EP 112 Malta with chef Shane Delia; getting compensated for delayed flights & hire car accident hotspots

There's great nightlife, it's summer all year round, and really, really hospitable people. Add to that fabulous architecture and a blossoming food scene, and what's not to love about Malta? 

In Australia, he's Mr Malta - Maltese-Australian chef, restaurateur and TV presenter Shane Delia has been returning to the Mediterranean island nation since he was 13, so he knows a thing or two about exploring Malta's food, beaches and lifestyle. 

Talking to the podcast just ahead of Maltese Independence Day, Shane, whose restaurants include Maha in Melbourne, Layla in Brisbane and the Biggie Smalls kebab chain, appears on Channel 9's Postcards every week, says Malta is blossomed with high-end restaurants. "But while it’s well documented where we’ve been, young Maltese chefs are asking, 'Where can we be, who can we be?'" he says.  His hot tips include Marsaskala Bay for swimming and Sphinx Malta for delicious pastizzi. Follow Shane at @shanedelia 

Also, be compensated for late or cancelled flights here in Australia: you can have your say on the proposed Aviation Consumer Protection Scheme, see http://www.infrastructure.gov.au/infrastructure-transport-vehicles/aviation/aviation-consumer-protections

And finally, car rental group VroomVroomVroom says that Australian airports are the most common place for bingles in your hire car. 

Chapters

• 2:12 Getting compensated for late & delayed flights
• 8:11 Chef Shane Delia spills the tea on Malta
• 36:43 Worst place for hire car accidents

Transcript

SPEAKER_01: 0:02

Welcome to The World Awaits. Welcome back to The World Awaits. How are you all?

SPEAKER_02: 0:11

How's

SPEAKER_01: 0:11

your

SPEAKER_02: 0:11

week been, Belle? I don't know that I've done anything, Kirsty. I've been sitting on my backside. You know, some weeks you've just got to keep your head down, haven't you, right? You know, I mean, look, I am furiously planning travel, but I've done nothing that moves me out of my office. Far out. That sounds really depressing, but that's life, isn't it? You know, we're not always on the road. What about you, Kirsty?

SPEAKER_01: 0:35

Yeah, it's so true. We are, and it sort of comes in ebbs and flows, doesn't it? And, yes, I have no doubts that you will be. out of that office before too long. I actually had the weekend down, or last weekend I was in Noosa, you just reminded me about that before, when you were complaining that you hadn't been anywhere. And this weekend, this last weekend, sorry, the weekend before I was in Noosa and then this last weekend, I have been down at Phillip Island, hiking on the George Bass Coastal Walk, which is one of my favourite hikes, and sort of eating and drinking my way around the place. Actually, funny story, the crime fiction that I'm working on my new one because I want a new one to give to my agent if this other one doesn't get picked up I'm writing a story about and it includes a body that's found at the bottom of a cliff and it's based on these coastal cliffs on this walk so yeah this is a bit of a research trip Oh, my God, a text write-off, right?

SPEAKER_02: 1:32

This isn't the one that I inspired you because it's the travel writer. I haven't inspired you with the body on the bottom of the cliffs, have I? I am so looking forward to reading your crime fiction when they are out, multiple books. And I'll be looking for it. I love that when you read somewhere that's set in a place that you know well and then you're reading it and you can put yourself in that. in that place that you are describing in your book. So that is absolutely no segue to our research this week, which is about aviation consumer protection things.

SPEAKER_01: 2:16

There is absolutely no segue into that. You're absolutely right. But this is really important. It's really important, research people, and you will love it. So the Australian government is actually asking people to be able to have their say on a new aviation aviation consumer protection scheme. Now, I know this all sounds really boring, but stay with us because it's really important. Because as per the name suggests, it actually means more protection for passengers so that there's more accountability for airports and airlines when, you know, we have things like delays and cancellations, which I have to say, everyone must have experienced at some stage if you're a traveller.

SPEAKER_02: 2:52

Yeah, absolutely. The government wants airlines to be prompted to offer rebookings or refunds. I And also access to things like food and accommodation when your travel plans are disrupted. So the new aviation consumer protections will clarify the obligations of the airlines and the minimum level of assistance required when a scheduled flight is disrupted. There'll also be an ombudsman scheme, which is great because we'd love to have somebody that we can actually complain to because honestly, sometimes when you're ringing the airlines, it feels like they're just not listening. They've got their fingers in your ears about it. And also a new regulator to ensure that airlines and airports abide by these new minimum standards.

