One of my main roles here at the Whisk & Pin bakery is to taste everything that we produce. I know, I know, it’s a tough job. My days usually start around 6am when I get up and have a cup of tea before walking our rather energetic Dalmatian, Amber through the bush.

Amber the dalmation.

That’s the quiet time in my day, when I get a chance to think about what’s in store for the day ahead like visiting customers or suppliers, coordinating ingredients, or participating in production to ensure everyone has everything they need to produce, pack and deliver our customer orders, from over 100 line items every day.

After our brisk walk I head back home and have breakfast with my wife Sarah and our two girls, Chloe & Jasmine. Then it’s up to the bakery to spend the day with what is essentially my other family – the people that make Whisk & Pin possible.

The “Sandilant” family; Chloe, Graham, Sarah, Jasmine & Amber.

Our amazing crew of bakers start around 5am and start baking the cookies that will fill the orders that need to go out that day. Our fabulous packing crew arrive in around 7am and start scooping, bagging and expertly labelling.

At 8am the phones, expertly manned by our office gurus, start ringing off the hook as the rest of our eager Whisk & Pinners arrive and take their place around the benchs in the middle of the bakery and everyone gets down to another day of mixing, scooping, labelling and catching up with all the latest in each other’s lives.

Without exception, every single Whisk & Pinner brings something unique and special to our little company up here 1000m above sea level. For me it’s not only fun to work with such a talented and dedicated bunch of people – it’s also a privilege.

Cheers,

Graham

Graham Sandilant

“What a fantastic world the gourmet food industry is! A wonderful environment full of creative people who love what they do – with the deeply satisfying end result being a delicious product everyone can enjoy. I’ve been running and had ownership of Whisk & Pin for over 15 years. In my previous professional life I was involved in engineering, sales, marketing and business development in the engineering / mining industry, both nationally and abroad. In addition to that, I also owned and ran a small engineering company, as well as restaurants, internet cafe / bookstore. However, the gourmet food industry, whilst worlds apart from heavy engineering, is still a business environment requiring the same positive commercial outcomes, which are reached by applying the same set of values, motivation and enthusiasm that one would apply to any business.

Gourmet food inspires passion – or at least touches everyone in some way. When beautiful food is eaten, there is an immediate positive response. Everyone loves gorgeous food – it brings us together. James Beard says, ‘Food is our common ground, a universal experience’ – I couldn’t have put it better myself!

Over the years our business plan has really taken a re-shape as we understand the opportunity we have in being a benchmark in the gourmet food industry. We are innovative. We make products the best they can possibly be. We never cut corners, nor do we ever compromise on the wholesome quality of our ingredients. I believe our mission, ‘to produce  100% of the time without exception, products that are absolutely delicious, using the simplest combination of the finest ingredients’  is our continuous market advantage.

Australia and global markets continually call on us to deliver the best handmade gourmet food in the industry and we delight in answering that call.

This journey of passion, creativity and deliciousness is a very exciting one indeed. And I am thrilled to be a part of it.”

 

Phil – Pastry Chef Extraordinaire

“I am passionate about playing with sugar. I’m a sugar pimp. Seeing the smile on people’s faces when they taste a Whisk & Pin cookie for the first time is very rewarding.

I love to bring a food concept to life. That is what I get to do in my work… touching each and every ingredient with love and care that will result in the perfect cookie – the cookie that will convert even the most savoury of palates. What makes for a fine product? A sound recipe is not enough, it is a guide only. You need to treat every cookie with special attention.”

 

Elizabeth – Packer Aficionado

“I am obsessed with quality control – if I had a whip, I might use it! To do my job well, I need excellent product knowledge as every item that passes through my hands is packed and labelled differently to show off the product to its best. Everything here is done by hand. It is a labour of love.

In another life I was a florist. Having a good eye for detail and an understanding of balance and form, means I look at each and every Whisk & Pin product as a mini packed creation.”

 

Chanel – Dispatch Master

“My taste in life is for the eclectic, the smart, and quality. These elements are important to me across all aspects of my life. I enjoy working in the food industry and I wanted to work in the mountains with a local producer. Whisk & Pin encapsulates a range of eclectic product; they look smart, and they are superb quality.

That, combined with my enjoyment of being the final gatekeeper, checking nothing falls in the cracks and makes the final deadline, means I have a job that truly suits me.”

 

Blake – Muesli Maker and Baker Devotee

“I am good with my hands. Being a qualified chef, it is important to me to work with quality ingredients and we have them here at Whisk & Pin. With the muesli, I enjoy selecting the ingredients and then hand blending them. Having previously worked in a hectic kitchen, I find the muesli making is very soothing and quite meditational.

On the baking side, I like creating things and seeing how the cookies turn out. Cooking and baking are not only my work, but my hobby. I like to make up recipes and cook or bake them at home for my family. This is my form of relaxation.”

 

Sandy – Customer Service Fanatic

“The customer is EVERYTHING to me. I love people. I love my customers. I was bought up in a family retail business. My father would drive the old ladies home after they’d shopped with us… even if they’d only bought a single onion! There was nothing he wouldn’t do for his customers. I learnt this customer focus at a young age. Building relationships and maintaining a rapport with people is vital to me, the product and the selling is almost secondary.

Whisk & Pin products are the most gorgeous in the world, really, they sell themselves. If asked, I couldn’t choose a favourite product –they’re all too amazing.  But the Snowy, Rocky and Desert Roads are definitely the crowd pleasers.”