“This course is inspirational – it will change your life.” Cecilie Brown, Spain

Candida, who started Verandah Magazine 18 months ago, is the author of numerous books including the non-fiction series Yacker,  Australian Writers Talk About Their Work; two novels, The Hidden and Women and Horses; a book of short stories, The Powerful Owl, numerous anthologies and several children’s books.

“I see my whole life as being creative,” says Candida.  “I love to take photographs, and also to paint, and I’m also a natural horsemanship practitioner.  I’ve found that if I can simply allow the creativty to flow then projects unfold in the most amazing way.  I’m currently working on my third novel, based on the life of photographer Eadweard Muybridge, and I’m looking forward to sharing my creative process with participants in the course.”

As a journalist Candida has been editor of The Weekend Australian Magazine, deputy editor of the Good Weekend; arts editor of the Sydney Morning Herald and a feature writer on The Age.  She was Director of the 2011 Byron Bay Writers’ Festival, and since then she has run numerous events and workshops in the Byron Bay region.

“Candida has worked with me for a year on my personal memoir, guiding me through the writing, editing and publishing processes.  She’s been a great teacher – patient and inspirational. She’s helped me understand the difference between writing words and ‘being a writer’.  I can highly recommend Candida – writers and would-be writers will truly benefit from her courses.”  – Anna Middleton

“This is the Queen Bees Knees of writing courses – Candida really knows how to support people to achieve their creative goals.”  India Morris, Lismore

To find out more about Candida Baker’s books go to: candidabaker.com/author

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Says Ronit: “From the basics of spice selection and combination and the fundamental condiments essential to this type of cooking, to substantial key pieces for our table we will create a selection of dishes such as Vegetable Couscous, Lamb Tagine and a variety of cold and warm salads. We will also discuss condiments, such as marinated olives, chutneys and preserved lemon, and their complimentary dishes. The delectable sweet selection will include something like sweet briouates – filo cigars with almond paste and nut filling, showered with rosewater or orange blossom syrup.”

Ronit Robbaz-Franco in her Myocum garden.

The day ends with a feast from the banquet table, full of the foods everybody has cooked.
WHERE?
Open Table Lot 19 Lagoon Drive Myocum, NSW 2482 Classes are held in our fully equipped commercial Myocum kitchen. We are able to accommodate up to 10 people, which makes this a fantastic opportunity for groups of friends or colleagues.

COST
Workshops cost $130 GST included per class; A 50% deposit is required 10 days prior to the class to secure your place. This is transferable but non-refundable.

BOOKINGS
Please call Ronit on 02 66843 013 e-mail – [email protected]

Contact Ronit at Open Table on: opentable

The post Learn the magic of Moroccan food at an Open Table workshop appeared first on .

Even as I get out of my car, I can smell something – the delicate scent of spices and herbs are being carried towards me on the breeze, and it’s delicious.

I’ve just arrived at the home and workplace of Ronit Robbaz-Franco, the owner and chef of one of Byron Shire’s favourite catering companies – Open Table Catering, and there’s definitely something cooking.

Ronit’s husband, the landscape gardener Rick Franco, bought their beautiful six-acre property a few kilometres out of Mullumbimby 18 years ago. Gradually the couple have created the perfect set-up for a home-based chef/catering service, including a massive veggie patch, the light and airy kitchen with its own verandah, and the most recent addition, a wooden covered deck in the garden for events.

Ronit Robbaz-Franco: “I love to feed people.”

“Welcome,” says Ronit, as I head towards the studio, “I’m making us an early lunch – Roasted eggplant herbs goat’s cheese filo pastry . Come and talk to me while I work.”

It’s hard to imagine now but when Ronit first arrived in the Shire in 1997, beyond those who had already embraced the idea of sustainable living there wasn’t much awareness of the food chain. “We didn’t have anything like the number of farmer’s markets back then,” she says. “The idea of food miles, or organic food, or cooking with seasonal food were still really in their infancy here, and it was one of the reasons why I was really attracted to the idea of opening a catering company here, because I wanted to bring some of the influences I’d grown up with into the area.”

