It may well be the profession most influenced by mothers. Through formative childhood experiences in the kitchen and recipes passed down from one generation to the next, chefs around the world often credit their love of food and passion for cooking to their mums. Life & Leisure spoke to three of Australia’s top restaurateurs to find out the lessons they learnt from their mothers and how that relationship has shaped their careers.

Shaun Christie-David and his mum, Shiranie
Shaun Christie-David runs Colombo Social, Kyiv Social, Kabul Social and Kolkata Social, all in Sydney, and the social enterprise Plate It Forward, which provides restaurant-quality meals to those in need. This year he launched ‘Mum Cha’ at Colombo Social – a monthly series where chefs and other food identities cook alongside their mothers.