Out & About: Tawnya Bahr

Last year ICMI was lucky enough to have Tawnya Bahr join the ranks of our brilliant exclusive speakers, and we simply cannot wait to tell you all about her. As an expert on sourcing, cooking (and of course, eating!) food, Tawnya sparks conversation across the nation. She is passionate about the people behind this process and holistically consults to create delicious, sustainable culinary relationships.

So what drives Tawnya to be so vocal in advocating for sustainable food supply chain practices, artisan producers and to create opportunities for chefs to leave their commercial kitchens to go to the ingredient source? Well, her gastronomic adventures and curated food experiences are just one part of her story.

Now known as a ‘culinary innovator’, Tawnya Bahr’s journey into food began in an unexpected place – working for a software company in San Francisco as their international sales and marketing manager. Upon relocating to Australia, Tawnya founded food production and gourmet distribution company Condiment Connoisseur after realising her business skills could translate to the food industry that she had always wanted to be a part of.

Today, Tawnya remains dedicated to bringing growers, producers, chefs and patrons together with her knowledge of the local and global food landscape to nourish a thriving food industry. Throughout her journey, the one constant has been her passion for the people behind our food.

If you’re looking to explore the ins and outs of the food landscape and why supporting local is vital, Tawnya offers wonderful insight into regenerative agriculture, sustainable ingredient sourcing, drought and bushfire consequences to rural communities and of course, city farmers markets.

Sharing her enthusiasm for our Australian growers is one way Tawnya guides consumers and hospitality businesses in a positive direction. Aside from her experience with food, Tawnya also provides influential advice on career change, overcoming health challenges and turning your passion into a viable business. She is incredibly knowledgeable, an industry expert, an astute businesswoman, an entrepreneur, and a mentor.

As lockdowns continue to occur across our nation, so does the suffering experienced by the hospitality industry and Tawnya’s own business ‘Straight To The Source’ is certainly not immune. Tawnya and her business partner, restaurateur Lucy Allon, have reassessed and creatively altered their business model for connecting chefs and hospitality professionals with Australia’s diverse food-growing regions and immersive agriculture experiences to survive and thrive. There will be more innovations to report, so watch this space!

Selected as the 2019 International Women’s Day guest speaker, Tawnya has proven she is a unique and important voice at a time in our history when we need to be thinking about food choices, sustainability and championing regenerative agriculture.

If you ever have the chance to hear her story, you’ll find out why.

Find our more about Tawnya here