Anthony Galis - scenestr of the day

What do you do?
Managing Director of Oz Grown Wholesalers, a leading fruit and vegetable food service company.

Why do you do it?
I’m really passionate about food, which probably originated from my rich Greek heritage and being raised on traditional fresh homemade food that was shared around the family table. We are truly blessed with such great produce here in Australia, and what inspires me the most is walking into one of Brisbane’s top restaurants and seeing dishes made from the seasonal produce I have helped them source.

What do you love about the city you live in?
Brisbane City’s unique cultural diversity and sense of community is hard to find elsewhere, and that’s why I think it’s so special here. It’s inspiring how the people of Brisbane come together to celebrate other cultures and I really look forward to being a part of the Paniyiri Greek Festival where I will be doing a cooking demonstration with some of Yiayia’s (Grandma’s) secret recipes.

Where did you go for your last holiday?
I went back and visited some of the usual European favourites like France, Spain, Italy and Greece. I hadn’t been to Greece since I was a kid, so it was great visiting family there and experiencing it in a completely different way.

What's your favourite item of clothing?
My watch and my boots. I love my watch because it keeps me on time, and my boots get me there!

What was your favourite TV show when you were a kid?
‘The Jetsons’ was a cool show. The theme song is still stuck in my head “..Meet George Jetson...”. I remember wishing I had a travelator that took me inside my front door like they had.

If you could travel back in time for a day, where would you go?
Hmm, this is a hard one… there have been many days I wish I could go back to. When I’m waking up at 3am in the morning for work I sometimes wish I were back at the Greek Islands, soaking up the warm sunshine by the beach.

If we were coming over to your place, what would you cook us?
I would rip up my all-time showstopper, which is my slow cooked lamb with lemon potatoes. It’s my go-to winter warmer dish. Accompanied by a good bottle of red, of course.

What's the best lesson you've ever learned?
In business I’ve learnt over the years to not loose sight and focus on the task at hand. Do one thing at a time and do it to the best of my ability.

Tell us one thing about yourself that nobody else knows...
I’m the only person I know that doesn’t have Facebook, which I plan to stand by, despite much social pressure and friendly banter.

Are you happy with your work/ life balance?
Even though the work I do is very time demanding, with all the early starts and long hours, I still make sure I take time to spend with my family and do the things I love like travel and devouring delicious meals at a table with friends.

How do you define success?
I think true success is to exceed your goals. Once you reach a goal, set a new one. Success is an ongoing process throughout life.

What's your spirit animal?
I did a test and it told me mine was a bear… I really wanted it to be a lama! I saw them once and I thought they were cool!