Today’s chat is with Dougie Thompson. I reckon Dougie is the nicest guy in hospitality. He has been in the game for 15 years, working his way up from kitchen hand to head chef in a few venues around Melbourne before he and his wife went on a two year adventure around the world in search of street food. When he got back, “the country was on fire” and not long after, we were in lockdown. To keep himself busy and to help others, Dougie went into true hospitality mode, joining the Alex Makes Meals crew up at The Hardware Club, making meals for frontline health workers, then doing online cooking entertainment with his friend and Conversation with a chef alumni, Sam Pinzone, called Bad Chef, Worse Chef. He is currently run off his feet with his creation, Dinner At Dougie’s House, which started when he posted photos of what he was cooking and locals asked him to “cook it for them”. That has now turned into a five night a week venture where he gives his profit to various charities and where he very happily gets to come up with a different menu very night. Talking to Dougie made me so happy and I absolutely think you should hop on his Instagram @dddougiez and Facebook Dinner at Dougie’s House for vibrant photos and Dougie’s soulfilling commentary. Dougie Johnson is what Melbourne in lockdown needs. Thanks, Dougie. Now I do apologise for the sound quality. We had a few issues with phones cutting out and I am fairly certain Dougie was cooking while talking to me, but bear with us, because it’s a cracker conversation.
Photography credit: Danny Pareno