SPEAKER_01: 3:35

Yeah, so like you said, it is pretty amazing that we actually haven't had one already, that there hasn't been such a scheme. But some airlines do already do it. So when we had our flight cancelled to Thailand a few years ago, we were put up in a hotel, albeit it was a really, really bad airport hotel in Sydney, which was like something out of Fawlty Towers. But anyway, we did also have our flight rebooked the next day. And thanks to the insurance, we did get our first night of accommodation back but obviously that was only covered because we had the insurance already locked in but regardless the scheme is I mean it's obviously really needed because it has to cover all situations so it's open and now for you to have your say and it closes on the 5th of October so you have to get in quick and we will put a link in the show notes as well

SPEAKER_02: 4:23

Yeah, I think it's so great. The Minister for Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government, far out. Imagine saying that every time you pick up the phone. Catherine King, much shorter. Catherine King said exactly what you just said, Kirsty, in that that's what passengers can expect from airlines and airports because the approach is different at every single airport and with every different airline. So the new scheme would include information requirements when you book a flight and check in, how you should should be communicated with from the airport, you know, from the airport or the airline. And that just doesn't mean like a sneaky text message that comes in 12 hours later. And the minimum levels of assistance when the flight's disrupted. And also how these airlines and airports should manage complaints. And that, you know, as opposed to never returning your call or anything like that, which I think has been the experience of most travellers.

SPEAKER_01: 5:18

Yeah, and that's great, assuming it's all followed through with. And Choice has come out saying that the new scheme marks a long overdue shift in Australia where people deserve clear rights when flights don't go to plan. I mean, hello, of course we do. And yeah, like you say, not a sort of patchwork of airline policies. And even texts when you're standing in line. I've had that happen, you know, waiting for an effort with Jetstar and being just text while I'm waiting there saying that the flight's been cancelled.

SPEAKER_02: 5:46

I know. I mean, yeah. And then what do you do? And then everybody just stands around and absolutely freaks out and you're trapped in an airport, especially if it's somewhere like Melbourne where there's terrible connections back into the city and at the mercy of airport food, which is generally 10 times above what you're going to pay in the city. But they also say, Choice magazine also says that they're disappointed that the proposal doesn't include clear rights to compensation for delayed or cancelled flights. I mean, this is an ongoing story. Compensation schemes in Europe have encouraged airlines to reduce avoidable delays and provide consumers with simple cash payments when the flights are cancelled or late. And this is something that Australians also deserve. I mean, we've talked about it here before. My flight coming home from Bulgaria last year massively disrupted when Israel started bombing Iran. What should have been a 24-hour flight turned into a three-day epic to get home. But my airline, and it was tricky because my flight originated in Europe. I should have been covered under certain compensation, but because the delay The delay of the actual flight was only 40 minutes as opposed to I think you've got to be more than two hours delayed. It wouldn't have been effective, but that had a knock-on effect and I missed all of my connections back home, which took three days. I have to say that my airline Qatar covered the two nights hotel accommodation because I stayed in Qatar one night and then I stayed in Singapore for another night. They also did the transfers and the food and they rebooked me automatically on new flights. I could not fault, you could not fault their response to the delays. And I was just a regular paying person in economy as well. So it's not like, you know, that I was special or I was business class or anything like that because I really wasn't. And it's insane to think that if my journey had originated in Australia or was not with a premium carrier like Qatar, I could simply go begging for compensation.

SPEAKER_01: 7:43

Yeah, it is, really is. And that's a really good... Advice, isn't it, in regards to considering what airlines you're choosing as well. So if you do want to make some change, make sure you have your say. And like we said earlier, we will put a link to where you can do that in the show notes.

UNKNOWN: 8:04

Thank you.

SPEAKER_02: 8:13

I am so excited to chat with my guest this week, who is the chef, restaurateur and international television presenter, Shane D'Elia. In Melbourne, he's best known for his delicious Maha restaurant in Brisbane. You will find him cooking at Layla. And also he has the Biggie Smalls Kebab Group, which is in Melbourne Airport. He is a weekly presenter for Channel 9's Postcards show. And as a Maltese Australian, he's a fabulous ambassador for the smoking hot tourism destination Malta, which is supposed of our interview.

SPEAKER_01: 8:45

Amazing. I cannot wait to hear from Shane about what to do in Malta.

SPEAKER_02: 8:51

Yeah, it's actually really great timing as Malta celebrates Independence Day this weekend. It's now 64 years since they separated from the United Kingdom. So great timing all around.

SPEAKER_01: 9:01

And I am sure you asked them about what there is to eat there too.

