George Peppou joins a growing list of young ‘greentrepreneurs’ running climate-conscious businesses.
Peppou and Tim Noakesmith are the co-founders of cell-based, lab-based meat company Vow Foods along with Tim Noakesmith.
Vow Foods makes its meat – from pork, chicken, kangaroo, alpaca, water buffalo – in a lab in Alexandria in Sydney using cells from animals in a bioreactor, called ‘cultured meat’.
Peppou says they take a more responsible approach to animal farming and meat production.
“There is a massive growing demand for meat around the world,” Mr. Peppou said.
“Cultured meat is grown in a production system fed by electricity. As long as we are using renewable electricity we can produce meat close to where people are eating it and which has a very small environmental footprint relative to animal agriculture.”
Vow Food founders Tim Noakesmith and George Peppou (Photo: Supplied to Daily Telegraph)
Co-founder Tim Noakesmith says it is a whole lot tastier and healthier.
“It will taste better, it will have better texture profiles and we are able to combine nutrition profiles that don’t exist in single animals alone,” Mr. Noakesmith.
As the duo work to lower the emissions profile on the agricultural sector, they say Australia needs to lift its climate change ambitions.
“We are facing one of the biggest crises to face the human race ever and there is a lack of action and urgency around the nation’s climate policy,” Mr. Noakesmith said.
Vow has raised $8 million in investments and plans to launch in Singapore next year.
Leading retailers are backing a new ‘re-commerce’ marketplace launched last week which encourages consumers to rent rather than buy goods.
Click Frenzy co-founder Peter Krideras and Retail Oasis founder Steve Kulmar created Releaseit for consumers to rent goods ranging from power tools to baby goods.
“Think of it as eBay for rental,” said Kulmar.
“The future of all discretionary retailing will include an increasing focus on the circular economy. We can’t continue to live excessively with a disposable mentality.”
Peter Krideras is the co-founder of Click Frenzy and Releaseit (Photo: 9Now)
Releaseit has already raised $3 million from investors, including Gresham managing director Hugo Dudley-Smith, online retail pioneer Paul Greenberg, Afterpay head of sales and retail partnerships Rachel Kelly, Camilla merchandise director Donna Player, Booktopia CEO Tony Nash, Cue Clothing Co’s Shane Lenton, St Frock founder Sandradee Makejev, and Oz Hair & Beauty cofounder Anthony Nappa.
Releaseit has signed up 30 established rental companies, including Glam Corner (designer clothing), Radio Rentals (appliances), Jucy (campervans), Carly (cars), GlamHub (designer handbags), Anyboats, and Luxury Properties.
Consumers use Releaseit to rent out items they already own to access a new revenue stream or rent goods on a short-term basis from other people nearby.
It aims to have more than 250 brands and more than 300,000 deals on the site by June 2022.
Releaseit charges rental companies a small fee when customers click through to their sites.
It acts as an intermediary between lenders and borrowers, holding and releasing deposits after taking a 20 percent commission.
Growing up in Sydney’s south western suburb of Casula, Harry and Mario Kapoulas were always surrounded by a loving Greek family who taught them the importance of hard work and good hospitality.
It’s no surprise then that once the Kapoulas family moved to the Sutherland Shire, the brothers took these lessons with them and opened a number of hospitality businesses in Cronulla, including HAM Cronulla, C.C. Babcoq, Good Catering and Rushi.
“I’ve always said that it’s in our blood to serve people and to make people happy with food and drink… [Greeks] are very proud people with everything, let alone our food, so I sort of find that subconsciously that is who we are. That’s what drives me and Mario,” Harry Kapoulas tells The Greek Herald exclusively.
(L) Mario and Harry Kapoulas. (R) Food from their bar C.C. Babcoq. Photos supplied.
To get to this level of drive and motivation, Harry and Mario had to first go on a journey of self-discovery. Harry actually studied architecture after high school and did a bit of travelling, while Mario went straight into the hospitality scene and worked at a few ‘reputable places’ in the city.
Eventually, the brothers ended up working at and running their uncle’s café, The Nuns’ Pool in South Cronulla, for about four years. The invaluable experience they gained there left them with no doubt that the hospitality industry was the right fit for them.
