The Food Sage (Rachel Lebihan) is a food writer and restaurant reviewer and a former editor at The Australian Financial Review.
She’s a bit of a food junkie who holds a Masters of Gastronomy from the University of Adelaide and Le Cordon Bleu.
In her spare time she’s a gastronomic traveller, an organic gardener and a culinary adventurer.
She heads up PR and Communications for Urban Purveyor Group, which includes Sake Restaurant, Cut Bar & Grill, Ananas, Swine & Co, Lowenbrau Keller, The Argyle and a collection of Bavarian Bier Cafes.
The Food Sage logo and the content and most of the photography featured on this site are owned by The Food Sage and are subject to copyright protection ©. Some photographs have been paid for, or used by explicit permission by the owner.
thefoodsage.wordpress.com 
Hi Rachel, I really love your blog.
Katarina
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Hi Katarina, Thanks for that. Feel free to pass on the link!
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thank you for your inspiring blog on all aspects of food. It is a joy to read.
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Rachel – congratulations on the blog! What a great thing to do in addition to your AFR role. It looks fantastic. Keep up the good work.
Kindest, Georgia
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Thanks Georgia – it’s fun and keeps me out of mischief (sort of!)
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Dear thefoodsage,
Congratulations on getting your MA in Gastronomy. I only know of another person who has this qualification. Studying and working is definitely not an easy task but I’m sure the rewards are beginning to show now that you’ve achieved what you set out to do. Well done.
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Thanks … it certainly was hard work. Who else do you know with the qualification? It’s a small world … i met a chef in Thailand once who had studied the program a few years before me!
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Hi, I recently discovered your blog through http://eatlittlebird.com/ Your writing style is very impressive. Read the first 5 posts and loved them. looking forward to reading more from your blog.
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Thank you for your kind words. eatlittlebird is a particular favourite of mine, so we have something in common. Stay in touch!
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It’s bliss to read really good food journalism! And the weekend wouldn’t be the same without the AFR.
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Kind words, Ian. Thanks for checking out the site.
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Wow! I have ambitions of doing what you already have done! After school I plan to get a masters in Gastronomy and go on to be a food writer just like you. I look forward to following your website.
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Good to hear, Elliot. Keep up the good work.
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I really enjoy reading this blog, keep the posts coming 😉
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Good to know. Thanks for the feedback.
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Wow, great blog. So glad you found me so I could find you! Following on Twitter and looking forward to more:)
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Great to make the connection. You’re blog looks great, too. I’ll be following your work.
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Thank you Rachel for your entry on foraging with Diego, i have put a link on our Slow Food Perth web site after also listening to Diego on the “Off Track program on the ABC Amazing and interesting articles.
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Thanks Pauline. I’ll also check out Diego on the ABC!
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Hi Rachel. Love reading your blog.
As someone who also works within the media industry, and looking to engage my passion for food further, I’m interested in whether you’d recommend the Master of Arts in Gastronomy. In hindsight do you think it was worth it?
Thanks!
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Hi Dean – sorry for my slow response. Unfortunately the master of gastronomy, which was offered through the University of Adelaide and Le Cordon Bleu, doesn’t exist any more. The two institutions parted ways and the course ended last year. I understand the uni now offers another food-related masters, which sounded good (can’t remember its name, sorry) – and more up-to-date than the gastronomy program — which at the end of the day wasn’t very vocationally focused. Le Cordon Bleu has partnered another university to offer a different food-related masters program – i think it’s called a masters of gastronomic tourism, which again sounded much more vocationally focussed. Let me know if you want me to hunt down more info on the programs – i’d be able to find it quite quickly.
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Hi, my name is Tawnya Bahr and I’m currently enrolled through Southern Cross University and Le Cordon Bleu in their Master of Gastronomic Tourism program. You can go to the university website and read all about it. I’m learning a great deal and like you Rachel have realised that uni study along with work and family can be challenging to say the least.
Hope that helps.
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Hi Rachel
The trend towards using unadulterated salt with known and natural origins is simply part of ‘taking back’ ownership of what sustains us and keeps us healthy. At its essence its simply about uncovering the lies and profit-driven shortcomings the mainstream food production industry have sold us since WW2 when the need for preserved food was taken to another level, when margarine was invented to replace the scacity of butter.
Becoming concious of what sustains us and what ages us, what mineralises and de-mineralises our bodies is vital. For some, salt is the beginning of that journey of discovery. It begins elsewhere for others through awareness of acidity, stress, nutrient-poor high-salt high-fat high-sugar preservative-laden processed foods, physical activity, going to uni, but it matters not where one begins so long as the journey continues.
My journey began in Year 11 Politics learning of the events leading up to the 1977 ‘Nestle boycott’ which inspired me to complete a Bachelor of Science in Food Science and Technology. Through those 4 years, in class and through vacation employment in many large food corporations, I became totally disolussioned with the ethics of the food industry at large and rejected that career path. I learned that it wasn’t just Nestle or what they were selling to impoverished Africans. Our own people were being sold the same lies.
I then discovered the health/organic/natural foods movement and 30 years later have not looked back. Sure, there have been and continue to be lots of trends and fads, and some raise eyebrows. But my philosophy is keep an open mind, make my own choices, and treat some things as a grain of salt….you might not use much but don’t underestimate its transformative power.
Its hard to be an agent for transformation when you’re being paid by the very companies that seek to maintain the staus quo. As a sage, you will know this. We’re all on the journey, even if on parallel paths. Bless you.
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Hi Rachel. I’ve just nominated you for a ‘Very Inspiring Blogger Award’ and will publish the post that includes your name soon. No need to participate – just enjoy.
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Thanks lovely Ambra. I’ve had my head down and not in blogging land for a while … back now. Thanks for all your support.
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