In Ronit’s case those influences were not only numerous but exotic. Born in the Israel to parents with Moroccan heritage, Ronit’s mother was a chef who specialised in pastry, instilling in her daughter a love of cooking and fresh ingredients. “I remember our meal times so vividly,” she says. “Lots of fresh produce and lots of colour – a riot of colour sometimes. I learned early on about people coming together and celebrating over food, and that’s had a huge influence on me over the years.”

Part of a Moroccan feast designed to tempt the palate.

When Ronit turned 20, after she’d finished her compulsory military service, she decided to go travelling and with what, I’m quickly learning, is her ‘embrace the experience of life’ attitude, she travelled extensively and lived between India in the foothills of the Himalayas and Brazil growing her own vegetables, farming the land around her and using only the local produce for food.

“It was a huge lesson in how to live with cycles of nature,” she says. “I became truly connected to the earth, and I learned lessons about food and cooking that have stayed with me forever. I milked cows, made butter and yoghurt and labneh, and learned how to cook in a tandoor oven.”

The beautiful spiral roll Ronit is making is almost complete: “Organic roasted egglplant and goat feta spiral filo pie with Dukkah,” she tells me, and pops it in the oven, and we continue the conversation on the verandah with a glass of Moroccan mint tea served with local honey on the side.

“I think what living in India and Asia did was to really reinforce the idea of absorbing different cultures into your life through food,” she says. “I guess almost without realizing it I was being prepared for a life in food – and then while I was in India I would often go to South America for work, and of course that introduced me to another set of flavours and style of food.” Over the years what Ronit has perfected is an authentically unique cuisine, one that incorporates her Israeli/Hebrew and Moroccan background, and uses elements of that cooking in most of her dishes.

Pariticpants in the Mediterranean Fusion workshop enjoy the fruits of their labour.

Watching Ronit move around her kitchen, it seems to me that she is as exotic as the cuisine she prepares, and the grace with which she walks gives away her background, not just as a chef but also as a yoga student and dancer. “I’ve always loved movement and music as well,” she says. “I believe that true wellness comes from an integration of the mind, body and spirit, and movement is essential to us as human beings.” For Robazz, the dance she loves the most is flamenco. “I’ve been learning flamenco for many years,” she says. “It’s a wonderful combination of passion and technique.” It strikes me that the definition would suit her cooking just as well – passion and technique as well as an individual authenticity.

Ronit’s increasing fascination with cooking delicious but also healthy food, has led to the creation of the Open Table workshops, at which participants learn everything from how to create an authentic Moroccan banquet, fusion Mediterranean feasts, diverse Indian cuisine and also how to prepare vegetarian, vegan and raw feasts. For the very latest in food/health science, she is now running a Ketogenic workshop – a high fat, moderate protein, very low-carb diet, with all dishes using organic meat and fish and baked without sugar or gluten. “I love creating different styles for the workshops,” she says. “A lot of people come back over and over again because they know they are going to learn something very different each time. For me this connection with people through food is so vital – I love feeding people, whether it’s our family or friends, or at an event, for me it’s all the same energy, and a deep pleasure to partake of food with people.”

After a feast, what could be nicer than sweet treats and tea?

And talking of partaking of food, the sweet, spicy smell emanating from the kitchen is enough for her to know that her beautiful roll is cooked, and that it’s time for lunch. We’re joined by Aurelia who works with Robazz helping her to promote Open Table, and also by her husband Rick Franco, who has come home for lunch.

Ronit leans forward towards me conspiratorially. “Don’t tell him there’s eggplant in it,” she says. “He says he hates eggplant, but if I don’t tell him, then he eats it.”

Rick looks at the beautiful golden spiral roll suspiciously. “Does it have eggplant in it?” he asks.

“No,” says Ronit, cheerfully, giving me a wink across the table, and serving him a huge slice.

Even Open Table chefs have their secrets, it seems.

 For more information on Ronit Robbaz-Franco and Open Table Catering go to: opentable

on Facebook: Open Table Byron Bay facebook.com/Open-Table-Byron-Bay

A NEW cooking workshop at Open Table
Ketogenic Cooking Workshop

 A Ketogenic diet is a high in fat, moderate (adequate) protein, very low-carbohydrate diet. The diet can help with clear mental functioning, energy levels, to regulate depression and incredible weight loss.

