In this episode of Paddock, Plate & Planet, we hear from two chefs who have each stepped away from the restaurant kitchen to work in a more close and considered way with food at its source. Matthew Evans is a chef turned farmer, writer and broadcaster - best known as the host of SBS Food’s Gourmet Farmer. At Fat Pig Farm in Tasmania, he and his partner Sadie Chrestman have transformed a former apple orchard into a thriving mixed farm. Inspired by Groundswell in the UK, Matthew has recently launched GROUNDED, a new festival that blends farming, food and culture to spark fresh conversations about land and climate. Jo Barrett is one of Australia’s most respected young chefs. She was named 2024 Chef of the Year, and the cofounder of renowned hatted restaurant Little Picket in Lorne, Victoria. Today she is the creative force behind WildPie - a project that turns under-used wild game such as wallaby, venison and goat into delicious, sustainable food. By working with meat that would otherwise go to waste, Jo shows how food can support ecological balance and reduce pressure on the land. Together, Matthew and Jo explore how chefs shape far more than menus. With their visibility and influence, chefs carry a profound ethical responsibility in shaping how people choose to eat - and, by extension, how food is grown, valued and sustained. They share their passion for growing and for treading lightly on the earth while making a deep impact on thinking and policy making around food that nourishes people, place and planet. Read more about Jo Barrett and Wildpie here: jobarrett.com.au Read more about Matthew Evans and Fat Pig Farm here: Fat Pig FarmSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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The Bush Foodies
In this episode of Paddock, Plate & Planet, we speak with two passionate advocates for bush foods: Peter Cooley, a proud Bidjigal man and CEO of IndigiGrow, and Mindy Woods, Bundjalung woman, celebrated chef, restaurateur and 2022 MasterChef finalist. Peter & Mindy share how their own journeys with bush foods have been inseparable from learning about culture, community & Country. Both speak about the role of their elders in passing down knowledge — and how food can carry memory, identity and connection. They discuss the growing market for bush foods, and why this growth must centre Aboriginal leadership. For Peter & Mindy, it isn’t just about bringing native ingredients into kitchens, but about ensuring Aboriginal people are the ones growing, harvesting & profiting from them. The conversation also touches on their collaboration in Byron Bay, where they are working together on a native foods garden & restaurant that will showcase Aboriginal food culture and create new ways for people to connect with Country through food. This is a story of culture, knowledge & sovereignty — and a hopeful vision for a food future grounded in care. Read more about Peter Cooley and Indigigrow here: Macdoch Foundation | Philanthropic foundation Read more about Mindy Woods and Kalkalla on Country here: Mindy Woods Karkalla Byron BaySee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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The Farmers
In this episode of Paddock, Plate & Planet, we sit down with two farmers on opposite sides of the world who share a common goal: to leave the land better than they found it. Michael Taylor is an ultra-fine merino sheep farmer from New South Wales, Australia, and Scott Laeser is an organic vegetable farmer from Wisconsin, USA. Both farm with a regenerative mindset. But as they explain, there’s no one-size-fits-all approach. Every farm has its own soil, climate and history and context matters more than any textbook approach. Together, Michael and Scott reflect on why an open mind is vital in agriculture today, and how “regenerative farming” is as much about learning and adapting as it is about techniques. They also talk about the importance of “enterprise stacking” - including renewable energy – the challenges and opportunities of running multiple business streams that sustain both the land and their families. This is a candid and hopeful conversation about farming in a time of climate change - and what it takes to balance risk, resilience and responsibility in order to shape a sustainable food future. Learn more about Michael Taylor and his farm “Taylor’s Run” here: Taylors Run – Premium Superfine Merino Wool Producers Learn more about Scott Laeser and his farm “Plowshares & Prairie” here: Meet the Farmers — Plowshares & Prairie FarmSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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Paddock, Plate and Planet- Trailer
Welcome to Paddock, Plate and Planet — a podcast about food, from the ground up. In this series you’ll hear from the people who make food possible. Each episode takes you inside real conversations — between farmers, growers, chefs, butchers, food entrepreneurs and market-makers. They talk openly about the biggest challenges in their work and the ideas pushing them forward. These are stories of hands in the soil and eyes on the future. Of resilience, creativity, ambition and care. At the heart of it all is nature. Because how we care for land, water, animals and people shapes not only our plates, but the future of our planet. So, if you’re curious about where your food really comes from — and the people working to change it for the better — join us for Paddock, Plate and Planet. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Paddock, Plate and Planet is a podcast about the journey of food — from the paddock to the plate — and the bigger task of caring for our planet in a time of climate change.
We bring you conversations with the people shaping the future of food systems: First Nations voices caring for Country, farmers regenerating land and producing food, chefs and butchers rethinking how we eat, and market-makers building fairer ways to connect producers and eaters.
Across paddocks, kitchens, and marketplaces, people are already testing new approaches to growing, preparing, and sharing food. Their work is building resilience, restoring ecosystems, and creating models that could transform the way we feed ourselves. These are stories about ideas and experiments, about risk, resilience, culture and care. Together, they show what it will take to create food systems that are fair, healthy and sustainable.
Produced by the Macdoch Foundation, this series offers a unique perspective by connecting grassroots voices with global conversations on food, farming and climate. It shines a light on the people driving transformation from the ground up — and why their insights matter for the future of us all.
Australia