Jen Curcio’s labour of love is a food website called Decisive Cravings.
The concept is about satisfying your food cravings, by sorting curated food experiences into categories to help you find what you’re looking for. The site is also a hub for foodies with articles on foodie experiences overseas, must read foodie books and more.
Businesses can be extremely influential in affecting social change. Through passion, hard work, clever thinking and quality creative they can make social change aspirational.
If you have ever had a food craving go unsatisfied or love food so much that you would rather go without than eat a horrible meal, Decisive Cravings is for you.
Tell us a little bit about your idea and what made you decide to take the plunge and make it happen?
The idea dawned on me during a Uni night when I was out late with friends. I was hungry and only had a very limited list of places to eat that would be open. At that point I realised, wouldn’t it be amazing if there was a guide or website that would tell me.
Initially, ‘decisive craving’ was written as a manuscript but when I finished writing it, I decided I could keep the content up-to-date and be more enviro-friendly if I created a website instead. The only thing stopping me was time and resources. I write all the reviews myself.
How do you make money?
Decisive Cravings is a labour of love at this stage. I receive a number of free invitations to food events, restaurants and cafe’s but there is no monetary income for the project at this stage.
What are you working on right now and what are you most excited about in the next three months?
At the moment I am working on a new series of interview style profiles with some exciting and inspirational people. Short sharp pieces to give a quick insight into the lives of some very intelligent and passionate people.
How do you make ideas happen?
I write them down, decide whether they have legs, and assess what will be most difficult about executing them. Once I have worked how to uncomplicate the idea or work through the difficulty, the wheels can be set in motion.
What does your typical day look like?
I work on the website and related social media content at nights or on the weekend. I generally lock out two to three hours a week and attack my list. Generally this involves re-sizing photos and writing reviews, responding to emails and contacting people I would like to collaborate with.
Jen’s Workspace
What is one idea you are willing to give away for free?
My recipes page.
What people/companies/organisations do you think are doing really cool stuff in your industry, in Australia at the moment?
What Katie Ate, Broadsheet, Hardie Grant, Sustainable Table, Ben Shewry, Andrew McConnell, The Market Runners, Patricia Coffee, Lavazza, Locavored, The Melbourne Food and Wine Festival.
What about internationally?
Gwyneth Paltrow, Jamie Oliver, Rene Redzepi, Mario Batali, The Blender Girl a.k.a Tess Masters.
What role do you think business can play in affecting social change?
Businesses can be extremely influential in affecting social change. Through passion, hard work, clever thinking and quality creative they can make social change aspirational.
Name 3 websites you would recommend to our readers?
Name 3 Australians we should follow on Twitter?
Are there opportunities for people to get involved with your idea (e.g. are you looking for funding, interns, marketing help)?
Absolutely, all of the above.
Our readers are smart, creative, talented and good-looking. Here’s your chance to ask them anything.
What’s the most underrated cafe’/restaurant in your state?
What’s your favourite bar/café/restaurant?
Not an easy question to answer so I’ll write the first two that come to mind, but I could name at least 10 for each.
Cafe’ – Batch, Balaclava
Restaurant – Bistro Vue, City
What is your favourite song by an Australian artist at the moment?
Unfortunately I can’t think of any. So, it will have to be an oldie but a goodie, ‘Breathe’ by Sia.
We thought it would be cool to crowdsource an annual prize to award to the interviewee’s choice (each person interviewed gets one vote) winner for the year’s best interview. Are you willing to kick in a prize?
I can handwrite some recipes from the site or better yet come up with one from scratch for them based on a list of their favourite ingredients.