We will introduce the different types of dishes and desserts which will include (all organic) meat and fish and baking without sugar or gluten.

 facebook.com/events

 Moroccan Cooking Workshop New Dates:

 Sunday 7th June and Sunday 5th July

We journey through the creation of an authentic Moroccan banquet, learning how to approach this wonderful geography of cuisine. The banquet will include dishes for daily use and also for special occasions.

facebook.com/events

The Exotic Vegetarian Feast Workshop

Saturday 27th of June

 Vegetarian food has never been so sexy!
Spice up your mid-winter at

Tantalise your taste buds as we explore a delicious array of plant-based dishes. Travel on a gypsy journey of the senses as we gain inspiration from dishes from all over the world- by the end of the day we will have explored a whole global carnival of vegetarian and vegan food.

facebook.com/events

Indian feast – ‘Curry favour with your flavour’

Saturday 4^th of July

It has been said that spice is the heart of Indian cooking.

Allow your heart to be warmed and your appetite to be seduced with this afternoon of classical dishes, enhanced with Ronit’s experience of India, and unique flair for flavour and presentation.

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“I’ve been involved in numerous successful technology start-ups,” says Dan Swan, who has a PhD in Innovation in the Creative Industries. “I’ve worked in the US, UK and in Australia, and my experience in innovation spans the full project lifecycle which is where I see how I can help people wanting to start a business.”

For Sonia Friedrich, the impetus to work with Swan came from her desire to help entrepreneurs and business owners understand the human behaviour that lies behind business decisions. “I really want people to gain this information before they talk to marketers, advertisers, PR companies and the media because it’s so vital for them know how to present and communicate their ideas to customers and to investors.”

Working specifically on how customers behave towards price, Friedrich, who has a Bachelor of Business in marketing, and has worked for numerous Fortune 500 companies, says that the secret is in understanding what she calls, “behaviour economics. There’s been a lot of research done into the brain and how we (and therefore customers) make judgments and decisions. We understand the biases that are used to support personal beliefs and choices – but what I’ve learned is that we can directly change behaviours.”

Swan, who began StartInno to encourage local businesses through their start-up phase, is a firm believer in the concepts of networking, and co-working. “Byron Bay is a melting pot for new business,” he says. “Outside of the main cities we have the highest density of creative industries anywhere in regional Australia – to me the idea of business start-ups being able to access a community that includes seasoned entrepreneurs as well as fledgling business ideas is a great way to share what’s worked – and why it’s worked. My journey began by just starting, and so what drives me is to help others ‘just start’ as well.”

One of the main topics for the night will be to help participants understand the emotional engagement customers have with price and how to use it to their advantage. Topics will include:

• The path of least effort
• The pain of paying
• Decoys
• The power of free
• Why discounts permanently damage
• and more

Sonia Friedrich, business mentor and consultant

Dan Swan, StartInno founder.

For Friedrich, teaching business owners how damaging it can be to discount their price is something about which she is passionate.  “When I mentor business people on this it’s incredible to see the direct result that occurs from the shift in thinking that prices have to be discounted to never discounting – it’s a very powerful thing to learn,” she says. Until recently Friedrich was mentoring everywhere but Byron Bay, but – a bit like Swan – she too, as a resident of almost 12 years standing – has seen so many creative businesses start up here, that now she has applied her mentoring to herself. “I realised that I’d really rather not get on a plane to Sydney for work if I didn’t need to,” she says. “I’ve also found it’s very rewarding working with business owners in Byron Bay because small business owners are risk-takers. Unlike many multi-national companies where fear of change can set in, or people are worried about introducing something new because they fear they might lose their job, I find principals of smaller companies welcome the change – directors of small to medium size firms can see the advantage of these ideas and actually implement them in a few days or a week.”

To book tickets go to:

https://www.eventbrite.com.au/e/attracting-customers-with-sonia-friedrich-tickets-16854039887?ref=ebtnebtckt

https://www.startinno.com/events/attracting-customers

For more information on Sonia Friedrich go to: www.soniafriedrich.com  For more information on StartInno go to www.startinno.com

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Sometimes an idea is so simple, that when it appears before us we can’t imagine why it hasn’t existed before – well, this Sunday January 18 at Lennox Head, such an idea has come to fruition with the inaugural Girl to Woman Festival.

