Ben Milgate and Elvis Abrahanowicz - Porteno

Elvis: Don't ever hire your friends, it never works out. You can't really work with people you're close to and it's hard enough being a chef. You've got to be able to push on as a chef. You can't be sick, hungover or tired. I mean you can be, but you still need to show up the next day and cook.

Ben: You'll never see tofu on my menu, especially when we're running a BBQ joint. I do like cheeseburgers, though. They're my guilty pleasure. Double cheeseburgers – even early in the morning. McDonalds never makes you sick, you can have it whenever and you’ll always feel okay. You can go to the corner store for a chicken sandwich, and get sick, but McDonalds is foolproof. Another one is Passiona soft drink. We smash that around here.

Elvis: Our new restaurant, Porteño, is a much bigger project then Bodega. There is more going on this time – it's two levels. Nicholas Wong and Joel Humphrey are looking after Bodega and we trust them and they'll be fine. We want them to kind of put their own spin on it. But we'll be keeping an eye on things too.

Ben: I'm becoming more impatient. I just think it happens as you get older. I've got two kids now and every time I see flashes of my father, I try and catch myself and make an effort not to. They say you grow up as you get older, but I'm trying not to.

Elvis: I like getting things done quickly. I can neck a VB throw down while smoking a cigarette. Basically you push the cigarette to the corner of your mouth, then you scull the VB throwdown, but you should be able to finish half the cigarette in that time. It's a good way to get things done quickly.

Ben: Elvis and I have been working together a long time – it's a good relationship. Now if there is a problem we sort it out in private, between the two of us. It's at the point now where we don't even need to say things a lot of the time, it's just a look.

Porteño opens this month at 358 Cleveland St, Surry Hills 2010. Bodega is at Shop 1, 216 Commonwealth St, Surry Hills 2010

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