Pony and Cole has long held a special place in the hearts and stomachs of Adelaide locals, known for its comforting brunches and generous, heart-driven fare. Now, the suburban cafe is taking its signature dishes beyond the plate and onto screens with Cooking like Cole, a home-style video series.
Led by Pony and Cole director Nicolle Hahn, the series features step-by-step clips that break down everything from pickling to ‘How to whip up the perfect scrambled eggs‘ across Instagram, TikTok, and Facebook channels. Her no-fuss, “just salt your food” approach is resonating with home cooks worldwide.
“We wanted to do something different because nobody was breaking things down. They’re very simple videos. It’s little, simple techniques that help people navigate cooking for themselves and interpret in their own way,” shares Nicolle.
Nicolle, who’s built a strong following with 39,500 followers on the Pony and Cole Instagram, says it all started with customer curiosity.
“I get so many questions on what we make. People ask, ‘Why are your eggs so good?’ ‘Why are your pancakes so fluffy?’ ‘I can’t get a handle on how to do it,’ so I thought, let’s get together and do some reels – and it just kind of took off,” she explains.
The video gaining the most traction is a simple, incredibly delicious, buttermilk pancake recipe.
“I showed everyone how we make our pancake batter. It’s a beautiful buttermilk pancake, really nice and fluffy.”
“It was just a small portion for a family of five. We put it up there, and it went a bit ballistic,” laughs Nicole.
A “bit ballistic,” no doubt. The video amassed over 1.2 million views from across the globe and hundreds of comments. Among them were “Just did it this morning and my family told me it was the best pancake they ever tried… Kisses from Brazil” and “This recipe really is the bomb.”
Not every video comes without debate. A quick-pickle recipe, just shy of 500,000 views, stirred some lively commentary – “You’re using too much sugar, you’re not using enough salt,” Nicolle laughs. But, you know what they say, any publicity is good publicity.
The idea behind Cooking like Cole is as much about community as it is about food.
“Everybody loves cooking and everybody wants to be part of a community,” Nicolle says.
“The reason I did the pancake recipe was because a lady kept on contacting me from Jamaica, begging me to do it. We said hello to her in the video and she jumped on the Instagram saying, ‘That’s me!’”
While Nicolle remains the face of the series, the whole team is getting involved.
“At the end of the day, we’re doing it to engage with our customers. It does revolve around me, but the whole team is starting to get involved now. I have great staff and a great philosophy here.”
With rising living costs and a growing appetite for approachable home cooking, Cooking like Cole hits the sweet spot. It’s practical, easy to follow, and full of personality.
As Nicolle puts it, “I’m a dag at heart. I love food, I love people, and I love making people happy — and that’s what we do.”
With more recipes, relatable tips, and plenty of community spirit – all the way from Jamaica to suburban Adelaide – make sure to follow along on their socials.
WHAT: Pony and Cole Cooking like Cole
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