Fans of Bitton give a knowing nod when I talk about my culinary memories from around the world that have been captured in little jars. Every encounter with food has organically moulded my approach to the Bitton branded product range.

Fans of Bitton give a knowing nod when I talk about my culinary memories from around the world that have been captured in little jars. Every encounter with food has organically moulded my approach to the Bitton branded product range. From Morocco to France, a pinch of spice here and a handful of herbs there – my wish is that with each bite, feelings of nostalgia are stirred. It’s not just a jam, a dressing or a tapenade but the essence of happy times and treasured relationships.

For generations, preparing meals using instinct was a daily ritual unlike the scripted processes we find in today’s cookbooks. The ingredients were hand measured, cooked to the touch and adjusted to perfection by tasting.
 Jams have been brought back to life from hand scribbled, oil stained ingredient lists that I consider more valuable than gold. I get so much pleasure from seeing people enjoy a croissant spread with French butter and our signature Strawberry and Vanilla Jam.

Traditional French food will always have a place in my heart but these days, especially in Australia, our taste buds are not limited to the label of our nationality. Sydney-siders constantly impress me by their willingness to experiment with foreign flavours and this attitude has led to the popularity of the Bitton range.

I designed the Chilli and Garlic Masala, and Moroccan Spice pastes to be the base for large pots of curries, tagines and stews that are slow cooked and put in the middle of the table. These hearty dishes are intended to be shared amidst laughter, stories and the occasional, short lived, typical family argument that is forgotten 2 minutes later over a toast to good health.

When I visit my wife’s family in South Africa, it’s like going on a lavish food safari. Each family has a feast prepared and you must eat as though it’s your first meal of the day. Any previous meals don’t count towards your daily quota as far as they’re concerned and it’s this kind of genuine hospitality that I wanted to infuse into my products. Adding a line of retail goods to the Bitton name was more than a business decision, it’s an extension of my passion for celebrating life around food.