“That’s how HAM Cronulla began. HAM started because we wanted to obviously run our own ship but also, we found that Cronulla was lacking at the time with cafés, and especially European-style venues, to eat at,” Harry explains.
(L) HAM Cronulla. (R) Harry and Mario’s mum, Kitty, helps out in the kitchen at HAM Cronulla. Photos supplied.
HAM Cronulla is now one of the go-to cafes in the beachside suburb, with family-inspired Greek cuisine such as spanakopita, moussaka and pastitsio, along with a deli that offers gourmet cheeses and meats.
Family also continues to be at the core of HAM, with Harry and Mario’s mum, Kitty, working in the kitchen, and dad, Peter, sourcing fresh produce from the markets.
“We’ve always worked together in there… but mum does all her great things. We’ve always given her free rein in [the kitchen] to make what she does,” Harry says with a laugh.
Family continues to be at the core of HAM Cronulla.
“She has also now taught all the other cooks in the kitchen how to make all her traditional stuff… We don’t want it to just stop because mum’s not going to be there forever. We want to make sure we can continue making the awesome food that we make.”
For now though, it’s clear Kitty is still holding down the fort at HAM while her sons branch out and grow their Japanese-inspired café Rushi, which they run with business partner Lucy Brenton, and C.C. Babcoq, which is a rotisserie chicken shop and bar.
C.C. Babcoq is also set to get a second store in Bowral, which will open on October 25.
“C.C. Babcoq franchising is something we’re really interested in at the moment. We’ve just done one so we’re looking at selling more of those next year and seeing if people want to open them up in different areas,” Harry says.
Harry at C.C. Babcoq. Photos supplied.
It’s clear these businesses are a success so we just had to ask Harry whether he has any advice for others who also want to start a business.
“Don’t be scared. I think when you’re young is the best time to get involved in business because it takes so many years to learn everything and we’re both still learning every day. But to do it when you’re younger, you can afford to make mistakes you know, and really have a crack at it,” he concludes.
Wise words from one-half of a dynamic Greek Australian duo who are leaving their mark on the Cronulla food scene.
Parents of Australian citizens and permanent residents are able to enter states and territories that have reached 80 percent double dose vaccination targets.
They are now eligible to apply for a travel exemption to enter Australia from November 1.
Minister for Home Affairs Karen Andrews says the changes will reunite families long separated by the pandemic.
“For more than 18 months, many families with parents overseas have missed weddings, funerals, the birth of grandchildren…,” Minister Andrews said.
Andrews says now they can “once more hold their grandchildren, and gather in person to share life’s significant milestones.”
Minister for Home Affairs Karen Andrews says the changes will reunite families long separated by the COVID-19 pandemic (AAP)
Prime Minister Scott Morrison announced on Friday that parents are now considered under the travel rules to be immediate family.
“I know that will be very welcome news to Australians right across the country who were hoping to be reunited with their family members, their parents who are overseas,” he told reporters.
Parents are subject to eligibility requirements, including proof of vaccination.
Andrew Pippos’ ode to Greek diners has been shortlisted for the fiction prize in the Prime Minister’s Literary Awards.
Pippos drew on his own experience growing up in a family café to write a book that encapsulates the Greek migrant experience in Australia.
“It’s very common for a writer to write about the places that were important to them in their childhood. The cafés were the first community that I knew,” Pippos told the Greek Herald around the launch of the book last year.
He says Greek Australian cafés weren’t only “agents of assimilation” but “a mix of influences” in the mid-1900s.
“This was an assimilation era of Sydney, where people who came from Greece and started these cafés couldn’t cook Greek food because customers wouldn’t eat it,” he says.
“I’m not sure if you want to call that racism but it’s a kind of intolerance, and that permeates the book.”
Andrew Pippos’ Lucky’s was recently shortlisted for the Miles Franklin Literary Award
Pippos’ first book Lucky’s is one of 30 books to be nominated out of 470 entries.
Others on the shortlist are Jo Lennan (In the Time of Foxes), K.M. Kruimink (A Treacherous Country), Amanda Lohrey (The Labyrinth), and Evie Wyld (The Bass Rock).
