Sophie McComas-Williams, tastemaker of the year

To properly introduce you, what are your nicknames?

I don’t actually, Soph it is!  

Star sign?

Aries Sun with a Leo Moon so thank god there’s a Cancer rising in there to balance out all that fire.

  Where do you currently live, and who with?

In Sydney with my husband, Scott and two young boys, Ned and Bruno.

What do you currently do for work?

I co-founded a creative agency in 2017 called Buffet.

We’re a team of 10 and work on creative strategy and content production for the food, drink and hotel industries, can you think of anything better?!

I also write a Substack with a friend called Highly Enthused where we share all our favourite finds in food, fashion, beauty, culture and travel. We’ve been writing it for over six years now!

What does your average work day look like?

I love that my day-to-day is so diverse.

I work closely with our creative team on strategy and campaign projects and run Buffet’s own marketing initiatives - we just launched a downloadable iPhone shooting guide which was fun to create.

There’s a lot of meetings and emails, but I love to take on copywriting commissions when I can fit them in.

Right now I'm working on developing the tone of voice for an upcoming very fancy Martini bar in the city, which has me writing about velvet booths and chilled glassware.

It’s busy, but a dream, really, to run your own thing.  

Where is your go-to for breakfast, lunch, dinner and of course, coffee?

Having young kids means we don’t get out for breakfast too often anymore, but recently in Melbourne I visited Walrus for French Toast and Iris Bakery for the most perfect cardamom bun. I haven’t stopped thinking about either.

Lunch is my favourite meal! We spent a wonderful afternoon at Corner 75 in Randwick recently, it’s Hungarian and somehow manages to be down-to-earth and somewhat fancy at the same time.

I eat at my husband’s restaurants a lot - Ragazzi, Palazzo Salato, Fabbrica and Letra House and it’s too hard to pick favourites from those, but I love booking a spot at Sang by Mabasa when I can. It’s a tiny Korean restaurant in Surry Hills with mum and dad cooking in the kitchen and the best kimchi jeon ever.

I’ve been drinking coffee beans by Jack Murat recently, they’re a new client and one of the only specialty Australian coffee growers in the country. 

What are you currently reading?

I read a lot of food memoir, most recently the memoir of Anthony Bourdain’s assistant and co-author before he died, Care and Feeding by Laurie Woolever.

After that I needed something extremely light and so started The Husbands by Holly Gramazio which is a perfectly silly palate cleanser.

What helps you when you’re lacking in creative inspiration?

Taking a break.

Creative burnout is so real.

I never feel more creative than when I’m on holiday not thinking about the day-to-day of work. 

Stepping away and giving my brain just a little bit of space is essential for my creativity and motivation in general.    

What’s the best item you’ve purchased this last year?

I bought a blue linen shirt in Athens at the most beautiful boutique called It’s A Shirt earlier this year. It’s cut so beautifully from the softest Greek linen. I treasure it.

I also bought an electric blanket for my bed and lemme tell you, that changed my life this winter.

What does your perfect day look like?

  An early reformer class at Scout Studios, coffee and breakfast at Superfreak, some kind of outdoor adventure with my family - maybe the beach or a brand new park we haven’t visited before - lunch with my husband, a sunset cocktail in our garden and then a long long magnesium bath.      

What is your favourite thing about it?

Being with my favourite people, movement, experiencing new things, being in nature and relaxinggggg.          

What’s your one monthly subscription you’d be lost without?

I love the Amigo app, it’s an invite-only travel recommendations app filled with global recs by people with really great taste.

It was so helpful in discovering all the cool stuff in Greece when we were there recently. 

Besides that, Hayley Nahman’s Substack is worth every subscription penny

What is your biggest inspiration?

My four-year-old’s brain – the most creative, curious mind I’ve ever known!

He’s taught me to question everything

First thing you order when you’re out to dinner?

Campari soda!

How do you approach getting dressed?

I’m a pretty low-key dresser, but I love colour. I love natural fibres but tend to keep things pretty simple accessories-wise.

The same two gold bracelets never leave my wrists.    

It’s been a huge week, you’re home alone and you’re on Uber eats. What are you ordering? (Be honest)

Biang Biang noodles, every time.

Who would you have dinner with, dead or alive?

Since we all had kids it’s hard to see friends for dinner without weeks of planning involved, so I'd love to just gather all my favourites together spontaneously.

But celebrity-wise, I think Meryl Streep and I would get along so well over a bowl of carbonara a la Heartburn.

  How have they influenced you?         

Failsafe wardrobe combo?

Honestly this winter it’s been the Apres collared knits and jeans. Effortless.      

How has your idea of contentment changed over time?

I was so ambitious in my twenties. I worked hard and was so hungry to do more and prove myself.

These days I search for space and time.

I’m content working with good people who value what I do and spending deep time with friends and family over chasing growth and more, more, more.    

Something you can’t live without?

My slippers. Honestly they go everywhere with me. I’m very attached.

While you're here, have a listen to Sophie's virtual turntable:

All our love to Sophie xxx