SPEAKER_02: 9:06

You know I did, Kirsty. He's got some awesome food recommendations. So take a listen. Shane, welcome to The World Awaits. I am personally super excited to have you on the podcast because Malta, I mean, what a great place. So thank you for coming on.

SPEAKER_00: 9:20

It's great to be here. Thanks for inviting me.

SPEAKER_02: 9:24

Look, I know you are pretty much Mr. Malta in Australia and I think you wear that probably with pride. You know, just tell us a bit about growing up in Australia as a multi-Australian kid. The question I want to know is, did anybody actually know where Malta was?

SPEAKER_00: 9:41

You know, they did where I was growing up. I mean, I actually thought, growing up in Malta, growing up in Australia, that everybody was Maltese. I grew up in a migrant area. I grew up in Deer Park. And in that community, there was a hell of a lot of Maltese, so Deer Park, St. Albans, Sunshine, Altona. These areas were sort of heavily populated with Maltese in several waves of migration. So even the primary school I went to, I think that the Maltese community was probably the most prominent. It was great. I mean, look, my dad had eight sisters, so I've got 30-odd cousins on my dad's side. I had a few aunties living in the same street and everybody lives around the corner. So a really strong sense of community. We'd gather every weekend, the whole family. We'd have lunch or dinner really at my grandfather's house. So it was a beautiful, beautiful community to grow up in.

SPEAKER_02: 10:39

And do you feel now that people outside that, I mean, I live in a very Maltese part of Melbourne as well. And when I moved here, I was just like, I feel like I'm living in little Malta. Everybody's eating pastizzi for breakfast. Do you feel that there is a greater awareness of Malta? I mean, you've done an incredible amount of work on it in the Australian media to bring that awareness to it. But once you stepped outside it, do you think people were like, where is this place? I mean, tell me where Malta is. for those who haven't planned their holidays.

SPEAKER_00: 11:13

I mean, Malta's right smack bang in the middle of the Mediterranean. You know, through millennia, it's been a strategic stronghold for many sort of empires over the years. But, I mean, where is it located? It's just off the coast of Sicily. You know, it's a 90-minute ferry ride on the speed cat from Malta to Sicily, so it's like it's no time at all. But in saying that, it's also really closely situated to sort of North Africa and the tip of Tunisia. And, you know, we were first, I suppose, colonized or first by the Phoenicians who are the modern day Lebanese. So, you know, it's right sort of smack bang in that really exciting part of the world where you've got the Middle East to your right, mainland Europe to your left. Right underneath you, you have, you know, Tunisia and North Africa. It's a really exciting part of the world. And there's a lot going on, I that Malta's been doing a great job over the last few years to really promote themselves, not just here in Australia, but globally. It's become one of the hottest destinations going around. And you used to be speaking to people in Australia about, they'd say, oh, where are you from? You'd say Malta. And they'd have a laugh and a giggle about, you know, I suppose the Maltese accent and fishing communities and everything else. But now when you speak to people, especially luxury travellers, experiential travellers, their eyes light up because they're like, oh, wow, Malta's doing so well. I can't wait to get

SPEAKER_02: 12:41

there. Yeah, look, I agree with you. I think it's changed enormously. Just being on that crossroads right in the centre, as you say, in the central Mediterranean, everybody's been there. Everyone's passed through. Everyone's left a little of their own culture, their own food behind. I mean, the last one's to leave were the Brits. And I think a lot of British people are really upset because they're poor through there in droves at the moment, holidaying, and they're like, wow, this place is fantastic. Why do we ever leave it? Why do we ever let it go? When you go to Malta, when you're coming from Australia, what's the best route that you travel to get there?

SPEAKER_00: 13:22

Look, I think that There's multiple routes and they're all equally– I think going with Qatar is the most direct route. It's one stop and then straight into Malta. But to be honest, I like to break up the journey on the way. If you're going to go via– you can go via Turkey now. You can go with Turkish Airlines, sort of Singapore, drone into Istanbul, and that's a great place to stop and spend like four days in Istanbul and then get a two-hour flight from from Istanbul straight into Malta. Great way to break it up. But you can go via Singapore Airlines, you can go through, you know, you can even go through Frankfurt, right, like with Lufthansa, which is really, really good way to see sort of another part of Europe before you get into Malta as well. But, I mean, the traditional route from Australia is probably just to go with Etihad, with Emirates, you know, straight into Dubai, which I'm doing in a couple of weeks. I'm going straight into Dubai and then from Dubai I'm going to go to Milan and do some work there and then straight into Malta again. So, you know, I think it's all the little parts before your main destination are equally as important.

