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Name

Tobie Puttock

Restaurant

Fifteen, Melbourne

Tobie Puttock

Food is a huge vehicle in bringing people together, which makes a much nicer world.

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Why should Australians get involved in A Taste of Harmony?

As Australians we're so lucky to be living with all these cultures around us. If you open up to what’s around you, not only does it make you smarter but it makes you really happy as well.

How have you seen food play an integral part in bringing people and cultures together?

I used to live in Italy where the country almost revolves around food. It's such a healthy way to live because it brings families and friends together. Some people in Australia are so busy or isolated they just eat because if you don’t you die - but food is a huge vehicle in bringing people together, which makes a much nicer world.

How have you benefitted working with people from different countries and cultures?

When I was an apprentice one of the main things that fuelled my fire for Italy was listening to the Italian guys I worked with talking about truffle picking season in Alba and going down to the markets on the main canal in Venice. When you haven’t been to countries and you eat the food and hear those stories, you paint your own picture and it creates a huge desire to experience it yourself.

As a boss, what are the benefits of having a culturally diverse workplace?

It brings a lot to the staff as most of my students and a lot of my staff have never been on a plane or travelled before. Hearing the stories of other people’s lives fuels people’s desire to see the world and eat all its foods.

How do you live the A Taste of Harmony philosophy at work?

At Fifteen with the daily staff meal, we make a point that everyone stops at once when the restaurant is closed for an hour or two to sit together, eat together and talk about everything that’s going on.