Hospitality can be chaotic, electrifying, unforgiving… but for many, it’s also where they finally find their people. For Isobel Whelan-Little, the kitchen wasn’t just a workplace. It was where she grew up, found her footing, and learned what it meant to belong.
Izzy walked into her first kitchen at twelve years old (far too young, by any measure), yet was instantly pulled into the thrill of service, the rhythm of prep, the adrenaline of “go time.” What she discovered wasn’t just heat and hustle, but a world full of people who showed up as themselves. A world that gave her permission to do the same.
Now working as the Culinary Director at Ace Hotel Sydney, Izzy has helped shape the identity of one of the city’s most exciting hospitality venues. Her cooking is deeply rooted in seasonality and sustainability whilst shaped by a childhood in Gloucester.
In the sixth chapter of our Normal People series, we follow her through the Marrickville Markets in Eora/Sydney and back through the memories that have defined her. She reflects on an approach to food grounded in seasonality, community and care and her now mission: to create space for the next generation of cooks to walk in with their full selves and feel supported every step of the way.
We’re proud to share Izzy’s story as a reminder of what food really does:
it connects us.
It invites us in.
It gives us a place to belong.
CREDITS
Directed by
Yeah Rad
Presented by
Heaps Normal
Produced by
Yeah Rad & Heaps Normal
Shot by
Reece Grogan and Joel McDonald
Edited by
Reece Grogan
Photography by
Joel McDonald
Colour by
Reece Grogan
Sound Design by
Reece Grogan
Copywriting by
Carolina Pasini
NORMAL PEOPLE, where we tell the stories of people we love and admire, living their own version of Normal.
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