The name Lizzie Loel rings plenty of bells in foodie circles – or more likely a very loud horn.
After her time as a revered restaurant food critic writing for the likes of The Courier-Mail, Gourmet Traveller, and Delicious Magazine, Lizzie Loel is a Brisbane culinary icon. After 20 years of reviewing Brisbane’s best, worst and everything in between, Lizzie is putting her silver tongue to the taste test, returning to her first love of cooking and serving fine fare. A stakeholder in Brisbane bakery Jocelyn’s Provisions, Lizzie has opened new takeaway and catering business Short Order in Newstead. Lizzie brings more than 30 years of knowledge and experience to the table at Short Order, having received culinary training in Europe, running two catering businesses in the past, and writing for numerous prestigious publications. She warmly reflects on her career as a full-time food critic but notes that “after 20 years on the outskirts, I’d prefer to be in it these days”.
With a rural upbringing in Western Australia, Lizzie credits her family with first sparking her passion for food. “I had aunts and grandparents who were really great cooks … I was lucky to have that inspiration.” Lizzie also cites lifelong friend Jan Powers, founder of the Jan Powers Farmers Markets in Brisbane, as one of her biggest inspirations. “I went to school with her daughters — we were boarders together. We would go to Jan’s house at the Gold Coast on the weekends and Jan would cook for us. It was always such exciting, wonderful, interesting food.” Family time and fond memories of cooking with her sons inspired Lizzie to bring daily goodness to people’s homes by opening Short Order. “We want to feed people delicious homestyle cooking they would cook themselves if they had the time – the sort of food you can come back and eat every day.”
Of all culinary delights, Loel enjoys cooking sauces the most. “There’s a versatility and a vibrancy to them,” Lizzie says, the passion in her voice as thick as a homemade tomato sauce. “You can have a simple piece of meat or roasted vegetable and make it really stunning with sauce. If you have a big spread with different, various beautifully made sauces – everybody’s happy.” Some of Lizzie’s favourite sauces to make include Romesco and Garlic Toum, both of which grace the menu of her Newstead canteen.
Short Order spoils customers with French rotisserie meats, as well as a delectable selection of savoury and sweet baked treats delivered warm each morning from its Albion cousin Jocelyn’s Provisions. Public reception has been outstanding since its opening in May, and Lizzie gushes about the free-range rotisserie chickens, the best sellers to date. Sourced from the Maleny hinterland and painted with flavoured butters, including herb and garlic, caramelised onion, or spicy creole butter, they are spun until perfectly tender. “I would love everyone to try a chicken,” Lizzie laughs.
With a coffee window serving breakfast-to-go from 7am and the kitchen roasting rustic Italian bakes until 7pm, Lizzie’s latest culinary adventure is a recipe mixed with love, passion and wholesome fare.
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