SPEAKER_02: 14:29

Well, I think, too, if you're going through the Middle East, what you're doing is you're following an ancient route. As you said, Phoenicians, the modern-day Lebanese sailing across, find these five beautiful islands in a fantastically strategic location. So you're kind of tapping in. You're following a route that is not a new one. It's been done before. And I guess you're kind of linking up as well the, you know, influence that the Middle East has had on Malta because it's, you know, you'd think sometimes you think, oh, this place has had, you know, that had a century under British rule or the French have been there, the Italians have been there, but really that's what makes it such an exciting country that you still see the influence from a couple of thousand years ago in the cuisine and the way that people look in the names that you've got. You know, when I was listening back on a lot of your previous work, your family comes from a town called Zeytoun, which is the Arabic for Olive, which I think is, you know, it really shows that interconnectedness of central Mediterranean, which I think is just so exciting. But when you go to Malta, I mean, what's the vibe in Malta? You know, it's top of the charts at the moment. What are people going there for?

SPEAKER_00: 15:40

Look, there's so much to see and there's so much to do. I mean, if you're a traveller who likes, I suppose, the old world and you really enjoy, you know, architecture and you enjoy archaeology and you enjoy, you know, we've got, you know, Renaissance art and Baroque architecture, there's so much to see, right? And even if you're not a fan of those things and it's not a reason for you to travel somewhere, you can't help but be captivated by some of the amazing things there are to see in Malta in that genre. But there's a whole new side of Malta as well. I mean, when I go to Malta generally, I don't want to do anything. I go and I probably stay in areas that aren't the most touristy of areas. You know, my family live in, well, I've got family all over the island, but the majority of my family live in the south which is an old area of Malta, like you're saying, in the town of Zatun. It's a working-class suburb, unbelievably beautiful. Probably the closest swimming beach is Masa Skala. So we normally just find somewhere to stay in Masa Skala and head out down that way and just sit on a limestone rock and soak up the sun all day and eat in some local restaurants and have a great time because right down there, you've got Masa Shlok, which is a fishing village filled with great restaurants and bars. So for me, I can spend three or four weeks just doing that. But there's also a new wave of traveller that's coming through Malta now and looking for culinary destinations and culinary things to explore. And I'm really proud that Malta in the last, I'd say since the Michelin Guide was introduced, Malta's just blossomed with high-end restaurants. There's always been a strong hospitality focus in Malta. But now there's like a few really good levels to it. You've got two-star Michelin restaurants. You've got a really good baseline of one-star restaurants cooking really exciting Maltese food, which is what's the best thing for me because you can go to a one-star French restaurant anywhere in the world and be given a similar type of food. Now you're starting to see young Maltese chefs who are daring to dream a little bit and just asking the question what Maltese food can be. That's always a question I've asked of myself. I know it's well-documented where we've It's pretty obvious where we are now, but where can we be and who can we be? And as you said, we've been under the rule of so many people for so many years and the most recent being the Brits, but we've had independence now close to 70 years. No, yes, close to 70 years. And For the first time, we were our own people. And now's the time. This is the exciting time. We can write our own history now. No one's writing it for us. So you can do that in many ways. But the bit that I'm excited by is through a culinary lens. So you've got young chefs like myself. I'm not that young anymore. But looking back at, you know, historically, who traded here? What was brought here? What's here now? Where has it come from? Why is it Maltese? How can we develop it? Do these. Just because something was here once, is it still relevant now? And how can we nurture that and create something that's exciting for both Maltese and for tourists and travellers alike? And I think there's some really, really great cooks and great producers doing that. So what's the vibe like? The vibe is exciting because there's a great nightlife. You've got summer nearly all year round. There's beautiful weather. The people are warm and they're welcoming, really hospitable. hospitable. Tourism's always been, we've always been the hosts, right? Whether we're hosting people during times of war or we're hosting people in times of peace, Malta's always been the place where we make people feel welcome. And I think that Maltese are very good at doing that. So you see great hotels go up. You see a more, I suppose, universal look at what hospitality can be as well. Maltese are well-travelled. They go out and they have a look what's happening in Asia and have a look what's happening in the Middle East and have a look at what's happening in Europe and then bring it back to Malta and create a really unique version of that. So it's an exciting time to be travelling to Malta. It's an exciting time to be Maltese because you're extremely proud of what's going on back home. But that's why I can't wait to get back in a couple of weeks.

