Hospitality runs in the blood of chef and restaurateur Tony Percuoco, owner of Tartufo restaurant in Fortitude Valley.

His food journey began as a young boy growing up in the Italian town of Naples, where his father and uncle were restaurant owners, and his mother was a remarkable home cook. While all the other kids around him wanted to become pilots and police officers, Tony's dream was to become a chef. It was a dream he set into motion as soon as he migrated to Australia with his family in the early 1970s.

In this episode, Natascha Mirosch chats with Tony about arriving in Australia and the family's famous restaurant in Kings Cross in Sydney. They discuss his own restaurant Tartufo in Brisbane and Tony shares a few tips and tricks about Italian cooking, from making pizza and pasta at home to what you're probably doing wrong with fresh mozzarella.

If you love Italian food and cooking, this is the episode for you.

It was a simple coin toss and a chance bus ride - two sliding-door moments that would forever connect Belinda Jackson's destiny to the country of Egypt.

In this episode of ExtraVirgin Food and Travel, Natascha Mirosch is joined by Belle, a multi-award-winning travel journalist, to talk about her second home: Egypt.

One of the world's most fascinating destinations, Egypt is often misunderstood. Belle, who considers it her second home and brings years of first-hand experience and professional insight to the conversation, shares practical Egypt travel tips that go beyond the headlines and clichés.

From navigating logistics and safety concerns to choosing between independent travel and guided tours, this episode offers clear, honest advice for first-time visitors and return travellers alike, as well as a taste of the country's extraordinary food and culture, must-see sights, from oasis hot springs to breakfasting at the pyramids as well as Belle's professionally-informed picks for the best places to stay.

Whether you're researching an upcoming trip or simply dreaming of one, this episode is a practical, immersive Egypt travel guide, designed to help you travel with confidence, curiosity and respect, and to remind you why Egypt is a destination everyone should experience at least once.

In this episode of ExtraVirgin, travel writer Natascha Mirosch offers some suggestions of trips and destinations you might like to put on your wish list - from cruising the Amazon to a new Orient Express luxury train journey, visiting the home of the world's most famous cartoon dog and more.

You'll find links to the places mentioned in the podcast on the ExtraVirgin Food & Travel website.

Sonya Gellert has the enviable job of being a full-time food writer.

She's done a host of fabulous things throughout a career that's taken her from Australia to Japan, the UK and back to Australia. She's been a travel editor, restaurant reviewer, editorial food and drink writer, copywriter and recipe editor. She's written for Table Magazine UK, Escape magazine, delicious Magazine, Vogue Living, Huffington Post and more and worked with food luminaries such as Rachel Khoo and Donna Hay.

We're going to hear about Sonya's career trajectory, what she likes to cook and eat, what makes a good recipe, her favourite cookbook and foodie travel destination, what are the most searched-for recipes and more.

Thanks to the incredible popularity of the show White Lotus, Sicily is red hot right now.

In this episode, Natascha Mirosch chats with Carmel Ruggeri, former restaurateur-turned-tour guide, who runs extremely popular tours to a part of Italy not only blessed with natural beauty, but some of the country's best regional cuisine (cannoli anyone?)

Carmel and Natascha chat about everything from the places you shouldn't miss, to the hand signs you should, never ever use, to the regional food specialities you just have to try.

Carmel tells it how it is, with humour and refreshing honesty, her love of Sicily shining through in this (very entertaining) episode.

Guy Grossi has carved out a distinguished career and made a significant contribution to the hospitality scene over the last forty years, both as a restaurateur and chef. In fact, in 1996, Guy was awarded the L'insegna Del Ristorante Italiano by no less than the president of Italy, for his dedication to presenting and promoting "La Cucina Italiana" and the Italian lifestyle.

He's written four cookbooks and has been on a slew of television programs, from "Food Safari" and Iron Chef, to "My Kitchen Rules." He also runs a small empire of highly regarded restaurants countrywide, including his flagship, Grossi Florentino.

In this episode of ExtraVirgin, Natascha Mirosch and Guy chat all things food and hospitality, as well as Italian travel. They discuss why Italians don't like penne lisce and the difference between fast and slow dried pasta, what's wrong with the hospitality scene and how the financial crisis is affecting it, his favourite dishes from his Pugliese father and Venetian mother; who he'd invite and what he'd serve at a fantasy dinner party and more.

Guy also gives us some great Italy travel and food tips - from the Amalfi Coast to Florence and Puglia.

We've talked about those one Euro houses in Italy in a previous podcast (episode 81) but in this episode we're about to revisit the subject (and the topic of buying property in Italy as a foreigner in general) with Michele Capecchi, a lawyer based in Florence, who has extensive experience in guiding foreigners through the red tape that is buying a property in Italy.

Michele is managing partner of Studio Legale Capecchi , teaches International Business Law at at the European School of Economics and has been a a legal columnist with The Florentine, the international magazine of the expat community in Florence for over 10 years.

Michele discusses with Natascha:

The positives and pitfalls of the one Euro homes scheme

The legalities of foreigner home ownership in Italy

Where are good places to buy?

How much are you likely to need to realistically spend, plus more.

If you're keen to find out how you can be enjoying la vita bella in Italy in your own home, you'll enjoy this episode.

And don't forget to sign up for the ExtraVirgin newsletter "The Olive," on the website.

Have you been thinking of (or dreaming about) taking an Antarctic cruise?

Cruising is huge and estimates have the cruise industry growing by another 9% in 2024.

For some regular cruisers, particularly those with large disposable incomes, the great white continent, represents just another an as-yet unexplored cruise destination to conquer.

For others, Antarctica is a long-cherished dream.

But what's it really like? What can you expect on a cruise to Antarctica?

Natascha Mirosch puts that question to travel journalist Catherine Marshall, who has been to Antarctica not once, but twice.

They discuss the dreaded Drake Crossing, life on board an expedition ship, Antarctica's wildlife and shore excursions. Catherine tells us about the fascinating post office at the end of the world, and the British post mistresses who come to this remote spot to man it as well as the time she had a polar swim.

They also talk about the environmental impacts and whether a visit can have a positive impact.

If you've ever wondered what it would be like to cruise to Antarctica, have a listen.