The winner will receive $80,000 and shortlisted writers $5000.
Scott Morrison said the shortlists celebrate Australia’s talented literary sector.
“Australia’s storytellers and historians have provided a place for reflection as we have faced the ongoing challenges of the pandemic,” the Prime Minister said.
“That’s the power of our literature and the stories being told.”
Public hospital workers took to the streets on Thursday against mandatory coronavirus vaccinations and staff shortages.
About 500 workers marched past Parliament towards the health ministry in Athens chanting slogans and holding placards as part of a 24-hour strike.
Medical workers called for extra hazard pay entitlements.
Healthcare workers shout slogans during a rally organized by their unions outside the Health Ministry in Athens, Thursday, Oct. 21, 2021. Hundreds of Greek state hospital workers marched through central Athens as part of a 24-hour strike to protest staff shortages and compulsory coronavirus vaccinations. (AP Photo/Thanassis Stavrakis)
Unions representing doctors, nurses, and other medical staff protested government plans they say exacerbate staff shortages and lead to long working hours.
They say while they support vaccinations, the suspension of unvaccinated health care workers only makes matters worse.
About 60% of Greece’s population is fully vaccinated against COVID-19.
Greece is bracing for a fourth wave of COVID-19, with the country recording 3,279 cases and 38 deaths on Wednesday.
A major exhibition, Ancient Greeks: Athletes, Warriors and Heroes from the British Museum featuring iconic objects that have never toured the southern hemisphere, is coming to the National Museum of Australia (NMA) in Canberra in December 2021.
Museum curator, Dr Lily Withycombe, talks to The Greek Herald about the international show which celebrates sporting prowess in the ancient Olympic Games, highlights the theme of competition and explores its role as a force for innovation and excellence.
TGH: Dr Withycombe, you are curating the ‘Ancient Greeks: Athletes, Warriors and Heroes’ exhibition. What is happening behind the scenes in preparation for this unique exhibition?
So many things! The project team has been working on the development of this exhibition for about two years. While the content comes from the British Museum, we have to shape it to suit our audiences and fit our main gallery.
So, we have been editing the interpretive text and revising the exhibition order, with lots of meetings to workshop this process, as well as back and forth communications with colleagues at the British Museum. We think that we have ended up with the perfect layout.
We have also been working closely with a design team, Wendy Osmond Design, to create a stunning exhibition experience. The exhibition palette pivots on the iconic black and orange colour scheme of Attic vases and follows this spectrum throughout the show.
The design and layout are informed by the latest audience visitor research to ensure the comfort of our visitors, and we have endeavoured to maximise the space of the gallery, ensuring that all large objects are on open display on plinths, and that visitors have a sense of spaciousness upon entering.
There is a catalogue accompanying the exhibition, for which we commissioned two renowned Australasian Classicists, Professor Alastair Blanshard, from the University of Queensland, and Dr Diana Burton, from Victoria University of Wellington, to consider the reception of ancient Greece in Australia from the 18th century to the present in an additional essay and contextualise the exhibition within contemporary Australia and New Zealand.
Finally, we have also been producing a series of exhibition interactives, including audio tours, animations, the Osmeterion (where visitors can smell the different scents of ancient Greece), an ancient art colouring interactive, additional graphics like a map of the ancient Mediterranean and a timeline of key historical events, all designed to appeal to different audience types.
Some of these products have been collaborations with the Tāmaki Paenga Hira Auckland War Memorial Museum, who will be hosting the exhibition in New Zealand later in 2022. And of course, every department in the Museum is busily working on their focus area – from digital, public programming, retail, to education. It’s going to be non-stop from here on in until the day that we open.
Let's look forward to 'Ancient Greeks' at the end of the year with a riddle.
What am I? Pheidippides first strode my route. But many repeat his path in the capital in April. I last for 26 miles (or 42 kilometres).
TGH: What are the elements that make this exhibition one not to be missed for Australian audiences?
There are many ways that we have transformed this international touring exhibition into a unique experience for Australian audiences. All our additional interpretation and programming, for example, has been designed specifically for this purpose.
