If your menu is a mix and match of different dishes — say, bolognese alongside curry alongside tortillas — you’ll know something of the diversity of food on offer in Australia. Mexican, Thai, Japanese, Chinese, Lebanese, Indian, Greek, Italian; all of these national cuisines and more are readily available and together make up our unique food culture. But it wasn’t always this way. Between the 1950s and 70s large numbers of Europeans — from Italians to Greeks, Germans to Dutch — settled on these shores, bringing with them dishes and culinary traditions from their home countries. In the latter half of the 20th century, increasing numbers came from Asia — in particular China, Vietnam and Malaysia — as well as Lebanon, again with their own food cultures.
The result is a culinary melting pot. Today, according to food ordering app Menulog, Thai noodle dish pad thai is the country’s favourite take-out order, followed by butter chicken, green curry and pizza. Produce, too, has changed. Where once it would have been difficult to source ingredients such as Chinese lap cheong (cured pork sausages) or Indian ghee, that’s no longer an issue. Supermarkets specialising in the food of different nations can be found in most towns and cities.
For chefs, this modern diversity is gold: more produce is available, there is a greater knowledge of different culinary traditions to draw on and diners are more open to trying new dishes. As such, the kitchen has become a place of experimentation. To help this in a big way, Flavour Makers offers a collection of rubs, spices, glazes and more that provide a shortcut to creating the exciting flavour ranges of different cuisines.
Designed to add a zing to fresh meat, poultry and seafood, Flavour Makers products include the likes of Argentinian barbecue glaze, Persian spice mix, Brazilian smoked paprika glaze and tandoori yoghurt spice. Due to its diversity, Australia is one of the world’s best places to eat right now — and with this range, chefs can have the country’s many diverse flavours at their fingertips.