SPEAKER_02: 20:03

You're making me want to go. You're singing to the choir with the idea that you travel to a country to eat from the country. As you say, you can get a one-star Michelin French restaurant pretty much anywhere. Maltese cuisine, because you're a chef, The question is compulsory. What is the flavour profile of Malta? I mean, what's the essential thing that I have to eat? Because I'm going to go. As soon as this is over, I'm pretty much booking a flight. What have I got to eat the minute I get off the flight?

SPEAKER_00: 20:30

You know, it's a really interesting question, and it's probably the question that Maltese chefs need to ask of themselves. What is Maltese food? And it's a really loaded question, right? Because modern-day Maltese food, I suppose you think about the things that have been happening probably from the time to the 50s till now. So that's dishes that are probably highly influenced by the Mediterranean and Europe and our closest neighbour being Italy. Dishes like argin, which is like a baked pasta dish. Rossolfone, which is a similar baked sort of rice dish. You're talking about brogioli, which is like a flat piece of beef that's filled with like an egg stuffing and braise, which is really, really beautiful. And And then I suppose the most traditional Maltese dish that everybody thinks about is our national dish, which is fenix le fart, which is braised Maltese rabbit. And that's a dish that I think is really interesting because it's a dish of rebellion. So when we were occupied by the French, the Maltese were told that we couldn't eat rabbit because it was to be kept for royalty. But like every good Maltese man out there, we don't listen to anyone. And we did what we wanted to do and created a national dish out of it and And Malta consumes more rabbit, I think 30 times more rabbit per capita than anywhere else in Europe. So it's definitely something that's taken seriously. But what I love about it is that every village, every family have their own spin of this recipe. And you can get some that are pretty, I think, drab and just feel like rabbit cooked in a red sort of Napoli sauce. You can get some that there's a style, a fried style also, which is really nice. But I think that– I might be biased– but the recipe that my grandfather taught me, I think really cements itself as a Maltese dish because it's quite– Arabic feeling, highly spiced. It's got the use of wine, which viticulture was brought to us by the Phoenicians, and wine's a big part of Maltese culture and great growing. And it's slowly braised, lots of spice, really aromatic, quite rich. To use spice that luxuriously was a true show of wealth and love in Malta because it was expensive. And it's probably the national dish But the one thing that everybody goes nuts for is the Maltese pastitsia. Everybody knows that worldwide. Flaky pastry filled with ricotta cheese or with peas. I've got a good mate of mine over there named Vinu who owns a business called Sphinx, which you'll see all over Malta. Young guy taking his father's business and pushing it to new heights and really trying some interesting fillings. That's a really interesting one. Some are amazing. Some I'll probably let go. But it's good that he's pushing the envelope and trying eyes and your digs.

SPEAKER_02: 23:30

They sound like absolutely fantastic dishes. I've got to say, I think Pistissi is one of the main producers in Australia, is in my backyard. But I cannot wait to go and try it. So all of those spices, the rabbit, that is absolutely fascinating that it was held for royalty because it's been so denigrated in other countries as a cheap source of protein. So if you were just stepping away from the table, the things that you do, I mean, again, as the first time visitor to Malta, you know, as you say, the art scene is incredible, but architecture is absolutely phenomenal. And you see, you know, these incredible buildings hanging off the side of cliffs and things like that, Caravaggio thrown all over the place. What are the things that you would recommend that I do? I mean, you can spend months there, but if I have a week, a week in Malta, is that enough?

SPEAKER_00: 24:22

Yeah, no, look, you can do a lot. I think that I am a big fan of getting outdoors. And if you're a fan of getting outdoors, Malta's the place to do it. You know, you can go quad biking around some of the cliff faces, which is absolutely amazing. There's a lot of water sports that can be done. You can head out to Gozo. I think out in Gozo, Gozo is a really sort of, it's our second largest island, I suppose, comparative to, I mean, it's probably our agricultural heart, similar to what people think about Tasmania. So untouched, really pristine, beautiful beaches, nice little farmhouses where you can go and stay away for a couple the nights, lovely little producers. So that's definitely a must for one or two nights because you'll see a side of Malta that's almost like taking a step back in time. But there's some brilliant vineyards in Malta, really small vineyards. Obviously, it's a small country, but they focus on quality. So you can do some really beautiful wine tastings, have some great meals, and then be like 10 minutes away from the main city. So there's always so much going on. If you're there in a time of the year where there's– live performances in the amphitheater in Valletta, that's a really sort of spine-chilling experience. You know, you're in a UNESCO heritage listed city, sitting out in an amphitheater that's open-air, Roman ruins around it, and just hearing whether it's opera, classical music, in an ancient city like that is something that's truly spectacular. But I mean, if I had a week in Malta, I'd probably spend two days in Gozo. I'd probably base myself in Valletta because it's like the main city. But I would definitely spend a day out in towards Meliha. Meliha Bay is absolutely stunning. It's probably one of the only beaches that has sand or one of very few that has sand and tourists go crazy for it. The water's lovely. Occasionally, a tuna escapes from the tuna farms out at sea and makes their way in and it's always funny people thinking it's a shark. So it's funny to see people go crazy. Um, but I think that the, I think that you, the way I like to spend Malta is that I like to spend it there in, in, in second gear. Like I don't want to go too hard. I want to relax. I want to take things in. I want to, you know, immerse myself in the culture. I want to walk the streets. I want to get out into some of the, some, some of the, the, the smaller, um, villages that aren't, you know, you're not going there for any reason, but just to be immersed in them and sit in the main square, um, Listen to the old men arguing with each other, watching the world go by, having some great food, drinking some local coffee, and just immersing yourself in what Malta's all about. I think that's the best thing you can do. Malta, you can move really fast there. There's great nightclubs, great bars, great nightlife. But I think that moving slow there is probably the best way to enjoy it.