But above all, there are two objects which cannot be missed. About two years ago, our director Dr Mathew Trinca requested the inclusion of two outstanding addition objects: the so-called ‘Apotheosis of Homer’ relief, which presents an exquisite example of Hellenistic relief marble carving signed by the sculptor Archelaos of Priene; and a black figure amphora by Ezekias, the most famous of all known Attic painters, which shows a powerful scene from the Iliad.
These two objects are very famous and moving examples of ancient Greek art. Although the Apotheosis relief had never before travelled to Australia, the Ezekias vase returns to Australia only for the second time since 1991. I won’t be the only person moved to tears when standing in front of these treasures.
But of course, every object has the potential to be an ‘unmissable moment’ for someone, as different objects will appeal to different people. For me, the statue carved from Parian marble featuring a demure young woman enfolded in luxurious fabric, revealing the virtuoso talents of marble sculptors who could create soft fabric from such hard materials, offers an outstanding example of ancient Greek skill that will never fail to astonish me. And everyone will be entranced by the array of Attic vases on display, as they present such fascinatingly graphic glimpses into life in the ancient world.
TGH: The exhibition showcases various objects including sculpture, armour, jewellery and pottery. Some of them have never been displayed before or travelled internationally. Does this make your curatorial work more challenging?
On the contrary, it makes it more exciting! The uniqueness of the objects helps to make this a truly special exhibition for our visitors, and more fun for us to curate as we need to research and understand them. One of the main challenges with this object list is the varying dimensions of the object list. Some statues are over life size at 2-metres in height, but other objects, like the items of gold and silver jewellery, are tiny.
For example, a blue gemstone exquisitely engraved with a figure of the goddess Nike setting up a trophy of armour gathered from the battlefield, is only 3cm in height and 2.5cm in width. Visitors may find it hard to appreciate the detail of this object with their eyes alone, and so our solution has been to intersperse large scale wall projections of the tiny objects throughout the exhibition, giving them maximum visibility.
TGH:Australia is home to the third biggest Greek diaspora in the world. Has your interaction with the community influenced your curation of this exhibition?
We have directly engaged with different Greek communities in Australia to ensure that this exhibition is delivered with integrity, and we are so grateful to the individuals and organisations who have helped us along the way.
Well-known ABC broadcaster Patricia Karvelas worked with us to voice the audio tour; and other Greek-Australians have advised on aspects of the exhibition’s development from programming to design to retail.
TGH: Why do you think it is of great importance for Australians to learn about the Greek culture?
Ancient Greece remains as a kind of blueprint for many aspects of society and culture in Australia – it echoes daily in our political and civic systems, architecture, language, and food. Ancient Greek literature is still studied in schools and universities across the country, its tragedies and comedies performed and reinterpreted for contemporary audiences.
The universal themes of love, betrayal, adventure, and religious and family obligation still resonate with us. Ancient Greek culture has been reimagined and reinterpreted over millennia, and each time it is given new relevancy.
In more recent times, Greek migration has helped to shape contemporary Australia. This is why our programming will include events dedicated to celebrating Greek culture, and our retail space will include products by Greek-Australian industries and makers, showcasing fashion, art and design.
TGH: How can younger Australians get involved in the program?
To ensure that the exhibition is engaging to younger Australians, we have designed a suite of dedicated interactives and programming just for them, including an audio tour voiced by children and an illustrated trail which will help guide young visitors on their own path through the show. We will supplement this in-person experience with online ‘Fun at Home’ activities.
During the school holidays, kids will be able to help us to build a Greek city in the National Museum’s Gandel Atrium, and we will run a series of workshops for children led by a local artist drawing on themes of the exhibition and some of its objects. Younger audiences are also likely to be particularly intrigued by the objects in the exhibition which reflect the lives of children in ancient Greece.
Exhibition dates:
National Museum of Australia, Canberra, 17 December 2021 to 1 May 2022
Auckland War Memorial Museum, 10 June 2022 to 16 October 2022
Maria Sakkari clinched the spot at the WTA Finals for the first time by reaching the quarterfinals at the Kremlin Cup on Thursday after advancing past Anna Kalinskaya.
