Josh & Julie Niland: The Untold Story Behind 10 Years of Saint Peter

What does it really cost to build one of Australia's most celebrated restaurants? For Josh and Julie Niland, the answer goes far beyond money. Ten years after opening Saint Peter in Sydney, the husband-and-wife team sit down with Lucy Allon on Straight To The Source for a deeply personal and refreshingly honest conversation about the pressures, sacrifices and challenges behind their extraordinary success. Josh Niland is internationally recognised for revolutionising the way the world thinks about fish. His many accolades include the prestigious 2020 delicious. Produce Awards Maggie Beer Award for Outstanding Contribution to Australian Food. In 2025, Saint Peter was ranked No. 66 on The World’s 50 Best Restaurants extended 51–100 list, the only Australian restaurant to feature. For years, Julie Niland has worked largely behind the scenes, helping build and sustain the business while raising their four children. Now, with the release of their book Saint Peter: Chapter & Verse, her perspective is finally coming into the spotlight. Together, they share what really happens behind the accolades, from the anxiety of managing cash flow and the heartbreak of closing restaurants to the realities of working with your spouse, raising a family and learning when to let go. Josh also reveals why reading Julie's contribution to their new book brought him to tears. It's an honest and open conversation about marriage, leadership, resilience and what success really means after ten years in hospitality. CHAPTERS 00:00 Ten years of Saint Peter 02:43 Taking the leap into restaurant ownership 09:09 Julie's untold story 15:48 Financial pressures and learning to delegate 20:18 Innovation and new business opportunities 22:06 Marriage, business and finding balance 24:24 Leadership and building a great team 26:36 Cooking with the world's best: Rasmus Munk, Joan Roca & Virgilio Martínez 28:36 Setbacks, risks and tough decisions 35:04 The evolution of Saint Peter 40:12 Saint Peter: Chapter & Verse 43:31 Julie's perspective on the difficult years 45:01 The chapter that brought Josh to tears 45:51 The heartbreak of closing restaurants 48:43 What really matters after ten years 53:42 Transparency, provenance and purpose About Josh & Julie Niland Josh and Julie Niland are the husband-and-wife team behind Sydney's internationally acclaimed Saint Peter, which celebrated its 10th anniversary in September 2026. Josh is one of Australia's most influential chefs, renowned for revolutionising the way the world thinks about fish through his innovative whole-fish philosophy. While Josh has been the public face of the business, Julie has played an instrumental role behind the scenes, driving operations, finances, marketing and business development while raising their four children. Together, they've built an extraordinary hospitality business through innovation, resilience and an unwavering commitment to their craft. Their latest book, Saint Peter: Chapter & Verse, offers an honest account of the triumphs, challenges and personal sacrifices behind a decade in business. Find out more Saint Peter Restaurant & Hotel: www.saintpeter.com.au Saint Peter: Chapter & Verse: Explore the book Saint Peter Shop: shop.saintpeter.com.au Fish Butchery: www.fishbutchery.com.au Subscribe for new episodes and join us as we explore the people, stories and ideas driving the industry forward. About Straight To The Source Straight To The Source brings you closer to the chefs, producers, growers and makers across the entire food chain - the people shaping where food is headed and why it matters. Hosted by food experts Tawnya Bahr and Lucy Allon. Follow, rate and review Straight To The Source to help more people discover the stories shaping Australia's food and hospitality industry. You can find us: • Straight To The Source Podcast: https://lnk.to/jBCTBE • Instagram:   / straight_to_the_source   • Website: http://straighttothesource.com.au Tawnya Bahr LinkedIn:   / tawnyabahr   Instagram: @tawnyabahr Email: tbahr@straighttothesource.com.au Lucy Allon LinkedIn:   / lucyallon   Instagram: @lucy_allon Email: lucy@straighttothesource.com.au