After a recent sales trip to Perth I received an amazing gift from our distributors, Jamie and Freddie Kronberg ... a book titled “1001 Foods You Must Try Before You Die”. It got me thinking about how fortunate I have been in life so far to have experienced such a diverse range of cuisines from different cultures. It has also made me think about how much more I want to experience ... watching the sushi masters at work in Japan, visiting the spice markets in India, dining at El Bulli in Spain, walking with my daughter in the hills of Switzerland and picking wild mushrooms for a morning omelette ... and the list goes on. This very special book made me realise that so many of my memories are built on a particular culinary experience.

The reason for the late writing of this blog is that on Wednesday April 22nd my wife Sohani and I welcomed a beautiful baby boy into our family – Mayen Matisse Bitton. Three weeks down the track and after many a sleepless night, my wife and I have discussed putting him up for sale on E-bay – however we have decided to keep him. He is extremely cute and we are all completely delighted, especially his big sister Monet.

As my family grows, I think more and more about the changing role of working parents and what a daily juggle it is to find the perfect balance. Turning up to your morning meeting on time is just as important as getting your daughter to school and enjoying a nice family dinner at the end of a working day is as important as putting in those extra hours when necessary. This is a constant challenge for me and I know for many families – especially those with two working parents. If someone had the answer, they would make a fortune! Personally, I have for the first time, tried to take regular days off, spend more uninterrupted time with my family and really work at the balance that has been out of whack now for many years.

Until next time ...