Every now and then, you meet people who radiate such generosity, such quiet brilliance, that you walk away feeling a little bit better about the world. Chae and Yoora, the couple behind the tiny six-seat Korean restaurantChaein the hills of Cockatoo, are exactly those kinds of people.This is a restaurant where time is the main ingredient. Years go into the ferments, and the big clay jars sitting outside, quietly brewing flavour, take up more than just physical space; they represent a completely different way of thinking about food and business. The intimacy is part of the experience: Chae, calmly plating at the bench, Yoora quietly attentive to everything else. It began humbly, in their Brunswick apartment, with Chae just giving it a go. But beneath that quiet start was a deep well of skill, philosophy and soul.
Now, I have a confession. This was actually the second time I sat down to record this episode. The first time, I drove out, I had a beautiful, thoughtful conversation with Chae and Yoora, drove home, and, poof. The recording vanished. Gone. A technical glitch, or maybe just the podcast gods keeping me humble. But Chae, being the gracious human she is, invited me back. And I'm so glad she did, because this chat, take two, feels even more special.