Many people will recognise Mark Olive as the celebrity chef who has spent his career infusing the culinary world with the flavours of Indigenous Australian cuisine. What they may not know is it all began in the Illawarra.

Growing up in Dapto, Mark was always mesmerised by the process of ingredients and flavours coming to together to make something magical. But it was his visits to family in Bundjalung Nation in the Northern Rivers region of NSW that sparked his love of native ingredients. 

“My aunts would cook with lots of wattleseeds and lemon myrtle, it was pretty amazing,” Mark explains. “That’s where I was first exposed to a lot of Indigenous foods and it was always in the back of my mind.”

Mark brought his fascination of native ingredients home, and his love of food was only heightened by his multicultural surrounds at Kanahooka High. “You had the Greeks, you had the Italians, everybody was from everywhere, which was brilliant.” When the time came to do work experience, the chance to try his hand as an apprentice chef at Wollongong Hospital was a natural fit. “I ended up going to the hospital, and I just loved it,” Mark remembers. 

“The kitchen [at Wollongong Hospital] was the size of a football field, I loved the environment, loved the atmosphere.”

Taking on Australia

From these humble beginnings, Mark’s catering career took off. He worked in various establishments throughout the Illawarra, Melbourne and Sydney during the 1980s and ‘90s, continually honing his craft and developing his unique style. During this time, he dug deep into his research of Indigenous foods and spices, foraging in beaches, national parks and even front yards.

This dedication to his craft made Mark’s decision to study film and theatre in the mid-90s somewhat of a shock to friends and family. But he followed his instincts, and the final piece of the puzzle fell into place, allowing Mark to bring native ingredients to new and influential audiences. 

“I’d be doing my lemon myrtle, I’d be doing my strawberry gums. I’d do a kangaroo filet and put on a bit of warrigal greens, I’d crown it with smoked emu instead of bacon, and then I’d do a pepperberry sauce over it. These flavours were totally different. It was a great time to experiment and be inventive.”

Mark was ahead of his time, and still had a lot of hard work and knockbacks ahead of him, but his dedication paid off. He became a well-known figure in the culinary world, writing and hosting the first ever Aboriginal cooking and travel show, ‘The Outback Cafe’. 

Both seasons of the show shot to number one in the ratings – “we beat Nigella and Jamie!” he remembers excitedly. Mark had blazed the trail; Australia was finally listening.

Taking on the world

By the mid 2000s, the floodgates had opened – “Next minute Huey’s doing wattleseed on the barbecue!” – and Mark established himself as the global face of gourmet Australian Indigenous cuisine. This led to appearances on numerous high-profile TV shows, along with an international career delivering signature events around the world for clients such as Baz Lurhmann, Tourism Australia, Qantas and Oprah (yes, that Oprah).

Back on home turf, Mark now brings indigenous gastronomy to Australia’s most iconic venue at Midden by Mark Olive in the Sydney Opera House. His incredible journey from an apprentice at Wollongong Hospital to a celebrated chef and TV personality is a testament to his passion, dedication and love for food and community. So, what can possibly be next?

Coming home

Feeling the call of his childhood homeland, Mark is now bringing modern bush tucker back to Dharawal Country at The Farm Kiosk at Killalea. His sweet and savoury creations focus on Indigenous Australian flavours and native ingredients, as well as hyper-local ingredients such lilli pilli, grey saltbush and lemon myrtle. 

“Look, I’m a boy from the Gong. I knew I was always going to come back. I love it down here, it’s calming. It just feels right.”

Coming into spring, Mark will move with the seasons with an ever-changing menu. “In the warm weather, I like a bush tomato gazpacho, which is really nice and refreshing. [If it’s cooler], I’ll do a barramundi pie. Then we do our desert lime and lemon myrtle muffins. You can come in any day and they’re all different.” 

With one of Australia’s most iconic surf beaches serving as a backdrop, it feels like the stuff dreams are made of. And with both The Farm and Mark Olive right on our doorstep, it seems dreams really do come true.

Visit The Farm Kiosk’s Facebook page to stay up to date with Mark’s seasonal and daily specials. To learn more about Mark’s work, visit Black Olive, or make a booking at his Sydney restaurant, Midden by Mark Olive.