Two: The number after one and before three. A duo. A couple.
Fat: Large in bulk or circumference. Having a large amount of excess flesh. The result of too much good food and good wine.
Blokes: Guys. Dudes. Men. Lads. Mates.
Two Fat Blokes was built on a foundation of all of the above. Mainly ‘the result of too much good food and good wine’. In 2008, two friends amalgamated their love for all things food and wine into a Hunter Valley wine touring powerhouse. Starting with one van and a vision, the company has grown into a small family-run empire with three different entities, more than twenty staff, an induction to the TripAdvisor Hall of Fame, thousands of 5 star reviews, and 11 luxury vehicles.
But who are the Two Fat Blokes? Because they’re actual people . . .
Peter Firth (aka Sir Lunchalot) has now retired from his position as a Fat Bloke and spends his time enjoying more lunches than one man should. Peter has lived in the Hunter Valley for more than 30 years and in that time amassed an incredible amount of knowledge and passion for the area he calls home. In his former life, along with being a Fat Bloke, Peter was an icon in the Hunter Valley and had the perfect palette for food pairings. As a former food reviewer, Peter’s passion for food became part of the backbone of what Two Fat Blokes offer now. Peter can still be found around the Hunter Valley- if you see his distinctive ‘LUNCH’ number plates parked at a restaurant, odds are that you should stop and eat there, too!
Jan Molenaar is currently running the show as Fat Bloke One AND Two. He’s lived in the Hunter Valley for more than 20 years after moving to greener pastures from the rat race in Sydney. He has spent his whole life around wine and his passion blossomed through consumption and his growing knowledge of the industry. Jan can often be found at home in the Two Fat Blokes Gourmet Kitchen or the Two Fat Blokes Deli, two brainchildren that came about during rapid growth in 2013 when it became more important than ever for Two Fat Blokes to have more control over their guest experience. Jan has two children, one of whom works in the business, and the other who helps them out with all things super technical.
An honourable mention goes to Jan’s wife, Julie Molenaar, who is part owner of the Two Fat Blokes empire. Julie’s family has lived in the Hunter Valley for as long as she can remember. Julie predominantly runs the Gourmet Kitchen and Deli sections of Two Fat Blokes while overseeing other day-to-day running of the business. Julie has two children as well, one of whom manages the Two Fat Blokes fleet to make sure that it stays in prime condition. Both Julie and Jan love to travel and have eaten their way around the world and tasted their way through a number of well known wine regions.
Being a small group touring company, our maximum numbers are capped at 14 passengers per tour, which allows us to visit boutique and family run wineries along with some larger ones who make great wines and provide incredible experiences. As of 2018, Two Fat Blokes took 18,000 guests on tour and the growth is not slowing. Development is currently underway at their new block on Hermitage Road, where you will soon find a new home for their kitchen and deli, purpose built wine and cheese tasting rooms, a virtual reality wine appreciation centre, and glamping tents, amongst a few other surprises. New ultra luxury tours are currently also in development with experiences that can only be dreamed of. All of our tours can be found on our website at www.twofatblokes.com.au.
If you have any questions, please feel free to reach out to Claudia Molenaar. You can reach her at claudia@twofatblokes.com.au.