The Polistina family knows what they’re talking about when it comes to fresh produce. They’ve been selling fruits and vegetables to Sydneysiders for over 50 years.
Nonno Pasquale was first into the fresh produce business when he moved from Calabria to Australia with his family. His young son Domenic started lending a hand in the 1960s, waking at 3 am to help load the truck, then racing to make it to school on time to avoid detention.
Domenic Polistina eventually left school and joined the family business. Despite owning several fresh produce shops around Sydney over the past few decades, Forestway Fresh is the first time he has partnered with his two sons, Pasquale and Tony.
“My boys wouldn’t give anything to the customers that they wouldn’t have themselves,” says Domenic middle, with sons Pasquale, right, and Tony. Source: Forestway Fresh
“When they were young, my wife used to bring them to the stores. I use to make them sweep the floor, collect the trolleys and crush the boxes. So when they got older, they didn’t like coming to the shop because I made them work,” laughs Domenic. “They were probably thinking about doing anything but working in a fruit shop.”
Forestway social club
The brothers eventually owned a café together in the city, and were able to appreciate the hard work and dedication their father had for his trade. In 2003, father and sons opened Forestway Fresh together in Terrey Hills.
Today, Pasquale and Tony run the show, but Domenic is never far away. “For me it's like a social club, I’ve been doing this all my life and I know everybody there. It’s a morning out. Instead of playing golf, I go down there,” he says.
Tony wakes up at 1:30 am to go to the markets and choose the fruits and vegetables. “We’re there early to get the best produce, before anyone else gets it,” he says. Right now, he recommends keeping an eye out for his Pink Lady apples and mandarins.
Tony wakes up at 1:30 am to go to the markets. "We're there early to get the best produce," he says. Source: Forestway Fresh
Pasquale explains how particular Tony is with the produce he picks: “Most shops started having mandarins two weeks before we did. But the problem with mandarins is that when the season starts, they are not quite as sweet and juicy. We didn’t have mandarins right away because we don’t want our customers to be disappointed with the quality.”
Top customers
With chefs like Peter Gilmore (Quay, Bennelong), Giovanni Pilu (Pilu at Freshwater) and Miguel Maestre (Miguel's Tropical Kitchen) shopping at Forestway Fresh, there’s no doubt that the produce is top shelf.
“My boys wouldn’t give anything to the customers that they wouldn’t have themselves,” says Domenic.
In the last few years, Forestway Fresh has expanded to sell all sorts of premium food, from meat to cheese (200 types), to pre-prepared meals. Chef Brad Wilson makes dozens of items in-house, such as stock, sauces and dressings, all with produce from the shop.
We make these Italian meatballs, just like mum’s, nice and fluffy like marshmallows.
He also cooks dishes like beef lasagne, corn fritters, and bacon and leek quiche. Pasquale says you can’t leave the shop without the meatballs: “We make these Italian meatballs, just like mum’s, nice and fluffy like marshmallows. They’re cooked in sauce, ready to take home. You put them in the oven and they’re ready to go in spaghetti, or just to be eaten by themselves with crusty bread.”
Forestway Fresh is also the place to go to find hard-to-find ingredients when you’re cooking a special meal, like black truffle butter or Glacier 51 toothfish.
Chef Brad Wilson makes dozens of items in-house, using produce from the shop. Source: Forestway Fresh
When they opened in 2003, Domenic insisted Pasquale and Tony commit to the shop for at least ten years. It has now been 15 years and his sons have well and truly taken over the family business.
2 Myoora Road, Terry Hills, NSW
Mon–Sun 7am–6pm
