The taste of Australia: Meet the chef reviving Aboriginal cuisine

Centuries ago, Aboriginal Australians combed through the land in search of fragrant herbs and nutritious bush meat. Forming the basis of their hunter-gatherer diet, these endemic ingredients became an integral part of life. But with the arrival of colonists, Aboriginal food was disparaged. Today, celebrity chef Mark Olive is preserving his indigenous roots and infusing Aboriginal cuisine into the everyday.

Raised in a Bundjalung family in New South Wales, Olive grew an appreciation for his homeland’s natural heritage. From lemon myrtle leaves to wattle seeds, he relished in the plethora of flavours he had at his fingertips. “I started cooking years ago by watching my mum and aunts,” Olive says. “I thought it was magic.” Determined to bring his knowledge to kitchens around the world, Olive became a television host and chef for esteemed clients such as Oprah Winfrey. Sharing Aboriginal cuisine on The Chefs’ Line, Masterchef, and his very own show Outback Café, it wasn’t long before ‘The Black Olive’ was a household name.

Now more than 30 years into his career, Olive continues to impress with his unconventional use of wild herbs and plants in contemporary dishes. “We have everything on our doorstep,” he says. “We should be utilising what we have here in our own country.” Plating scrambled eggs with native sea parsley or river mint chocolate brownies, he celebrates the indigenous fare of Australia. By cooking from the heart and heating up his heritage, Olive is bringing his nation together.

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