Sakkari is the first Greek woman to qualify for the finals.
“It’s achieving one of my biggest goals this year, it’s very satisfying,” No. 3 seed Sakkari said.
“I’m very proud of myself and my team that we actually made it to the Finals for the first time, and for the first time in the history of Greece for a female tennis player.”
When we sit down with George Doukas for an interview following his amazing live music performance on The Greek Herald’s Facebook page, he describes himself as “on the good side of sixty,” with a previous career in senior management in the corporate sector. Now though, he’s a musician with “some handyman work” in between.
To find out more about this charismatic character, we ask Doukas about his musical career and plans for his future.
1. Tell us a little bit about yourself.
I was born in Australia. My parents were from a region called Zarakas, Lakonia. My upbringing was fairly strict which was common for all migrant kids back then. It’s just how it was and we accepted it as we didn’t know any better. But we still had lots of fun growing up. Playing outside till dark, billy carts, sling shots, etc.
My high school education was at Homebush Boys High and then Wollongong University and Macquarie University. I deferred in the early eighties but went back and completed my degree in Arts fifteen years later with a major in Psychology.
George Doukas. Photo supplied.
2.When did you first start playing the guitar and singing?
My first instrument was actually the bouzouki. I joined my first band at 18 – your typical Greek band in an era when there were dances every week or weddings and it was a great learning experience.
At Wollongong university, I met a keyboard player in the second week of the semester and by the second month of semester we had formed a band called Atlantis. We started playing all the gigs in Wollongong as well as many gigs in Sydney. It was during this time that I started playing a bit of guitar.
However, after transferring to Macquarie Uni and coming back to Sydney, it became difficult to continue with Atlantis due to travel required for rehearsals and gigs. At this time, I was fortunate enough to play a couple of concerts with the wonderful Themos Mexis and was part of his band at Le Beach Hut restaurant for a couple of years.
The thing that inspired me the most was in my early teenage years at a Greek dance, listening to the band and the sound of the bouzouki and marvelling at the effect it had. That particular event had a special guest for the evening – Loukas Daralas, the father of George Dalaras. It was his performance and the way the audience reacted to him that inspired me to have a few lessons and to start playing.
Doukas playing the baglama.
3. You also have a band called George Doukas and the D Strings. How did this come about?
The D Strings came about because I always try to do something that hasn’t been done before. I’ve always liked doing my own thing musically and resist the temptation to follow trends. I started doing my own shows and released a little CD back in 2000. I put a band together playing a kind of alternative Greek music as well as original pieces.
After that I formed a band called Balkano, which was a fusion of Greek and Eastern European music. From there I put together a Rembetiko ensemble which also had a good run for a couple of years.
Then I was asked to play another show at Camelot Lounge and I thought about doing something totally radical. Incorporating a string quartet with Greek music. I booked the show! I didn’t have the string quartet or the repertoire, but I booked the show anyway. And so began the frantic search to find players who were as crazy as me, and the even more frantic effort of preparing a repertoire.
Both were achieved and the first two shows were pretty low key – strings, bass, piano and myself. I realised this concept had appeal so the next step was to have bouzouki and percussion and now the band has two bouzoukia, a female vocalist, percussion, bass and strings. Whilst primarily Greek, I am trying to position the band as a world music ensemble, so we play some Mexican, African and Balkan music, as well as Rembetika and Greek folk.
George Doukas and the D Strings.
We have performed several times at Camelot Lounge as well as Melbourne, The Factory theatre, The Enmore Theatre. We were asked to play in Perth at the end of this month doing a tribute show to Manos Loizos but COVID put a stop to that. Hopefully we can re-schedule that show for next year.
The band has a mini CD called Synnergies which basically showcases our Greek repertoire. This is also on various platforms such as iTunes, Spotify etc. And we also have a couple of songs on Triple J Unearthed.
4. Do you have any musical highlights which made an impact on you?
Where do I start? I have many highlights.
Touring with Sakellariou, Doukissa and Florinioti.
Going on stage on the back of a Harley through the audience at a club for a performance with the George Doukas band (true story) while the band is playing a very rocky (Greek) intro.