The Girll to Woman Festival celebrates the beauty and grace of girls and young women in our communities.  It’s open to everybody – dads, brothers and male friends welcome – and includes music, market stalls, workshops and presentations to support the health and wellbeing of young women and their families as they transition from girlhood to womanhood.

The day will include presentations, discussions groups and workshops from health professionals, teachers, community members, musicians, film-makers, parents, grand-parents and young people.  The Festival is deigned to support girls as they navigate their teenage years – negotiating their way through the maze of modern life and the many complex issues it throws up.

For more information go to: girltowoman

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Local Northern Rivers artist Zom Osborne has been teaching art journaling for some years, and she’s found that it’s an ideal way for students to open up to their individual creativity.  Her next workshop is on November 9, so if you’ve been wondering how to unleash your inner artist this could be just the thing…

“There is no such thing as a person who is not creative. It is one of the innate qualities of being human. The common idea that some people are born creative and others aren’t is ridiculous,” says Osborne firmly, talking of how she came to create the idea of art journaling classes.

Osborne,  who has shown in Sydney, Brisbane and throughout the Northern Rivers has also been teaching art journaling classes for the last five years, an art form she defines as “the love child of mixed media art and journaling.” It involves paints, collage, doodling and writing, and is one of her best tools to help people open to their creativity.

“The world needs all forms of creativity, new ideas and new ways of seeing and doing,” says Zom. “We need everyone’s creativity in whatever form and field it arises.” Osborne has also observed that creativity has benefits for the individual. “Being creative builds self-trust,” she says. “It also brings joy, healing, excitement and play and contributes to a sense of purpose. It lessens cravings for material things as our natural desire to create brings fulfillment. And learning how to access your inspiration strengthens intuition.”

Artist Zom Osborne: Teaching creativity

Osborne is leading a workshop called Secrets to Creativity where she will share what she has learned over 22 years of being an artist. The workshop will show how creativity works, how to call in more inspiration, what slows creativity and what stops it completely.  “I call it Secrets of Creativity because much of what I reveal is counter to how we have been taught to do things in our daily lives,” explains Osborne. “My creativity expanded exponentially once I discovered these ‘rules’. The namecame  from students telling me that my classes have changed their life, although of course it isn’t really my classes that have done this, but them opening to their own creativity.”

Art journaling helped Osborne develop from a techncally skillful artist into a creative one. “My own perfectionism was stifling my creativity,” she says,  “but I didn’t realise it at the time. Art journaling was the tool that helped to free my inspiration and make me a better artist, and once my creativity began to really open it brought me many unexpected joys and blessings. I was able to bring a synopsis of what I had learned into six secrets of creativity. That is what I teach in the workshop. We learn and experience these ‘laws’ which are quite different from how we approach other things in our lives. They can be rather counter-intuitive.  I wanted to create the workshop that I wish I could have taken 20 years ago. It would have made a big difference to my life!”

‘Creativity will Change your Life’ is happening through the Byron Regional Community College over two consecutive Sundays, November and November 16 in Mullumbimby. Studentds can register through the College: enrol.byroncollege

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Are you starting a new business or thinking about it?  Or have you even begun a business but are not sure if you’re on the right track?  If you’ve answered ‘yes’ to any of these questions, and you live in the Shire or therabouts, StartInno’s Startup Academy has a seminar for you…

StartInno’s Startup Academy is holding a three hour seminar in Byron Bay where you can hear stories and practical advice from coaches, creators, founders and investors, those who have been there, done it and ‘worn the tee-shirt’. Learn how they got started, what went right and wrong, what surprised them and what happened as their companies grew. Take this opportunity to tap into a little inside knowledge and utilise the Q&A time to ask the questions that need to be asked.

Their  professional panelists are business performance coach Jan Terkelsen; marketing expert Jane Laverty; small business and economic development specialist Andy Crawley,  and  lead generation marketing and innovation management advisor Dan Swan.

Who, what, where and when

Venue: SAE Byron Bay

Friday November 7, 2014 from 2pm – 5pm

$60 per person, includes the networking food and drinks

The event is followed by at networking function hosted by StartInno, Byron Bay’s new startup incubator and co-working space – 4/8 Banksia Avenue, Byron Industrial Estate. https://www.startinno.com

 For further information and quotes please contact Dan Swan – CEO Startinno on 0415 124 475

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