DARWIN Vibrant and tropical, the Northern Territory’s capital is also its main service centre for the mining, offshore oil and gas
production, farming and tourism industries — although government is the major employer in the region, making up around 60 per cent production, farming and tourism industries — although government is the major employer in the region, making up around 60 per cent
of the workforce. Darwin’s traditional owners are the Larrakia, who today are a nation of about 2000 people known for their music and art. of the workforce. Darwin’s traditional owners are the Larrakia, who today are a nation of about 2000 people known for their music and art.
WWhite history dates back to 1839, when the city was discovered by Lieutenant John Lort Stokes, who named it after Charles Darwin, hite history dates back to 1839, when the city was discovered by Lieutenant John Lort Stokes, who named it after Charles Darwin,
his former shipmate. A historic port city, Darwin has long been a gateway between Australia and South-East Asia, and today boasts his former shipmate. A historic port city, Darwin has long been a gateway between Australia and South-East Asia, and today boasts
a relaxed lifestyle and diverse, multicultural population of about 145,000. Visit darwin.nt.gov.au or tourismtopend.com.aua relaxed lifestyle and diverse, multicultural population of about 145,000. Visit darwin.nt.gov.au or tourismtopend.com.auFor mFor me, all me, all my my mememories of Darwin ories of Darwin
——— all the sm all the sm all the smells and flavours —ells and flavours —ells and flavours — have have have
an Asian influence. I grew up with lots an Asian influence. I grew up with lots an Asian influence. I grew up with lots
of other Thai and Asian kids, and our of other Thai and Asian kids, and our
childhoods were literally all about food childhoods were literally all about food
—— we’d go to friends’ houses and play we’d go to friends’ houses and play
with the spring roll wrappers or I’d help with the spring roll wrappers or I’d help
mmy parents harvest my parents harvest mangoes and turn angoes and turn
themthem into dried m into dried mango strips. Darwin ango strips. Darwin
has such an incredible mhas such an incredible mix of cultures. ix of cultures.
There were lots of Greek kids at mThere were lots of Greek kids at my y
school and mschool and my parents were really good y parents were really good
friends with one famfriends with one family who’d invite us ily who’d invite us
round for a big lamround for a big lamb on the spit in their b on the spit in their
backyard. I used to love going there.backyard. I used to love going there.
In those early years we lived in a few In those early years we lived in a few
different houses. I remdifferent houses. I rememember one had ber one had
a really beautiful, tropical garden. It a really beautiful, tropical garden. It
had a banana tree, a mhad a banana tree, a mango tree, loads of ango tree, loads of
chillies and Asian herbs, and a mchillies and Asian herbs, and a mulberry ulberry
tree. Our hands would always be stained tree. Our hands would always be stained
purple frompurple from picking the berries. picking the berries.
On weekends Dad loved to take us to On weekends Dad loved to take us to
the swimthe swimmming holes at Berry Springs ing holes at Berry Springs
and Twin Falls at Kakadu National and Twin Falls at Kakadu National
Park. WPark. We’d also go boating at Katherine e’d also go boating at Katherine
Gorge and took caravan trips to Tennant Gorge and took caravan trips to Tennant
Creek. I wasn’t all that adventurous as Creek. I wasn’t all that adventurous as
a kid —a kid — I’d only go into the water at Berry I’d only go into the water at Berry
Springs if Dad would hold mSprings if Dad would hold my hand. y hand.Darwin is also famDarwin is also famous for its stormous for its storms and s and
I remI rememember as a kid, those stormber as a kid, those storms would s would
roll in and scare the crap out of mroll in and scare the crap out of me! e!
WWhen I was seven, Dad’s work took us hen I was seven, Dad’s work took us
to Papua New Guinea. Living there for to Papua New Guinea. Living there for
four years was an amfour years was an amazing experience azing experience
and somand something that I’mething that I’m very grateful for. very grateful for.
