Spotlight | Asher Andrews, Grassroots Chef
A classically-trained chef with a focus on ethical produce.
Published on 18 March 2020
Photography by Morgan Smith
Asher Andrews won the hearts, minds and stomachs of an increasingly conscious consumer with his vegan plant-based restaurant, Little Seed. After closing Little Seed to focus on family, Asher started Grassroots Chef, from which he offers catering, workshops and pre-cooked meals.
We popped over while Asher was cooking to learn more about vegan catering, weekdays as good as weekends and his average day.
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First things first: why Toowoomba?
I have pretty much always lived in Toowoomba. I love the trees and parks and the family-friendly vibe.
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What is Grassroots Chef?
We are a 100% vegan, plant-based food business offering tasty, nutritious and ethical meals through our pre-made meal service. We run cooking classes designed to inspire our community to make lasting, meaningful change to their health and to find confidence in the kitchen. We also cater for intimate events and parties.
Between Jess (my wife and business partner) and myself, we share the various ins and outs of running the business – I am more hands-on and Jess does more marketing and ideas. What sets us apart from other businesses is our commitment to our product and values. We don’t cut corners, and are genuinely not in it for the money but rather the impact we can have. We believe in using the freshest, most local, most nutrient-dense, health-promoting and ethically-sourced produce. We also pride ourselves on making food that is not only delicious and looks amazing but that is actually nourishing and good for you and the planet.
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What have you learned about running a business in Toowoomba?
One of the best things about having a business like ours in Toowoomba is that we feel like we are really making a difference within our community – we can see that change is happening and that we are a part of that. I love that we are in the middle of one of the biggest food producing areas of Australia, but am still disappointed that that isn't always reflected in what's available to the consumer here. We have learned that (while sometimes very slowly), culturally Toowoomba is changing and that more and more people are becoming open to new ideas and creative outlets.
What does an average day look like for you?
I start my day with a long run before my family wakes up. I then make my wife and girls a nourishing breakfast as we make our way slowly into the day. The day mainly consists of hanging out with our girls and doing gardening and washing and park walks. We usually work for an hour or two when the girls are resting or sporadically amongst tending to the girls and house duties. We usually condense our work into a couple of days – classes, markets and pre-made meals – as our priority is our children while they are so young.
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What does your ideal Toowoomba weekend look like?
Just creating plenty of time to just be with each other. Most people cram their week and then the weekend is their highlight. But we do things we love every day so our weekend usually looks like every other day. Something like warm, lazy days at the park with our girls or being in the garden and cooking together.
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Only a Toowoomba local would know…
Just how tragically far it is to drive from one side of Toowoomba to the other (we have it so hard)…!
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FAVOURITE WEEKEND SPOT TO:
PERK UP: Pure Pilates & Wellness
RELAX: a trail run such as Jubilee trails
EAT: We don’t eat out to be honest. We love to stock up fresh, local produce from the farmers markets on a Saturday and make nutritious, delicious meals in our home kitchen. We really enjoy knowing the story behind everything we eat.
INDULGE: A homemade hot chocolate on the couch with my wife.
SHOP: Toowoomba Farmers Market, Birdsong Market Garden, Patched Up Homewares and Green Dandelion
CATCH UP: the Botanical Gardens
BE INSPIRED: the sunrise at Picnic Point on a run
