It’s a joy to begin Fine Form with our very first guest, the extraordinary chef and cookbook author Danielle Alvarez. A Cuban-American who now calls Australia home, Danielle was the founding Executive Chef of Fred’s in Paddington and today serves as Culinary Director of Events at the Sydney Opera House.

I met Danielle just as she arrived in Sydney to build a restaurant around her philosophy of honest, produce-driven cooking. I was in instantly in awe - and still am. She is calm yet confident, deeply grounded in her values and refreshingly free of ego.

In this conversation, Danielle reflects on a career shaped by curiosity and conviction. We talk about seizing opportunities and how calculated risks have shaped her path, how work became both a lifeline and a weight, and how stepping back to slow down helped her rediscover joy in cooking. She speaks candidly about grief, gratitude and the daily practices that now anchor her life.

Her story is a reminder of what it means to live and work with intention. And it felt only right to open this podcast with someone who leads with such heart. I’m so grateful to Danielle for setting the tone for everything Fine Form is about.

If you’d like to enjoy more of her thoughtful writing and recipes, check out Danielle’s Substack Made Simple https://daniellealvarezmadesimple.substack.com or her instagram @daniellemariealvarez

You can follow FINE FORM @thisisfineform and Rebecca Jarvie-Gibbs at @rebeccajarviegibbs

www.thisisfineform.com

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