Claire Van Vuuren is a name that’s sure to ring a bell or two if you consider yourself a foodie. The chef is now the proud owner of not one but two successful food haunts, having opened Popla Bellingen in the sleepy coastal town mid-last year. But before Popla came Bloodwood, a restaurant heavily intertwined with the tapestry of Sydney’s inner-west. Van Vuuren shared with delicious. the trials and tribulations of owning a much-loved restaurant today.

How long have you been in the hospitality industry?
“I’ve been in the industry for 20 years in various roles, ranging from a catering chef to barista, and from pulling beers at the local RSL to cooking at Claude’s in its heyday.”

What inspired you to launch Bloodwood?
“Bloodwood was a direct response to wanting to work closer to where we lived. The Inner West was our home but it was mainly known as a ‘cheap eats’ area in 2009 when we started building Bloodwood. We noticed a gap in the market and realised that we weren’t the only people who wanted to improve our local eating scene. We also wanted a loud and character-filled venue that had an open kitchen as the heart of the space.”

What does your day to day role involve?
“My day-to-day role as a chef and owner is very varied. Running around before work to buy random things that we need in the Kitchen from China town and Marrickville and then getting in to the kitchen with my chefs to start prepping for the night. Attending a truly crazy amount of meetings to organise events, and making sure that everything in Bloodwood and our other venue Popla is fine on a day to day basis!”

How does Bloodwood stand out from other Sydney restaurants?
“Bloodwood stands out for a few reasons – after eight years we are still busy every day and we have a constant mix of our favourite locals and out of area diners. We don’t take bookings, we follow our own trends, we support the little producers in food and wine, and look after everyone like family with as little pretence as possible! And dietary requirements are not frowned upon!”

How do you feel about the inner west food scene as a whole?
“It’s changed so much over the years. I have had the pleasure of seeing the Inner West grow into one of Sydney’s most thriving food scenes. Countless bars and restaurants have come to the area as well as some of Sydney’s leading players in the food industry. We look after each other in the Inner West and have formed a very tight-knit community full of care and support for each other as business owners and towards the community around us. The vitality of the area has been a constant inspiration.”

Why did you choose to open in Newtown?
“It was our local area, where we lived and we were aware of the lack of dining options. It’s also an awesome area to live and work in. The relaxed nature of the restaurant and our front bar fit in very well in the area.”

Where do you hope to see bloodwood in 5 years?
“Five years from now would make Bloodwood 12 years old! That’s hard to imagine. Hopefully [we’ll still be] full everyday, making friends with customers, and watching the afternoon sun on King Street as we prepare to open each day.”