Program details
Australian native foods are the future of the Australian food industry. This program focuses on the Australian bushfood cuisine, its place in Australia today, and the process of design and innovation in food. Students are introduced to Saltbush Kitchen, a local bushfood business. Saltbush Kitchen promotes a contemporary Australian bushfood story via their innovative product range, education programs and public engagement events.
The program explores the history of Australian food, introducing students to the original foodies and farmers of the Ballarat region, the Wadawurrung people. Students learn about the sophisticated methods of farming and food production that existed for thousands of years, discussing the social impact, and changing influences, of the Australian food identity.
The program takes students on a sensory discovery of Australian flavours (including fresh plants, spices and fruit) and demonstrates how to transfer these bushfoods into contemporary food design.
Students will explore Australian culture, collaborate and be challenged to design, and create, the next Australian bushfood product.
Learning program overview
This applied learning project engages the students in understanding the cultural, environmental and social impact of understanding the importance that Australian native foods has in Australia’s story about the past, present and future.
Students will take on the role as a food industry researcher and developer to create a new cookie product and launch it successfully onto the market. They will focus on the sensory properties that make food more attractive and how to market to the needs of a consumer group, building on the asset that is bush foods.
Engage Introduction to Australian bushfoods and innovation in food.
Define Sensory discovery of Australian native food and understanding flavour design.
Skills Exploring food senses, understanding consumer markets & product marketing
Ideate Develop a flavour profile with a bushfood prominence.
Prototype Innovate and create the new Australian bushfood cookie
Present Pitching the new Australian bushfood product, content and branding
Success criteria
- Connection of sensory awareness to design a new product design
- Application of Australian bush foods cultural understanding to the pitching of a product
- Use of creative techniques to market from “paddock to plate”
Pathway examples
- Artisans: gardener, landscaper, farmer
- Designers: food technologist, lab technician
- Generators: café worker, chef