Fifteen years ago Brisbanites could only dream of having the kind of access to farm fresh produce that much of Europe and Asia enjoyed for as long as anyone can remember. Roadside stalls with boxes of produce and an honesty box yielded you a hit and miss selection of whatever was in season if you were prepared to hit the hinterland on a weekend but other than that and what you could grow in your backyard, produce buying happened at the local fruiterer and increasingly, at the supermarket.
It’s an institution revered by Brisbanites and many frequent visitors since its opening in 1996. And with progressive management and a keen eye on current trends (as opposed to flashy fads), Jocelyn’s Provisions, located in popular James Street, has maintained its place firmly at the top of the sugar-sprinkled ladder.
It sits in the loudly beating heart of Brisbane’s West End, just over the river from the CBD and arguably its most culturally diverse (and very cool) precinct. It is Chop Chop Chang’s and it is as cool, diverse and inclusive as its colourful ‘burb.
When Ryan Squires cooks, heads swivel, grown adults drool like puppies and expectations are sky high. It’s Saturday night at Esq., the casual section of the multi-awarded Esquire restaurant owned by business partners, Ryan Squires and Cameron Murchison.