GROWING TOGETHER
Gourmet Traveller|May 2022
Native Australian ingredients are true superfoods but their greatest value, writes MAX VEENHUYZEN, is to connect us with more than 60,000 years of First Nations knowledge.
MAX VEENHUYZEN
GROWING TOGETHER

Within First Nations communities, there is an idea known as nypagi nypagi: a win-win situation. Nypagi nypagi beats at the heart of Red Centre Enterprises, a business established in 2014 by Jiman-Bundjalung elder Yuandamarra and his wife Nadia Kiely to help Aboriginal agribusinesses grow and flourish. This thinking doesn't just influence how the couple works with Indigenous communities: nypagi nypagi also extends to their relationships with non-Indigenous partners.

"We enter into joint ventures because they're exactly that," says Yuandamarra. "We don't run around saying we're an Aboriginal business: it's an Australian business and an Aboriginal business working together. Part of our vision statement is that we walk together on the journey. That's how you achieve the best outcomes."

Lately, the Kielys have enjoyed plenty of best outcomes, from helping bring quandong-infused sparkling red grape juice Soul Good to market, to partnering with global travel retailer Lagardère to ensure First Nations products are front and centre at Southern Providore, Adelaide Airport's new South Australian-first boutique.

In short: after patiently waiting some 60,000 years, saltbush, lemon myrtle, finger limes and the rest of Australia's native foods are finally getting their time in the sun. Or more specifically: in ice-creams, in cookies, in medicine, and in high-end restaurants (the rise of Noma and its 2016 pop-up in Sydney, it must be said, were major catalysts for the current bush food boom). But while many are drawn to these foodstuffs as a way to connect with the past, many see native ingredients as a road towards a brighter future.

Green ants are the hero ingredient in Seven Seasons Green Ant Gin

Esta historia es de la edición May 2022 de Gourmet Traveller.

Comience su prueba gratuita de Magzter GOLD de 7 días para acceder a miles de historias premium seleccionadas y a más de 9,000 revistas y periódicos.

Esta historia es de la edición May 2022 de Gourmet Traveller.

Comience su prueba gratuita de Magzter GOLD de 7 días para acceder a miles de historias premium seleccionadas y a más de 9,000 revistas y periódicos.

MÁS HISTORIAS DE GOURMET TRAVELLERVer todo
From personal experience
Gourmet Traveller

From personal experience

Former Hope St Radio chef ELLIE BOUHADANA invites you to gather your loved ones and enjoy an evening of good food and laughter with recipes from her new cookbook, Ellie's Table.

time-read
8 minutos  |
September 2024
Kimberley Moulton
Gourmet Traveller

Kimberley Moulton

Kylie Kwong celebrates the individuals helping to grow a stronger community. This month, we applaud the international curator and Yorta Yorta woman who is shining a light on First Peoples.

time-read
3 minutos  |
September 2024
Tom Wallace
Gourmet Traveller

Tom Wallace

We share a drop with the head winemaker for Devil's Corner, Tamar Ridge and Pirie Sparkling, a master of cool-climate grapes.

time-read
1 min  |
September 2024
Best in class
Gourmet Traveller

Best in class

The top drops to keep an eye out for on wine lists (and why they're worth the splurge)

time-read
3 minutos  |
September 2024
A taste of refuge
Gourmet Traveller

A taste of refuge

Fleeing war and persecution, Australia's new arrivals push our food culture forward. DANI VALENT explores the contributions of the country's refugee communities.

time-read
4 minutos  |
September 2024
BE OUR GUEST
Gourmet Traveller

BE OUR GUEST

Inspired by the sense of place conjured by Europe's Michelin-star restaurants, local restaurateurs are expanding their hospitality remit to include accommodation

time-read
6 minutos  |
September 2024
Barcelona BUZZ
Gourmet Traveller

Barcelona BUZZ

A popular drawcard for digital nomads and expats alike, the Catalonian capital offers equal parts sophistication and fun. Here, DANI VALENT discovers the latest dining hotspots.

time-read
4 minutos  |
September 2024
HEATHCOTE BOUND
Gourmet Traveller

HEATHCOTE BOUND

MICHAEL HARDEN hits the road to explore regional Victoria's Heathcote, home to this year's Best Destination Dining and a host of other delights.

time-read
4 minutos  |
September 2024
The art of...relishing restaurants
Gourmet Traveller

The art of...relishing restaurants

Does working in hospitality make someone a better or worse diner

time-read
3 minutos  |
September 2024
HEART AND SOUL
Gourmet Traveller

HEART AND SOUL

Not a vegetable but rather a flower bud that rises on a thistle, the artichoke is a complex delight. Its rewards are hard won; first you must get past the armour of petals and remove the hairy choke. Those who step up are rewarded with sweet and savoury creaminess and the elusive flavour of spring. Many of the recipes here begin with the same Provençal braise. Others call on the nuttiness of artichokes in their raw form. The results make pasta lighter and chicken brighter or can be fried to become a vessel for bold flavours all of which capture the levity of the season.

time-read
7 minutos  |
September 2024