About
Smith & Deli is the everyday expression of the Smith & Daughters restaurant — a plant-based delicatessen, bakery and cafe serving food that’s familiar, comforting and seriously good. What began as a neighbourhood deli has grown into a much-loved destination for sandwiches, pastries, ready-to-eat meals and pantry staples, all made with the same care, creativity and generosity that define the Smith Group.
Built on the belief that plant-based food should be accessible and delicious, Smith & Deli brings joy to everyday eating. Whether you’re grabbing lunch, stocking the fridge or rediscovering a classic favourite in plant-based form, the Deli makes it simple — and genuinely enjoyable — to eat this way.
Shannon Martinez
Culinary Director & FounderShannon is an unlikely candidate to be the poster girl for plant-based dining. But she is, and she’s unstoppable. Shannon is well and truly underway in her mission to change the way the world perceives plant-based dining and changing the way people eat.
Shannon has been cooking in kitchens for the past 22 years in Melbourne and is the Co-Owner of Australia’s two most prolific plant-based businesses, Smith & Daughters and Smith & Deli. This has led to her becoming the author of four best-selling cookbooks: ‘Smith & Daughters: A Cookbook (That Happens to be Vegan)’, ‘Smith & DELIcious: Food From Our Deli (That Happens to be Vegan)’, ‘Vegan With Bite’ and ‘Vegan Italian Food’.
Today, Shannon continues to lead the culinary vision across the Smith Group. She remains deeply involved in menu development, creative direction and setting the food philosophy that underpins everything the business produces — from restaurant menus to deli favourites and future product lines.
Kelly Jarrett
Co-Owner
Kelly Jarrett is a strategic business leader and climate-conscious entrepreneur, bringing together a background as a senior corporate executive and world-title-winning endurance athlete to drive systemic change in the way we eat and live.
As Co-Owner of the Smith Group, Kelly plays an active leadership role across the business, overseeing strategy, operations, finance and growth. She works closely with the leadership team to scale the group responsibly — strengthening systems, supporting people and ensuring the business remains values-led as it expands. With a focus on long-term impact, Kelly is committed to making plant-based food more accessible, commercially viable and central to Australia’s food future.
Deb Hurst
Group General Manager
Deb brings deep operational knowledge to the Smith Group, with a career shaped across 20+ years of both small and big hospitality businesses, and retail management. Having been with the business since 2015 in varying roles, they hold an unparalleled understanding of its history, systems and people.
As General Manager, Deb supports the smooth running of the business at a group level, overseeing administration, compliance, finance support and internal processes. Working closely with the wider leadership team, they help ensure the foundations of the business are strong and well-organised — enabling venues and teams to focus on delivering great food and service as the business continues to grow.
Elka Bellchambers
Head of Deli OperationsElka brings a deep understanding of hospitality operations to Smith & Deli. Her career spans multiple industries, including 7 years in events management and 5 years in live music venue management and restaurants.
Since joining the business in 2024 as a deli venue manager, she has played a key role in strengthening daily operations while helping shape the culture and customer experience that Smith & Deli is known for.
As Head of Deli Operations, Elka oversees the end-to-end running of the deli venues — from team leadership and training to systems, service standards and day-to-day execution. She works closely with production and the wider leadership team to ensure each venue operates seamlessly - delivering a consistent, welcoming experience while supporting the business’s growth and evolution.
Phil Dyer
Head of Kitchen OperationsPhil brings 15 years of extensive experience in the hospitality industry, with a background spanning countries all over the world, including the U.K, Canada, France and Japan. Throughout his travels Phil gained a variety of knowledge and experience in diverse roles, cultures, and flavours, which helped him discover the joy food brings to the world. Phil joined Smith & Deli in 2021 and has been instrumental in supporting its growth while maintaining uncompromising standards and developing the iconic Smith + Deli flavour.
As Head of Production & Kitchen Operations, Phil oversees the production kitchen’s day-to-day running - leading teams, managing systems and ensuring consistency, quality and food safety across everything the business produces. They work closely with the culinary and operations teams to translate creative vision into scalable, well-executed food — ensuring Smith & Deli products are as reliable as they are delicious.