Latest news with #MindyWoods
The Age
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- The Age
Sydney fine-diner moves up in the World's 50 Best Restaurants longlist
In late May, Mindy Woods – owner-chef of Karkalla On Country near Byron Bay – received the World's 50 Best Restaurants Champions of Change Award. Woods, a Bundjalung woman, was the first Indigenous woman to appear on MasterChef Australia. She was named a Champion of Change for using her platform to blend cultures and empower the community, and cultivate a more inclusive food industry that supports minority voices. Meanwhile, Central Otago destination diner Amisfield became the first New Zealand restaurant to appear on the World's 50 Best list in its 23-year-history, scraping in at 99th. It is unlikely any other Australian venues will feature on the list, which last year crowned Barcelona's Disfrutar as the 'world's best restaurant'. (A four-hour tasting menu at Disfrutar costs around $500 before drinks and may feature a dish called 'Fear: The Prawn', where guests are asked to hunt through dry-ice vapour with bare hands to retrieve the shellfish.) The World's 50 Best Restaurants 2025 longlist
Sydney Morning Herald
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- Sydney Morning Herald
Sydney fine-diner moves up in the World's 50 Best Restaurants longlist
In late May, Mindy Woods – owner-chef of Karkalla On Country near Byron Bay – received the World's 50 Best Restaurants Champions of Change Award. Woods, a Bundjalung woman, was the first Indigenous woman to appear on MasterChef Australia. She was named a Champion of Change for using her platform to blend cultures and empower the community, and cultivate a more inclusive food industry that supports minority voices. Meanwhile, Central Otago destination diner Amisfield became the first New Zealand restaurant to appear on the World's 50 Best list in its 23-year-history, scraping in at 99th. It is unlikely any other Australian venues will feature on the list, which last year crowned Barcelona's Disfrutar as the 'world's best restaurant'. (A four-hour tasting menu at Disfrutar costs around $500 before drinks and may feature a dish called 'Fear: The Prawn', where guests are asked to hunt through dry-ice vapour with bare hands to retrieve the shellfish.) The World's 50 Best Restaurants 2025 longlist
The Guardian
22-05-2025
- Entertainment
- The Guardian
World's 50 Best Restaurants awards: chef Mindy Wood becomes first Australian to win Champions of Change
For the first time, an Australian has won an international Champions of Change award, part of the World's 50 Best Restaurants program. Bundjalung restaurateur and former MasterChef Australia contestant Mindy Woods was awarded in recognition of her contribution to community through food. Woods was awarded for her efforts to 'preserve and share Indigenous culture through food,' said William Drew, director of content for the World's 50 Best Restaurants. Italy's Caroline Caporossi and Jessica Rosval, who run an initiative training migrant chefs in Modena, and Brazilian chef João Diamante, who serves undervalued cuts of meat at restaurant Diamante Gastrobar, won the award in 2024. Sign up for the fun stuff with our rundown of must-reads, pop culture and tips for the weekend, every Saturday morning Woods, the sixth recipient of the award, will receive an undisclosed financial donation from the organisers to support her Byron Bay initiative Karkalla On Country. 'We are excited to support the continued development of her invaluable contributions,' said Drew. 'I believe food is a powerful way to connect people to culture, land, and history,' said Woods. 'My goal is to continue creating spaces where we can all come together, embrace native and locally grown ingredients that not only honour the environment but also preserve the sustainable practices that have been passed down through generations.' Named after the native plant also known as pigface, Karkalla On Country is inspired by the cook's first Byron Bay restaurant called Karkalla which closed in 2024. There, Woods served dishes including crisp saltbush, and akoya oysters with macadamia and lemon myrtle. Karkalla On Country, which offers a combined cultural and dining experience, opened in Myocum, a short drive from Byron, last year. Sign up to Saved for Later Catch up on the fun stuff with Guardian Australia's culture and lifestyle rundown of pop culture, trends and tips after newsletter promotion Woods is also the author of cookbook Karkalla at Home: Native Foods and Everyday Recipes for Connecting to Country. On MasterChef Australia, Woods came in fourth place in season 4. The award is one of several individual awards announced ahead of the World's 50 Best Restaurants 2025 awards ceremony, which will be held in Italy on 19 June. Hong Kong restaurant Wing was commended for their front of house service, Thailand's Pichaya 'Pam' Soontornyanakij was named best female chef and Khufu's restaurant in Cairo was tipped as 'One to Watch'.
