In The Kitchen With... foodbybez (Bella & Kez)

There's something about Bella and Kez, the duo behind By Bez, that makes you want to pull up a chair at their table and stay a while. Two Perth girls who found each other in Melbourne, bonded over a shared obsession with food and hosting, and somehow turned their love of a long lunch into a flourishing private dining and events business. We caught up with them over one of their signature menus, herbed dumplings in lemon butter, garlic flatbreads with labneh and a fennel, onion and sumac salad, all brought to life using the Crumble Family Bundle and Trio Fry Non-Stick Set, to hear about where it all began, how their marketing careers shaped the way they cook, and what it means to build something beautiful out of pure joy.

You both made the move from Perth to Melbourne independently. What brought you each here, and at what point did you realise you'd found someone who spoke the same language when it came to food and hosting?

Bella moved across six years ago for uni, and I (Kez) moved over two years ago, ready for a change of scenery and drawn to the energy and opportunities Melbourne had to offer. It was my first job in the city, and Bella and I connected almost immediately. The first time we sat together at lunch, we instantly started talking about our shared love of cooking, our favourite accounts, and hosting. By the end of that conversation, we were already planning a long lunch for friends.

And was there a moment where you both thought, okay, we need to do this properly?

The very first time we cooked together was for a small group of friends. What started as a simple excuse to bring people together quickly turned into something more. We realised how naturally we worked together in the kitchen and how much joy we got from creating an experience for others. We posted it to TikTok without thinking too much of it, and it instantly blew up with people reaching out asking us to cook for them. That solidified our belief that there might really be something in this.

You both work in marketing full time. Do you think that shapes the way you approach food, the way a dish is plated, a menu is built, a table is set?

Absolutely. Working in marketing has definitely shaped the way we think about food and hospitality. We both naturally see food as more than just something to eat, it's an experience that goes beyond the plate itself. Bella works in social media and I work in PR and brand management, so those skills definitely help with our own brand positioning and the way we show up online.

When you're putting together a menu, where does it start? Is it a feeling, a season, something you ate recently?

It usually starts with the dishes we love to cook and share with others. From there, it's driven by curiosity and creativity, recipes we've been wanting to try, ingredients we're excited about, or techniques we'd like to explore. We both love dining out and discovering new restaurants around Melbourne, so we're constantly drawing inspiration from meals we've enjoyed. Often, a menu becomes a collection of those influences, shaped into something that feels cohesive, seasonal and reflective of our own style of hosting.

Your menus feel very considered, Middle Eastern influences, texture, freshness. Where does that aesthetic come from?

Our approach is very much guided by seasonality and a genuine appreciation for great local produce. A lot of our inspiration comes from what's available at the time, we'll often discover a beautiful ingredient at the markets and immediately start brainstorming ways to build a dish around it. The Middle Eastern influences come from flavours and styles of cooking we're naturally drawn to: vibrant, generous, and centred around sharing. Over time, our menus have evolved organically through experimentation, dining experiences and discovering new ingredients.

Tonight you're making herbed dumplings in lemon butter, garlic flatbreads with labneh and a fennel, onion and sumac salad. Walk us through the thinking behind this menu.

While we love getting creative and turning food into something visually special, we equally appreciate the beauty of a simple, comforting meal. This menu feels very true to the way we like to eat ourselves, it's the kind of food we'd happily put together for a relaxed weekend afternoon with friends. We love meals with lots of "bits" to mix and match and share, as opposed to standalone single-serve plates. It's unfussy, generous food that delivers plenty of flavour and encourages people to enjoy the moment together. Cooking it all in the Crumble Trio Fry Non-Stick Set made the whole process feel effortless, everything from the dumplings to the flatbreads came together beautifully.

What does a typical cook-up look like between the two of you? Defined roles, or beautifully chaotic?

One of the things we realised early on was how seamlessly we work together in the kitchen. There aren't really any strict roles, we both jump in wherever we're needed, and it sometimes feels as though we're communicating telepathically. It can look a little chaotic from the outside, but there's a flow to it that works for us. We trust each other's instincts, which makes the whole process feel collaborative, creative and a lot of fun. Having the right cookware helps too, the Crumble Family Bundle meant we had everything we needed without any fuss.

Is there a dish that one of you makes that the other is genuinely in awe of?

Although our menus are always very collaborative, there are definitely a few signature dishes. Bella's focaccia is always a standout, somehow it gets better every single time she makes it. And Kez is undoubtedly the dessert girl, always dreaming up some kind of sweet creation to finish the meal. We genuinely love each other's cooking and are always in awe of the creativity and flavour the other brings to the table.

By Bez has grown quite organically from cooking together to private dining and events. Did you ever set out to build something, or did it just keep evolving?

We definitely never set out with a grand plan. What started as a creative outlet and a way for us to spend time doing something we genuinely loved has evolved very organically. We had no idea that our weekends would end up looking like this, but each opportunity seemed to lead naturally to the next. At every stage, we've simply followed what felt exciting and fulfilling. We're incredibly grateful that people connect with what we do and trust us to create memorable experiences for them.

And what's the dream for By Bez, where do you see it going?

It's grown so quickly and organically that it's hard to predict exactly where it might lead. At the heart of it, we're just two people who love cooking, hosting, and bringing people together over food. As long as we're able to keep doing that, we'll be happy. One of our favourite sayings is "say yes, and figure it out later," and that's very much how we've approached By Bez so far. We're open to opportunities, excited by new experiences, and willing to learn as we go. That mindset has already led us to some incredible moments, and we're excited to see where it takes us next.

If By Bez has taught us anything, it's that the best things start at a lunch table. Whether you're cooking for two or hosting a room full of people, food is always better when it's generous, shared and made with love. We can't wait to see what they cook up next.

Follow along with Bella and Kez at @foodbybez