SPEAKER_02: 27:20

Nice words. So it's coming up to Maltese Independence Day, and that is Maltese independence from the UK, which only happened in 1964. How are you going to be celebrating?

SPEAKER_00: 27:33

Well, we celebrate Maltese Independence Day every year at Maha. This year we're celebrating it at Maha and Layla. Layla's my restaurant in Brisbane. And it started off as a small thing that we thought, okay, well, let's do something for the Maltese community because nobody really does anything. And we did it on like one Saturday, and we had a little lunch and we had about 30 people come and we thought oh this was great now it's blown out for this amazing thing where we do Saturday and Sunday both lunch and dinner and it is packed the day we sell it so it's almost sold out already in Melbourne I think it is sold out in Melbourne Brisbane there's still a little bit of space left but what we do is I try to every year I try to take a different lens on what I'm going to cook depending and I'm very blessed that I usually get back to Malta once a year anyway so I'm coming back with with a head full of inspiration. And depending on what I've seen, who I've met, or what stories I've been captivated by, I try to reflect that in the menu we produce. So after coming back, I just came back from a five-week stint in Malta. I was there filming a new television series, which is airing in Australia in November, and it'll air globally next year in 2026. So I have actually, I think, come back with the best, I suppose, appreciation of what Maltese food is and was and will be that I've ever had so that the menu this year is broken up over three or four or three shared courses um we're cooking i'd say it's about 15 dishes and only two of them you'd probably relate to things like oh well my mum cooked that because i i don't want i want people to feel like there's something that's familiar but i also want to show people in australia that malta has grown a lot since that time that they may have left back in the 40s 50s 60s or 70s um It's grown, it's new, it's fresh, but it's still deeply seeded in its roots. So we're doing dishes like beautifully grilled local Australian octopus that have been marinated in fennel because fennel grows everywhere in Malta with some local Maltese vinegar and then just simply grilled with some tomatoes and a little salad. So dead simple Mediterranean fare and people will say, well, I've never eaten that in Malta. These things are all pristine ingredients that you can source in Malta that make total sense. together. We're trying to show that just because it hasn't been done when you were there doesn't mean it's not getting done now and doesn't mean what we should be eating in the future. We should be sustainable in Malta. Sustainability should be a feature and something that we're really focused on which we never have been. We've always looked at what we can bring in rather than what we can create. I'm trying to create a menu that fills Maltese, that has connection with its fruits, that's going to be bloody tasty but can be produced in Malta for a long time. I think people will see that with one of the desserts that we're doing. We shot an episode on our new show and we were focusing on the Phoenician ancestry of Malta. We went to the island of Camino, which is a derivative of the Arabic word for cumin. Looking for this wild cumin that's supposed to be on this island, which hasn't been there for a long time. It's like a big foot. You keep looking for it and you never find it. We did some stuff with some bees. We did some honey and we were spoke about carob, which was there from the times of the Phoenicians. And I thought, what am I going to do with honey, cumin and carob? And I thought I could do a really beautiful dessert. So we made a really beautiful carob sort of frozen nougat and covered it with a caramelized honey and cumin meringue and blow torched it all up with lots of dried nuts and figs and all those things that would have come through the spice trait. And it's actually turned out to be one of my favorite desserts that I've ever made. And I'm hoping that the Maltese community really enjoy it when they come to Independence Day. But it's the best bit about Independence Day without going too much on about it. It's actually, we've got a changing face of customer that comes to our celebration now. It used to be 100% Maltese. Now what we're seeing is that it's probably still about 70% Maltese. But the surplus is made up with people who are just interested in a new cuisine. They may have friends that were Maltese, grown up in a Maltese area, heard about it through social media or been somewhere they've always wanted to go and are intrigued and use the Independence Day celebration as their first taste of Malta. This November, we're also at Maha in the city. We're also going to run a whole month of Maltese-inspired menus every Saturday and Sunday because we sold out so quickly. We thought let's roll on the party and give people a chance to come in and try that missed out. So for the whole month of November, people are going to be able to come in and try that food at Mahara every weekend.

