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Real Food School

About

BRENDA FAWDON

So, who is Brenda Fawdon? I am a real food advocate, a cookbook author and, now, a food blogger. Developing recipes and teaching people to just eat real food and cook using seasonal, locally grown produce is my life’s work. I can’t imagine doing anything else.

Until last year, I was a restaurateur. I opened my first restaurant in Brisbane when I was 21, in 1982. In May 2015 I sold my last restaurant, Mondo Organics, which I co-founded in 2000 — the first licensed organic restaurant in Australia.

At Mondo, we ran a popular cooking school and, apart from our loyal customers and staff, it is teaching I miss most. This is why I am building Real Food School: a place to continue to encourage people to just eat real food, and to share my food knowledge and recipes. I aim to inspire and empower people to make everyday meals using seasonal whole food.

Just eating real food begins with quality produce, and we are fortunate to live in a place where the rich red soil is perfect for growing fruit and veg. We live on a mountain — Tamborine Mountain in the Gold Coast hinterland. We have a small block on the eastern escarpment with a gobsmacking view of the valley below to the skyline of the spreading Gold Coast city, and further, the deep blue ocean and light blue sky. Every Sunday we buy our weekly real food haul from our local organic growers’ market, which we supplement with vegies grown at home.

My first real food cookbook, Wholehearted Food, was published in 2013. Find it here … My second cookbook, Eat Local: Food, Farming and Conversation in the Scenic Rim, co-authored with my partner Christine Sharp, is due for release in May 2016. Find it here …

Wishing you a very warm welcome to my online kitchen, which I hope will inspire you to just eat real food. One day, I hope to see you in person – at an offline class, workshop or event. Stay tuned …

Brenda

CHRISTINE SHARP

christine sharpAnd who is Christine Sharp? I am a writer, illustrator, editor, book designer, photographer and, now, kitchen hand. I’ve teamed up with Brenda to bring you Real Food School. I am the one most often styling and taking photos, as well as editing posts. I may even throw in an illustration or two.

I share Brenda’s love of real food. I’ve been buying my food from organic farmers’ markets for nearly twenty years, and, these days, living on Tamborine Mountain, we also grow our vegies at home in our cosy kitchen garden.

As well as co-authoring, photographing, designing and editing Eat Local: Food, Farming and Conversation in the Scenic Rim, and working on Brenda’s first cookbook, Wholehearted Food, I write and illustrate picture books. You can read about my books over on my website: www.christinesharp.com.

I hope you enjoy Real Food School. Brenda is a walking encyclopedia when it comes to food, and she is a passionate, gifted and generous teacher and presenter. From Brenda I’ve learned cooking techniques and kitchen skills that have changed my life in the kitchen forever. Besides the joy of sharing information with readers, I am looking forward to continuing my real-food education as we build and grow Real Food School.

Chris

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About Brenda

brenda-sidebarI am a real food advocate and a cookbook author. Developing recipes and teaching people to cook using seasonal, locally grown produce is my life's work. Read More...

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  • Congratulations Scenic Rim! Every week @realfoodfarmgate brings the best of our region to @yourlocalmarkets. We are so proud to be part of an outstanding region!  #Repost @eatlocalweek with @get_repost
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Make sure you grab today’s @couriermail to read all about the @deliciousaus Produce Awards Outstanding Region - the #scenicrim!! 🎉🎉 Pictured are @tommerupsdairyfarm and Tony and Jackie White - just some of our exceptional, warm-hearted and generous producers that make our region so very special! 📸: @nigel_hallett_pics 🖋: @anooskate

#scenicrim #eatlocalscenicrim⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣
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#brisbaneanyday #thisisqueensland #seeaustralia  #thinklesstravelmore #wearegoldcoast #exploreaustralia #discoverqueensland #passionpassport #farmlife #countrystyleloves #restaurantaustralia #brisbanefood #eatlocal #eatlocalweek #thisisbrisbane #buzzfeast #seasonaleating #makeitdelicious #tablescape #onthetable #darlingweekend #gatheringslikethese #eatqld #knowyourproducer #produceawards2019
  • Thank you for the shoutout, beautiful Bec @estabar_
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#Repost @estabar_ with @get_repost
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That's what we're doing here!  Do you feel that?⁠⠀
This beautiful cook book is by Brenda Fawdon @realfoodschoolaustralia ,someone we are so thrilled to have pulled into our vortex along with her partner Christine Sharp.  This book was and is a gift and we are mighty inspired by these women.⁠⠀
This vortex, of delicious, whole, real and nutritious food swirls around with wonderful, inspired, passionate growers, makers and creators and you - you who bring laughs and smiles and opportunities to serve and connect to our team every day.⁠⠀
Thank you.  Really, thank you. x⁠⠀
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#estabar #itsallaboutthelove
  • The LENS GC project 2019 embraces food culture - a theme close to my heart. I am enjoying watching the artworks unfold over @lensgoldcoast until the end of this week, led by clever @christinehsharp and with cultural influencer, the fabulous Barbara Sweeney @foodandwords. Check it out!
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#Repost @lensgoldcoast with @get_repost
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Food Culture || Collab 1 || Image by @salvadorfilms || Words by @caro_is_curious || Cultural Influencer @foodandwords
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LENS GC is supported by the City of Gold Coast.
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#LENSGC 
#LENSgoldcoast 
#creativegold 
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  • Good morning, real foodies. I will be chatting with Nicole Dyer on ABC Radio Gold Coast this morning on the Foodie Friday program, sometime after 9am. We’re taking a look at what’s in season now, like cauliflower, cabbage, roots and all the winter greens. Tune in, if you can. 🗣👋🥦🥬🥕 📷 @christinehsharp
  • Farmer Marti at Tamborine Mountain and @sonjadrexler from @realfoodfarmgate Connecting with local farmers every week is what we love to do. Marti’s glorious organic rhubarb ‼️ featuring @yourlocalmarkets Palm Beach and HOTA Farmers’ Markets this weekend. What’s your favourite rhubarb recipe?
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#rhubarb #farmersmarket #eatlocal #realfood #organic #organicproduce #organicgrowers #destinationgoldcoast #scenicrim #tamborinemountain #community #realfood #rhubarbpie #thankafarmer #thankafarmerforyournextmeal #keepitreal #localmarket
  • My bestie @sonjadrexler starting the morning with a buckwheat @mio_wrap See you @yourlocalmarkets @hotagc today. @realfoodfarmgate 🥝😊. .
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#farmersmarket #goldcoast #goldcoastfood #markets #destinationgoldcoast #organic #supportlocal #eatlocal #thankafarmer #keepitreal 🦆
  • Beautiful cos lettuce from Di and Bill’s lush veggie garden at Tamborine mountain. Growing legs and walking out the stall this morning at Palm Beach Farmers’ Market 6-1130. Be early if you like crispy crunchy. .
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#realfood #farmersmarket #organic #nochemicals #greens #goldcoast #palmbeach #community #growersmarket #supportlocal #localfood #localfoods #eatyourveggies #thankafarmer #coslettuce #market #keepitreal @yourlocalmarkets 🌿🌿🌿
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  • Organic yellow nectarines - the best (in our opinion). 6-1130 this morning Palm Beach Farmers’ Market. Come early 🙏🏼 .
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#farmersmarket #producemarket #thankafarmer #nectarines #nectarine #summerfruits #summerfruits #organic #chemicalfree #realfood #markets #goldcoast #palmbeach #community #keepitreal 🚜💨

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