Deep in the Weeds - A Food Podcast with Anthony Huckstep · A Deep in the Weeds Production

Simon Drolz-Cox (Old Mates, NYC) - Old Mates in the Big Apple

·32 min·2 clips

After being fired from Star City Casino, Simon’s mother wrote his resume to Alex Kearns at Glebe Point Diner.

Simon talks with Anthony about the early momentum around Old Mates in New York. The pub is trying to bring the feel of an Aussie local into one of the world's most influential food cities. He says the response has been strong, with people still lining up around the block even when it is freezing outside. The conversation keeps circling back to the pub as a community hub. Simon says it feels special to see different brands and ideas align with the same energy as the venue finds its footing. From there, the discussion shifts into his own food memories. He remembers family gatherings and his mum cooking. He also remembers his dad's attempts on divorced-dad Tuesdays. One dish that sticks with him is beef cajun, which he recalls fondly from childhood. He says his mum made him elite school lunches. Those lunches were good enough that he sold them for money. He credits her with shaping his relationship with food. After high school, he went to TAFE for cookery. His mum pushed him to do something useful with himself. What he did not realise was that the course fed into a Star City Casino pathway that was looking for strong students. He was selected and moved into a full training program through the Star. That path took him into serious kitchens and later into Bala. He closes by saying that good food in a commercial setting depends on the team and the management, and that is what keeps him coming to work.

As heard by us

A New York pub story about momentum, family food memories, and an early kitchen path.

Simon Drolz-Cox's New York story gives the piece its center, and the cold at Old Mates does most of the heavy lifting. The freezing conditions, the sub-25-degree day, and punters still lining up around the block at minus 10 make the venue's momentum feel real rather than…

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