SPEAKER_02: 32:20

Amazing, because I was going to ask you, if it's sold out in Melbourne, how do I get my fix then? So you've answered that question beautifully. I'm going to jump to the last question that we ask all of our guests, the final question, which is, and it doesn't have to be in Malta, but you do get extra gold stars if it is, what is your most bizarre travel experience?

SPEAKER_00: 32:38

Bizarre? I don't know if a bizarre is the right descriptor, but I traveled to Iran and it was a very different experience than what I was expecting. It was a while ago, it was 2012. It was just, it was It was great, but I wasn't ready for it. I don't think that I'd given myself enough time to fully understand what I was walking into. I thought, okay, look, I've traveled a lot. This is just going to be another destination and I've went to different cultures. But I remember one day we were on the road for a long time. We were shooting a television show. We were on the road for about eight hours driving continuously. It was like a rocky road around a mountain. We arrived somewhere. needed to use the restroom. And I spoke to the guy and he says, look, it's down the end of the hallway, down the passageway and you'll see it. So we walked to the end of this hallway. And as I've opened the door of the hallway, there was nothing there. It was just like a cliff face with a goat trail. And I'm going down there and he's like, yeah, down there. And I'm walking down this goat trail and there was another door. But like the door was like, it was just like a doorframe with of box but not an outhouse and as I opened this door there was just like a concrete hole in the floor And it was really confronting to sit there and think, you want me to squat on that thing? And then I had this raw huge running out the back. And I was like, oh, I prefer not to, but geez, it's been eight hours and I don't know if I can wait another eight. And I remember walking out of there thinking, where do I wash my hands? It was just, I don't know if it was just, it stuck with, It was weird. But it probably wasn't foreign to the guys that we were seeing there and everybody else. It was really foreign to me. It was really confronting. I don't think it was something that I enjoyed. I don't think I want to go back and do it again. But the whole trip to Iran was really, really, really different. It was captivating. I think the touristy stuff we did, going and seeing some of the old places where Alexander the Great had been and all these kind of really exciting things were great. But then when we got into the nitty-gritty, I was overwhelmed with how beautiful the people are. The people are absolutely amazing, absolutely amazing. So warm, so welcoming, so proud of who they are. But, geez, like our sound recordist, he was traveling with his girlfriend. And before he left Australia to go to Iran, he had to marry her. Otherwise, they couldn't travel together. And they definitely couldn't even stay in the same hotel room. So some of those things were quite polarizing, quite polarizing.

SPEAKER_02: 35:46

It's an amazing country. And I've got to say, hand sanitizer has really changed how we travel, I think, in such locations. Hot tip for anybody if they're traveling in Iran because I think– I mean, we might not be traveling there at the moment, but yeah, when you get back in, I think some places are just not going to change. I reckon that Lou is probably still there. Shane, I have absolutely loved hearing about Malta. Again, you've inflamed my desire to be there right now, especially in the middle of the tail end of a Melbourne winter. Thank you so much for joining us on The World Awaits.

SPEAKER_00: 36:21

No, no problem. Thanks.

SPEAKER_01: 36:24

That toilet in Iran sounds just terrifying. But aside from that, now I want to go to Malta for the food, the beaches, the nightlife. And if you'd like to follow Shane's culinary adventures around the world, you can follow him on Instagram at Shane D'Elia.

UNKNOWN: 36:40

Music

SPEAKER_02: 36:50

Our tip this week is about how to avoid disaster in your rental car around the airport. So new data released by car rental experts, Vroom, Vroom, Vroom, reveals that Australian airports are the worst place for bingles in your hire car with one in six incidents happening just around the airport.

SPEAKER_01: 37:09

Yeah. And we are here to help, Belle. That's what we do at The World Awaits. With tips on what to do if this happens to you. So according to five years worth of data from vroom, vroom, vroom. I think I just included this because I wanted to say that. Airports in general have the highest rate of accidents among rental car drivers with 43 accidents logged over the last five years, which isn't really all that high. But hey, considering having an accident before or after a flight, the stressful levels would be pretty high, right? So I guess even though it doesn't sound that high, I mean, if you're going to have an accident before you're about to fly out or afterwards, that just escalates things to a whole new level.