Some wild nights at Steki working with the amazing Nathan Pylarinos.
Playing at the Melbourne Rembetiko Festival with the D Strings.
Opening for Dalaras and Marinella at the Entertainment Centre.
Performing at the Sydney Olympics and Paralympics.
More recently, my little cameo on Playschool.
I really need to mention that working with Themos Mexis had an impact on me. Both at the concerts and with his band. Being primarily self taught, it was very daunting playing with that level of musician(s). However, I am very grateful for the time I spent with Themos and his patience and effort in helping me. Without that experience, I wouldn’t be who I am today.
Doukas has performed with conductor, George Ellis. Photo supplied.
Another key part of that band was Christopher Soulos who was, and still is, an amazing musician and also had a big influence on my development as a musician. I was also very fortunate to have worked with the late Kosta Theofanopoulo who I considered to be a mentor. This man had worked with some major names in Greece back in the day and he was gracious enough to show me and teach me stuff that helped me enormously.
Finally, my performances and association with the Greek Festival of Sydney have had the most profound impact on me. In particular, working with conductor George Ellis in putting together major concerts for the community. This has led to me working with the likes of Vasilis Lekkas and Dimitri Basis. With Dimitri, I have done two national tours playing both symphonic concerts as well as his live shows. One of the real highlights of my association with Basis and the Greek Festival were our performances with the Newtown Performing Arts High school.
5. What do you love the most about playing the guitar and singing?
It’s fun. I also love the freedom to express myself and being able to play with some great musicians and characters.
6. What would you say to someone else who wants to start playing theguitar?
Have good beginnings, that is, go to a good teacher who will show you different styles and techniques. Listen to other players for inspiration. When you have good beginnings then with practice, you can develop your own style and technique.
Doukas on the guitar. Photo supplied.
Always try to surround yourself with players who are better than you, for that’s how you will learn. Don’t be afraid to take artistic risks.
When you’re in the scene, be reliable. Always turn up for rehearsals. Don’t be late to gigs and be contactable. Doesn’t matter how good you are, if you are difficult to work with and unreliable, you will often be overlooked.
Finally, be true to yourself. When the enjoyment stops, get out for a while. There will come a time when you need to take a break. If you are not enjoying what you do, how can you expect the audience to enjoy what you are doing.
7. Is there anything else you’d like to say?
I would really like to thank all the people who take the time to support live music. This includes audiences, media, promoters and organisers. I would also like to acknowledge all the other musicians and performers out there without whom we wouldn’t have a scene at all.
Greek-owned business, Paspaley, has unveiled its new collection, Dive, and it definitely doesn’t disappoint.
The collection of fine jewellery features not only the rare, pristine Pinctada maxima pearls found off Western Australia’s Kimberley coast, but also the sea creatures and surprises pearl divers have encountered throughout the brand’s long history.
“I love this idea of going down to the sea and thinking you’re going in hunt of one treasure and coming across another,” Paspaley creative director, Christine Salter, told The Australian Financial Review.
Dive tassel necklace, in yellow gold, black silk rope, black spinel – and pearls, or course. Photo: The Australian Financial Review.
Dive is Paspaley’s first major collection since 2019 after COVID-19 sidelined last year’s campaign and it focuses on the divers and the process of pearling.
“For me, the most beautiful side to pearling is diving for the pearls themselves,” Salter said.
“I wanted to create a collection that spoke of these generations of pearl divers and their stories and encounters over the years. And it’s the first time we’ve really told this story through a jewellery collection.”
The new collection focuses on the divers and the process of pearling. Photo: Paspaley.
Salter, whose Kastellorizian grandfather is the founder of Paspaley, Nicholas Paspaley, adds that the new collection also includes the jeweller’s first ring for men.
“Because [this collection] is all about our men that we have at sea, who’ve been diving for generations, it just felt right to have a ring dedicated to a man,” Salter told the newspaper.
While the two-tone ring doesn’t feature a pearl, the decision to move into men’s jewellery is new for Paspaley, a brand which is well-known for revolutionising pearling and its cultured pearls.