There were a lot of Asian and Australian There were a lot of Asian and Australian
famfamilies, so for milies, so for me as a kid, it alme as a kid, it almost felt ost felt
like an extension of Darwin. I left for like an extension of Darwin. I left for
boarding school in Brisbane when I was boarding school in Brisbane when I was
11, and M11, and Mumum and Dad m and Dad moved back to oved back to
Darwin in mDarwin in my final year of high school. y final year of high school.
I went back in 2011, after mI went back in 2011, after my first y first
cookbook was released. Wcookbook was released. We did a bit of e did a bit of
a tour and went to the Parap ma tour and went to the Parap markets. arkets.
There was a very famThere was a very famous laksa stall there ous laksa stall there
when I was a kid and we went back and when I was a kid and we went back and
the laksa was just as I remthe laksa was just as I rememembered. bered.
I reckon it’s the best laksa in the world, I reckon it’s the best laksa in the world,
although I’malthough I’m probably biased. Also, probably biased. Also,
Darwin is the only place in Australia you Darwin is the only place in Australia you
can get Pauls Iced Coffee. It’s the one can get Pauls Iced Coffee. It’s the one
with the NT mwith the NT map on it and, if you’ve ap on it and, if you’ve
grown up drinking that iced coffee, you grown up drinking that iced coffee, you
will never be able to drink another! will never be able to drink another!
After high school I studied journalismAfter high school I studied journalism
and law, which led to a job with the ABC, and law, which led to a job with the ABC,
who sent mwho sent me to South Australia. I me to South Australia. I met et
mmy husband Timy husband Tim in Adelaide in 2006. in Adelaide in 2006.HHe was working for a winery at the time was working for a winery at the time e
and, through himand, through him, I started to m, I started to meet all eet all
these amthese amazing food and wine producers azing food and wine producers
and I started to think mand I started to think more and more and more ore
about what I was doing and whether it about what I was doing and whether it
was somwas something I really enjoyed. In 2009, ething I really enjoyed. In 2009,
I decided to quit mI decided to quit my job and study y job and study
gastronomgastronomy. Then I went on y. Then I went on MMasterChefasterChef..
Being on the second season of the Being on the second season of the
show was amshow was amazing —azing — just being able to just being able to
travel to Paris and London, and cook travel to Paris and London, and cook
with all these amwith all these amazing chefs like Hazing chefs like Heston eston
BlumBlumenthal, and put all menthal, and put all my focus on y focus on
food. I really loved it. Doing the Foxtel food. I really loved it. Doing the Foxtel
series series MMarion’s Thailandarion’s Thailand in 2013, where in 2013, where
we travelled to the village where mwe travelled to the village where my y
mmumum grew up, was probably m grew up, was probably more ore
personally rewarding. Wpersonally rewarding. With mith my y
background in journalismbackground in journalism, I really loved , I really loved
the storytelling aspect —the storytelling aspect —the storytelling aspect — I think food is I think food is I think food is
very good at telling people’s stories, and very good at telling people’s stories, and
the story of a country and a culture. the story of a country and a culture.
HHaving lived and worked in Thailand aving lived and worked in Thailand
for the past four-and-a-bit years now, for the past four-and-a-bit years now,
mmy perceptions of Thai food have really y perceptions of Thai food have really
changed. Wchanged. When we set up the comhen we set up the company, pany,
I always wanted to comI always wanted to come back and e back and
connect to Mconnect to Mumum’s side and her culture. ’s side and her culture.
Running a business here has really Running a business here has really
been a a dreambeen a a dream com come true. e true.FROMFROM LEFT LEFT Hanging out wHanging out with cousins ith cousins
on a famon a family trip back to Noi’s homily trip back to Noi’s home village, e village,
Ban Pong, circa 1986; wearing her favourite Ban Pong, circa 1986; wearing her favourite
MMickey Mickey Mouse t-shirt in a photo taken shortly ouse t-shirt in a photo taken shortly
before mbefore moving to Papua Newoving to Papua New Guinea. Guinea.
“I think food is ver y good at telling people’s “I think food is ver y good at telling people’s
stories, and the story of a country and a culture.”stories, and the story of a country and a culture.”
26 26 CCOOUUNNTTRYRY S T S TYYL EL E JUNE 2017JUNE 2017
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