Ep 300 - From Hospitality to Household with Chelsea Ford: How Elizabeth Hewson Took Saturday Night Pasta from Kitchen to Shelf

In this episode, Chelsea Ford sits down with Elizabeth Hewson, Australian food writer, cookbook author, and founder of Saturday Night Pasta, to unpack how a personal ritual turned into a nationally stocked product brand.

What began as a simple act of self-care, cooking pasta at the end of a long week, has evolved into a business now sitting in 400+ stores across Australia. Elizabeth shares how her “patchwork” career across restaurants, media and brand building has shaped a business grounded in comfort, quality and honesty.

We explore the realities of scaling from kitchen to shelf, from launching with limited-edition drops to building out a seven-SKU range, and partnering with distributors like Cartel & Co to rapidly expand from 50 to 200 stockists in just six months.

The conversation dives into what actually drives sell-through in retail, why brand and packaging matter, how margins and data access work with distributors, and the operational shift required to grow beyond a founder-led business. Elizabeth also reflects on the role of mentors, manufacturers and collaborators, including Archie Rose, and her commitment to Australian-made ingredients, transparency and taste.

A grounded look at what it takes to build a food brand that people come back to, again and again.

Guest info:

saturdaynightpasta.com.au / @saturdaynightpasta

@elizabethhewson

Host info:

foodpreneursfestival.com / @foodpreneursfestival

chelseaford.com / @chelsea.ford.co

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