An ongoing Australian food festival piques our interest as we spot Asian flavours, German and Tex-Mex elements on the menu. City chefs reason that this is what defines contemporary Aussie cuisine — a mix of traditional produce and influences from migration. This amalgamation of farm-grown meats, diverse seafood thanks to their coastline, and cooking methods brought by migrants is gaining popularity globally, though it's still taking baby steps in Mumbai.

Then and now

The first Australian inhabitants were hunter-gatherers and ate bush tucker that included native fauna or flora. "So, meat is a core part of the cuisine, and preparations incorporate fruits and flowers from the rainforests and herbs from verdant woodland," chef Dinesh Shinde from Aromas Café, which is hosting the festival, tells us.