We all deserve to eat tasty food

While I’m not a professional chef, it’s fair to say in my 25-plus years in food and hospitality, I’ve learnt a few things along the way and I have two big takeaways – recipes are ideas, not a set of instructions and we all deserve to eat tasty food.

photo of a lot of colourful fruit and vegetables laid out on a bench
photo of strands of pasta on a white bench

Meet the Free Ranging Foodie

Mandy Kennedy is the Free Ranging Foodie. She’s been a barista, bartender, cheesemonger, caterer, gin slinger, regularly cooked paella for 100 people and is a life-long hospo queen.

These days, you can hear Mandy on 774 ABC Radio as the Sunday Mornings ‘Free-Ranging Foodie’, spot her at Queen Victoria Market guiding tours, or read her work with City Larder, Harper and Blohm Cheese Shop, One Hour Our, Broadsheet, Festival 21 and more.

photo of a woman with dark hair wearing a coloufrul top and glasses

Recipes

You enjoy cooking – mostly – and take care about where you source your ingredients. You’re just as likely to buy artisan cheese at a farmer’s market as you are to pop into the local supermarket ‘cause it’s on the way home but now and then you lose their mojo.

You need inspiration for how to cobble together a meal from what’s in the pantry and, just occasionally, you fancy being one of those meal prep people. You want to be reassured by achievable, results-driven recipes and also be inspired to sometimes stretch your comfort zone a little further.

Welcome to the recipe section!

Chorizo Feta Braid

Chorizo Feta Braid

I buy sausages freely without thought for when or how they'll come into play. This recipe uses a couple of…

Fish Cakes with Tartar Sauce

Fish Cakes with Tartar Sauce

I couldn’t possibly count the number of fish cakes I’ve eaten in my lifetime. As kids, we ate these so…

Honey Joy Slice

Honey Joy Slice

I’d seen honey joy slice recipes around the internet but they added in other ingredients trying to make them healthier…

Listen to the Free Ranging Foodie on ABC Radio 774

I enjoy a recurring guest spot on ABC Radio 774 Melbourne on Sunday mornings with Lisa Leong talking about all things food.


Topics free-range all over the place. We’ve covered everything from Gravestone Recipes to What Makes a Great Sandwich as well as Christmas in July and shared our Best Kitchen Tips.

Topics free-range all over the place. We cover everything from Gravestone Recipes to What Makes a Great Sandwich as well as Christmas in July and Best Kitchen Tips.

Blog

Here be monsters! 

Here you will read thoughts on life, the universe and everything in between though mostly about food and travel.

Dinner in a Hurry: Quick Fixes, Clever Shortcuts, and the Ingredient That Matters Most

Dinner in a Hurry: Quick Fixes, Clever Shortcuts, and the Ingredient That Matters Most

From microwaved eggs exploding on the ceiling to lasagne that takes all day and leaves me too tired to eat…

Small Touches, Big Impact: Quick Wins for Tired Cooks

Small Touches, Big Impact: Quick Wins for Tired Cooks

Some days cooking feels like a slog and you need a little something extra to make your meal sing. The…

Fun Frugal Dinners: Retro Recipes Worth Reviving

Fun Frugal Dinners: Retro Recipes Worth Reviving

The weekly grocery shop seems to creep higher every time, yet most of us still want dinners that feel comforting,…

FREE RANGING FOODIE

© Copyright Amanda Kennedy 2025