Moving to a pig farm restored my love of cooking

I was a keen-bean 15-year-old when I got my first job in a commercial kitchen in Canberra, raised on a diet of Jamie and Nigella and bursting with a passion for food. I dived headfirst into an apprenticeship and eagerly put my training into practice on my days off, cooking elaborate meals for friends.

Over a 12-year career, however, that enthusiasm was dulled by toxic workplaces, bullying bosses and long hours, and the pandemic forced a hard reset that showed me one kernel of truth: I still loved food. I wanted to learn how the food world operated outside the pass, so I sought out farmers, cheesemakers, market gardeners, bush foods experts and winemakers, deliberately looking for women who could teach me.

My internships began with an artisan cheesemaker in New South Wales and in 2021 took me to a pastured pig farm in regional Victoria, Jonai Farms and Meatsmiths, where pigs were raised outside and butchery was done on site, letting me trace meat from paddock to plate.

Australia, Canberra, New South Wales, regional Victoria

pig farm, pastured pigs, butchery, paddock-to-plate, canberra, apprenticeship, artisan cheesemaker, jonai farms, meatsmiths, pandemic