Where to order traditional Indigenous catering in Australia's capital cities

Opt for some traditional Aussie tucker for Reconciliation Day, NAIDOC Week or just about any occasion  — because it's so delicious!

Often, we look overseas for cuisine inspiration, but we should look to those around us.

The traditional custodians of Australia really are the best at using local ingredients and making the most of what the land has to offer. After all contemporary Australian cuisine wouldn't be here today if we didn't know how to use them.

Whether you are ordering for your NAIDOC Week, Reconciliation Day, your next morning tea, or you are just trying to expand your culinary horizons, try some Indigenous flavours from a local catering company.

Indigenous caterers in Australia:

Indigenous catering Sydney

Kallico Catering serves up contemporary Australian cuisine with a twist. For example, it's indigenous cupcake selection includes flavours such as native plum, lemon myrtle and wattle seed and it offers damper and native-inspired cob loafs. For the more adventurous palate, you can also opt fro more traditional bush tucker - including emu and crocodile.

Koori Kulcha Experience mixes up the typical catering items by adding traditional Australian ingredients for a unique take on the foods many of us know and love. Bite into crocodile gyoza, wallaby pie or lemon myrtle shortbread.

Indigenous catering in Melbourne

Pawa Catering & Events menu has you covered for all your office events and occasions. From a traditional morning tea spread to an Indigenous cuisine grazing board, using native Australian herbs, spices and gourmet meats.

Indigenous caterers Adelaide

An Indigenous-owned company, Something Wild offers both catering and fresh eats at Adelaide Central Market made with traditional Indigenous produce. Huge promoters of ethical and environmental practices, Something Wild has delicious grazing platters on offer, all made with Australian native ingredients.

Picture: Something Wild

Indigenous caterers Brisbane

Figjam & Co is an outstanding certified Indigenous caterer, serving the people of Brisbane and Ipswich. It serves up wholesome and delicious bush tucker with a smile.‍

‍Indigenous caterers Perth

Inspired by native foods, Perth's Gather Foods showcases Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander-owned products in its catering and shop in the inner-city suburb of Inglewood. Expect items and condiments including wattleseed damper, native thyme croissants, bush honey and kangaroo pies to be showcased on the menu.

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What are some traditional indigenous foods?

Australian food goes well beyond pies, sausage rolls, lamingtons and TimTams. We have an exciting Indigenous food scene that offers plenty of native ingredients cuisine to discover and fall in love with, all while supporting Aboriginal-owned businesses.

Bush tucker varies throughout the country. In the coastal regions and tropical north, a large variety of plants and animals provide plenty of bush tucker options. While in the desert and hot central Australia, Indigenous people embraced the harsh environment and sourced different food options.

Some example of classic Indigenous bush tucker you can find with our partners include:

• Emu and kangaroo meat: both high in protein and low in fat.
• Davidson or Kakadu plums: both contain 100 times more Vitamin C than an orange!
• Gooseberries: often compared to blueberries for their small size and high antioxidant content.
• Witchetty grub: a nutrient-dense grub is an excellent source of calcium and were often included in Indigenous people's well-balanced diets.
• Wattle seeds: sporting a complex nutty flavour, wattle seeds can be eaten whole or milled into flour.
• Lemon mrytle: reminiscent of lemon, lemongrass and lime, this spice can be brewed into tea or used to flavour other foods.
• Bush honey: found in the honey ants nests under mulga trees or from native bees.

Catering for dietary requirements with native ingredients

Of course, those avoiding animals and their byproducts won't be able to try emu, kangaroo, crocodile or bush honey, but there's plenty of other ways to try native catering if you do have dietary requirements.

Plants and seeds like wattle seeds, lemon myrtle, berries and plums can be used as seasoning or toppings just like any other ingredient.

Cakes, breads and pastries with wattle seed and lemon myrtle are common place in our catering menus and could be a sweet, vegan and dairy-free way to taste local ingredients. Koori Kulcha also makes gluten-free sweets.

Ready to try some new catering options?

Get all your workplace catering services sorted through EatFirst. From working lunch, morning & afternoon tea and even your corporate event catering. Browse online, order and get delicious food delivered on time, every time.

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