SPEAKER_02: 37:50

Nice. nightmare. And, you know, especially if you're like me and you like to flick into the airport seconds before your flight, so you don't like spend your life standing in an airport queue, you've got no time to deal with a prang. So what to do? And I've got to say, I reckon this is also when you're arriving, but also when you're leaving too. So because, you know, you come in off a flight, you're all, you know, flights do scramble your brain, jump into the hire car, pull out. And especially if you're in a place where you're driving on the other side of the road too so pull out have a bingle hello welcome to the new destination so what to do if you are avoiding if you don't want this to happen to you the first thing far out they say is make sure you aren't rushed yes taking that on thank you very much you are well rested and your tyres are pumped

SPEAKER_01: 38:40

yeah that always helps and they also say don't come like you said don't come straight off a long flight and hop into a rental car so you should preferably check into a hotel and and rest if you need to. Because being sleep deprived on the road, obviously that's when disasters are going to happen. Do you know, I did this once. I came off a flight. My mum was here looking after the kids. I can't remember where we went, Bali or something. And I jumped in a car to take her somewhere and I was driving on the wrong side of the road. Like I was just so tired. I just, I went to turn and I was like on the wrong side of the road and I was like, that was so stupid just because I was so sleep deprived. So yeah, it's really stupid getting into a car, obviously straight after that. And I also say, if anything does happen, pull over safely, check everyone's okay. Yep, that's the first thing you do. And call emergency services if needed.

SPEAKER_02: 39:29

Yeah, I think that advice not to just lose your mind completely is a good one. But the other one is document everything. So before you get in the car or you drive it, take photos of the condition so you can prove how you found the car for whatever reason further down the line. Although it's unlikely, you don't want to pay for a scratch that was already there when you picked up the vehicle. And I had to say I'm actually very strict about this one and I always take photos or I call the staff back out and say what is this undocumented scratch and they go oh it's nothing that's a wear and tear thing I'm like you are not going to say that when I drop it back in are you so I'm an absolute animal for that one and it annoys them but I don't care

SPEAKER_01: 40:09

well good on you I should do more of that yeah I mean because it is it's a hard one if the car's quite new I don't do it because I always think I mean you know if it doesn't but I guess if it was a car that had quite a few scratches on it, you'd kind of be like, how can they document all of these? I know. Yeah, I

SPEAKER_02: 40:25

had a banger at Uluru. I picked up at Uluru, like an absolute banger because it was just, you know, doing runs on the red dirt and thinking, wow. So I just photographed the whole thing, sent it through to them before I drove off. Not one little scratch, just went around the whole car and photographed all of it because, you know, it had been hitting kangaroos by the look of it. It was rugged. So, yeah, great tip, I think, for this one.

SPEAKER_01: 40:49

That's a good tip. And when things go belly up, stay calm. Like Valerie said, make sure you take really clear photos of any damage. Well, I mean, photos before and photos of any damage. And note the time and the location. And then obviously try and collect the contact details of anyone else who was involved.

SPEAKER_02: 41:07

And have a plan B. For instance, if you're somewhere remote, you'll need somewhere to stay the night and make a plan. So it might be worth taking some reserve money. I think this is quite an obvious tip, isn't it? Having a bit of money in your back pocket it just in case you need to catch a flight back to a city. I mean, Australia is a big place. Sometimes a flight is the only reasonable option to get out of there. And if you're in a very remote place, you might be hungry and thirsty, so it's always wise to have additional food, water, phone charger and

SPEAKER_01: 41:36

fuel if your car is still running. Tagged one of Australia's most respected lifestyle commentators, journalists, editors and media consultants, Melissa Hoyer has interviewed nearly every name in the pop culture and lifestyle sphere. On next week's pod, I chat to her about how she came to be in the industry, some of the celebs she's interviewed, her favourite places she's been on the job and the places you need to go to follow in your favourite celebs' footsteps. Be prepared to be entertained.

SPEAKER_02: 42:05

And we'd love it if you followed us on socials. You'll find us at The World Awaits podcast on Instagram, Facebook and LinkedIn. Please feel free to drop us a line at hello at theworldawaits.au on email. So if you are enjoying this episode, why not give us a rating or a review? We'd love it. That's a wrap for The World Awaits this week. Click to subscribe anywhere you listen to your favourite pods. Thanks for listening. See you next week.

UNKNOWN: 42:35

so