirit of Christmas.
August 19, 2015/by Olivia Riordan
Top table lessons from the masters
Australian Financial Review – What better way to hone your kitchen skills than under the guidance of top chefs and passionate local producers.
January 9, 2015/by Olivia Riordan
Best cookbooks: stirringly good reads
Australian Financial Review – The season for entertaining friends and family calls for new inspiration in the kitchen. We pick 10 of the latest cookbooks.
December 12, 2014/by Olivia Riordan
Dining revolution in Washington DC
Australian Financial Review – Some time between election campaigns and political debates, Washington DC has become a magnet for millennials.
November 14, 2014/by Olivia Riordan
Chef’s Moroccan cooking adventure
Australian Financial Review – Days away from her debut, Analiese Gregory is slightly out of breath. But it isn’t opening night jitters. Rather, Gregory has just raced through Morocco’s Medina of Fez in search of 20 pigeons for her opening menu at Restaurant Numero 7.
October 4, 2014/by Olivia Riordan
SMH Good Food Guide 2015
Sydney Morning Herald – SMH Good Food Guide 2015
September 1, 2014/by Olivia Riordan
Healthy alternatives to alcohol
Australian Financial Review – As Dry July wraps up, some will be popping Bollinger for breakfast.
August 1, 2014/by Olivia Riordan
Where’s The Cheese?
Australian Financial Review – Forget quince paste and crackers, expect anchovies and blueberries next time the cheese course rolls around.
July 18, 2014/by Olivia Riordan
A sense of place at Adelaide’s food festival
Australian Financial Review – Adelaide is breathing a collective sigh of relief. It’s back. Tasting Australia has been a landmark event for the city of churches, since its inception in 1997.
April 11, 2014/by Olivia Riordan
Culinary Career Changes
Australian Financial Review – There’s no escaping the occasional impulse buy. Most people stick to small luxuries, some splash out on sports cars. James Lord bought an abattoir – sparking a surprising career change.
March 28, 2014/by Olivia Riordan
Keeping it in the kitchen
Australian Financial Review – They say don’t mix business with pleasure. So surely family businesses are a recipe for disaster? Apparently not, so say the latest generation following in their family’s footsteps.
March 14, 2014/by Olivia Riordan
Sea’s harvest on menu, with a catch
Australian Financial Review – Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day; teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime. Or so the saying goes. But cast in the word “sustainable” and suddenly it’s not so simple.
February 7, 2014/by Olivia Riordan
It’s all about the detail
Australian Financial Review – It’s seemingly obvious. Right there, under the smoked trout, pickled clams and wild onion. The humble plate: a ceramic canvas for chefs and an intimate part of the dining experience.
January 17, 2014/by Olivia Riordan
Innovation’s advance guard
Australian Financial Review – Throwing caution to the wind, young chefs are fighting back against a succession of high-profile restaurant closures.
October 25, 2013/by Olivia Riordan
Beechworth bursting with great Victorian cuisine
Australian Financial Review – Behind Beechworth’s rich, gold-rush era facade are all the ingredients for a gourmet getaway.
October 4, 2013/by Olivia Riordan