Chester Frank’s best life
Chester Frank of House of Health in Adelaide Central Market reveals his market secrets.
What does your idea of the perfect day look like?
Any day that has the Adelaide Central Market in the morning, Grange beach at sunset with my fiance Talia, and a solid gym session somewhere in the middle has no right to be improved upon.
What is a wonderful moment of kindness you have experienced?
There’s an elderly gentleman who brings fresh flowers into our Norwood store every week. No occasion, no explanation. I don’t think he considers it a grand gesture, but for our staff, it sets the tone for the entire day. It’s become one of those small rituals that reminds you a visit to our store is more than a transaction, it’s a community.
What is your favourite photograph?
It’s old photo of the four of us owners (Alex, Ivan, Rob, and I), taken just after we went into partnership and merged Central Organic and House of Health. We look so young. Every time I see it I feel this strange mix of nostalgia and disbelief at how far it’s all come. It captures something you can’t manufacture, four people at the start of creating something real.
Here’s $500. What are you buying?
Straight to the travel fund. I’m a big fan of seeing how the rest of the world does health food well (trends, new products etc). Expo West 2027 in Los Angeles is next on the bucket list.
Cafe or restaurant you’d recommend?
Lucia’s in the Adelaide Central Market. Friday night, lasagna special. Hasn’t changed, and that’s exactly the point. Some things don’t need improving.
Favourite way to unwind?
Strength training. I know that sounds like the opposite of unwinding, but there’s something about a session that forces your brain completely offline. That, or getting into the garden. I planted two organic avocado trees recently and I’m embarrassingly invested in how they’re going.
Subscribe for updates
What was the last film or TV show you watched?
Kiss the Ground on Netflix. It’s about regenerative agriculture and the role healthy soil plays in everything: nutrient density, climate, and health. It’s the kind of documentary that reminds you what you do every day actually matters. Definitely recommended viewing for anyone who cares about where their food comes from.
Last book you read?
Does a food label count? I’m not joking. I read more ingredient lists than most people in Adelaide. My rule is simple: if it reads like a chemistry exam, put it back on the shelf. Meat should have one ingredient. Milk should have one ingredient. The moment a product needs a paragraph to explain what’s inside it, something’s gone wrong.
Last song you listened to?
Titanium by David Guetta. It’s been fifteen years since its release and it hasn’t left my playlist. Some songs just get lodged somewhere in your brain and refuse to move out and this is one of them.
What is your favourite spot in the market?
Tuesday morning coffee at the Grote Street entrance dining area. From there you can see straight into the heart of the market, slowly waking up around you. Every stallholder moving with purpose. Tony O’Connell from O’Connell’s Meats, pig carcass over his shoulder, like he has for decades. Old school grit. A new week, a fresh start. Sixteen years in and it still stops me in my tracks.
Want to see more stories from InDaily SA in your Google search results?
- Click here to set InDaily SA as a preferred source.
- Tick the box next to "InDaily SA". That's it.
