Om Cade

Cade McConnell
from Om Cade

Where do you live

I live in Lennox Head, a humble little coastal town just south of Byron Bay in New South Wales. Magical Country...

What is the story of your brand and how would you like it to evolve

My brand is me, my life now, my truth now, my purpose now.

Om Cade birthed in 2018, after a few years unintentionally, though organically sprouting the seed.

In 2014, at 19, I travelled to Sri Lanka with my older brother and happened to meet a 61 year old Yogi who had a big influence on my life. He was the epitome of health, I wanted to be just like him. He moved, spoke and had a presence that I had never seen nor experienced before. Radiant and alive, he was. A switch was flicked on in me & I felt many shifts within myself that projected me onto a path of self discovery. On this same trip, I did a cooking class that jolted me with a lot of inspiration. The family property which hosted the class grew all their own produce & a lot of their spices. They made their own coconut milk & oil from fresh shredded coconuts. We smashed all the curry pastes in a wooden mortar & pestle. Everything was made completely from scratch. No plastic or packaging, and it was some of the best food I had ever eaten. Flavour rich and nourishing. This is when the philosophy of consciousness over convenience was born. I now share these skills & recipes at my own cooking workshops held in Byron Bay, Gold Coast & Sydney.

Several years on at 23 years of age, after several trips to India & Nepal, Om Cade was officially birthed. I became self-employed after coming back from a Vipassana meditation course in Nepal and bringing a parasite home with me. Leaning into my outer edges and the unknown and facing some fears, it all seemed to flow, along with the stresses of starting a business of course.

Now I am expressing love and creativity through my cooking. It's an offering. My food is all plant-based and is an extension of my meditation practice. I cook a lot in clay pots, the Earth, and serve my food in wood and hand-made ceramic dishes. I believe that those who are ingesting my food are ingesting my energy & state of mind, hence I meditate and swim in the ocean the morning before serving. The preparation and cooking process is a mindful, calmness of the mind is crucial...

I currently run cooking workshops, cater Meditation / Yoga retreats & soulful weddings & run meditation classes with my good friend Josh Hedge, where we share a nourishing meal together afterwards. I find myself travelling around with this work which allows me to connect with different communities. I am blessed to work alongside other amazing brands & friends (Shackpalace Rituals www.shackpalacerituals.com; Nimbus & co www.nimbusco.com.au; Anamundi Studio www.anamundistudio.com; Josh Hedge www.seedsfortruth.com; Samantha Neal from Wisdom Within @wisdomwithin_ & many more)

I would like to evolve my brand continuing to spread love, connection & gratitude. For the miracle of the breath, the land, for each other. I aim to inspire more people to not see cooking as a chore, but to find joy and connection in the process. I hope to spread warmth and joy, food is an avenue to do so.

You may see Om Cade grow a few more limbs in the coming time, though I won't share too much just yet. It'll be earthy, beautiful & created with good intention!

What inspires you and helps you get into a creative flow

Daily meditation, yoga, solitude, connection, love, nature in all it's forms & being around creative people.

What is the message that you want to express through your product/service

To serve others & bring people together. To go back to our roots, where food & eating was a ritual, took time & was prepared with love and consciousness.