A night of inspiration with POPdining Impact

If I had to describe myself, one word that would bubble to the surface is definitely 'dreamer'. While I try to stay grounded in reality, the truth is I can sometimes get lost in the clouds, in imaging what might be. And being so means I find myself drawn to those who succeed in life. I don't mean those who are rich, but those who are inspiring in their tales of entrepreneurial successes, of business owners, of creatives and risk takers. I find myself in awe of people who roll the dice and manage to come on top due to hard work, dedication - and yes of course, sometimes luck. 

Recently I was fortunate enough to receive an invitation by Ai-Mei from POPdining Impact to their Entrepreneur dinner at Typika. For me this was of particular interest because while I was looking forward to the food that would be at the dinner, I also love the idea of owning my own business. 

Don't get me wrong - I love what I do. I've forged a career in marketing and while it's been hard work (no, I don't just play with colour swatches!), I've received some great accolades and awards, but my work in marketing has been tumultuous, and I've strived for success in everything I do. 

But there is still a big part of me still that thinks about doing something I can call my own. When I first started this blog I did so to create something that was mine - it was a mechanism to blend together my love of food and writing. Will it lead to something else? Perhaps which would be nice, but even if not, I've enjoyed this journey of blogging and I'm sure I will continue to do so. 

The format of the dinner was one very much focussed on both the food and the content. I had the pleasure of sitting with Sarah, the very talented girl behind Perth Pop, Sebastien from Temptations Gourmet (hello cronuts!) and my pals from The Hummus Club, Kaitlin and Ziad. Plus of course my boy Jeremy as well. 

The speakers for the evening were from inspiring successful brands - Rawsome, Delish Ice, Space Cubed, The Pure Press and blogger Roze Cook. I found each of their stories and advice valuable, with each tale one of perseverance, dedication and yes, a bit of luck too. And as each of them took the stage (and in between), we watched captivated while pigging out on dish after dish from Chef Benny Suwarno. 

The menu was generous and expansive, comprised of the following dishes:

• Deconstructed lemongrass chicken san choy bao
• Mini wagyu beef burgers
• Sweet potato, battered chips and onion rings with homemade aioli
• 12 hour pulled pork quesadillas
• Sticky caramelised pork ribs
• Flash fried salt and pepper squid 

I love a great share dining experience, hands piling in to eagerly pass plates to one another, shared smiles and eye rolls of elation. This wasn't food that broke the mould in originality, but the execution and flavour was delicious, and exactly what you want on a night like this. 

While I enjoyed each course, I have to say there were some real standouts amongst the group. The wagyu sliders were up there as a favourite at the table, with the soft brioche bun, juicy, fatty meat and the kimchi-esque relish inside. So good!

The squid was also completely morish, with the thin, crisp batter and the perfect seasoning. The heat kick from the chilli throughout the salad underneath was a welcome spark for each alternate bite. I think I might have cleaned up that whole bowl... and I was pretty happy in doing so.

Like all wonderful evenings, dinner finished on a sweet note with cookies and cream pops by Delish Ice. I just love Delish Ice, and tend to gravitate towards their cute food van for my fix of fruity pops whenever I see them, so it was nice to try something different in the form of their ice-cream offering.

I really enjoyed this treat, especially when I discovered in the middle was a whole Oreo! Yum. Now that's a great cookies and cream dessert (and it had the rest of the table jealous that I scored the best pop on the pile). It was a taste of summer, and something to look forward to - especially since we got to hear all about Delish Ice, their history and what's to come next.

Are you ready to be inspired? If this sounds up your alley, or even slightly not, I definitely recommend checking out the next Popdining Impact event. I left feeling amazed, humbled, in awe and everything in between. And above all else, it has left me with a greater fire in my belly to push for those things in life I want.