Introducing 'Reddie in the Wild' where we celebrate not only the projects we have had the privilege of working on but also the extraordinary people behind them. The first stop is Mishy's, a community-centric café rapidly rising to be a local gem in Surry Hills, Sydney. Mishy's has only just opened in Surry Hills but walking in you would think it is a decades-old institution. This is to the credit of the charismatic owner and chef. Every day her cafe is filled with people, community, laughter, and of course Mishy and her delicious hand-made and locally sourced food. There are even some gym rings hanging so patrons can get in a stretch in between work. The space is a physical evolution from her natural food business Naturally Sauced.Caroline our founder sits down with owner/Chef Michelle "Mishy" Powell.
C: What led you to start your brand, Naturally Sauced?
M: It came from a passion and desire for a healthy brand that is not only good for you, but also doesn’t trash the planet. This was a covid baby - can we still say that?
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We spent the last few years bouncing around to different markets, on the floor, getting out in the community, trying to understand what people actually want. That led us to Mishy’s - a space right in the centre of Surry Hills. Our mission is to bring back some of that community spirit, especially after the last few years we’ve all had.
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C: I love that it’s your name. When people say ‘I’m going to Mishy’s’, it’s like they’re going to your home kitchen, where you’re serving everyone as they come in.
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M: To be honest, I ran out of creative juice! I even had customers at the farmer’s markets making suggestions for names. So it’s ‘Mishy’s’.
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In the end, I took this space on because I could install a coolroom. This allows me to keep sourcing from the farmer’s markets, put my money straight into the pockets of growers, and hopefully cut out the middleman so we can pass any savings on to the community.
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The idea behind it is really to bring back community spirit and connection, while also delivering food that’s super affordable, using premium products.
C: You really cater to everyone - there’s gluten-free, vegan, and meat - all delicious and healthy.
M: Yes - there’s always been a big emphasis on the vegetables being the hero. So we try to keep everything as clean as possible, not using any processed ingredients. The veggies and salads are the heroes, so every day they are prepared fresh daily by our chefs. But we don’t want to isolate anyone. This gives anyone the opportunity to eat vegan or vegetarian if they choose to have a day off animal protein.
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C: Tell us about the space and the art.
M: The art is from an artist who is a friend and it's colourful and abstract. I had to make sure I had an image of a non-binary farmer.
When it came to space I needed flexible stackable furniture and I wanted a brand that was also sustainable and like-minded and local to Surry Hills. I really loved the recycled bottle top material at REDDIE.
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C: Lucky you found us. Yes you are the first person in all of Australia to use our new recycled product!
M: I love telling people that my bar top has been made of plastic fished out of the ocean. But what's really great is that its held up against the elements, even lemon juice hasn't stained.
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You can visit Mishy's at
113 Reservoir St, Surry Hills
and shop her delicious foods
