Local eatery changes course

AFTER more than a year of operating her Flying Chillies cafe, owner and cook Lilly Wright is looking to evolve the business with a new name and new direction.

Having closed the space as a hospitality offering, the venue is now a hub to focus on workshops and retail as Not Your Grandma’s Pantry.

Wright said the transition is due to both the pressures of running a hospitality venture, which often entailed “working 70 to 80 hours a week”, as well as a desire to pursue what interests her most.

“My passion is always teaching and sharing the skills I know to other people,” she said.

“The focus is to do it in a more authentic way so if you want to learn how to make certain things, we’re going to do it outside with say, a wok and burners.

“If you want to do chicken satay, it’ll be with charcoal, in an alternative way. It’s about immersing people in that authentic way.”

After the launch of the Flying Chillies space in December 2023, Wright introduced cooking classes into the venture the following January.

About four classes have been held since the cafe’s closure a month ago, with plans to run the events about twice a month.

Wright said the new name is in reference to her unconventional ingredients.

“When my friends come into my home, they’ll see all my ingredients that they’ve never seen before and I’ll say it’s because it’s not your grandma’s pantry,” she said.

“The ingredients like salted fish or stinky beans, it’s very unusual but if you cook it right, it gives you so much flavour in your meals.”

Wright said another aim behind the venture is to continue celebrating culture through cooking.

The space, located at 6 Coliseum Walk, can cater for up to 15 students for workshops, while pies, other south-east Asian dishes, and Wright’s signature Flying Chillies products will be available to purchase on Fridays and Saturdays from 8.30am to 2.30pm.

Visit the Not Your Grandma’s Pantry Facebook page for details on coming cooking classes.