Mindy Woods’ love of food started from a young age and comprises some of her very first memories – family life centred around bringing people together through food.
Growing up, this dual MasterChef contestant spent weekends and holidays surrounded by friends, neighbours and her large extended family, gathering and preparing food to enjoy together.
“I was often under the feet of my father Gary, a trained Chef, around the family kitchen. Holidays were mostly spent between my father’s birthplace in Charleville and the Northern Rivers, my mother’s ancestral lands. “My first memory of native food is along Patches Beach, where my Nan showed us how to pipi, gather coastal succulents and crack oysters from seaside rock pools. “We were just children playing and having fun in the sun, but those memories and connection to Country and culture my Nan gifted to us would serve to pivot and drive my ambition to embrace and protect native food and its connection to our First Nations culture far into the future.”
Pursuing a career in physiotherapy, Mindy pushed that aside in 2012 to chase her ultimate dream of a career in food, with the launchpad being Series Four of MasterChef Australia. After a fourth-place finish, she has gone on to immerse herself in the industry and returned to the television kitchen last year in the Fans v Favourites series.
“My two MasterChef experiences were very different for many reasons. My first experience was incredible and inspiring and reinforced that I was meant to and must pursue a career in food; my second taught me about resilience and my responsibility to be true to myself, my culture and my food.”
From 2019 – 2024 Mindy opened her own venue in Byron, fuelled by a desire to create opportunities for Indigenous and non-indigenous people to connect with Aboriginal culture through food. “Featuring locally sourced, seasonal produce and native indigenous ingredients, Karkalla is a nod to my heritage as a proud First Nations woman,” she says.
“I believe food is the centre of any great culture and to experience a culture, you must experience its food. I love that hospitality helps me connect people to our rich and ancient culture and the greatest pleasure in the world – food.”
In 2024, Mindy took the restaurant away from the main street of Byron to a beautiful property in the hinterland and created ‘Karkalla On Country’. Guests are offered a full Native experience on Country.
This year, Mindy is proud to have released her first cookbook, Karkalla At Home. Mindy features stories and profiles on more than 40 of the continent’s most readily available native ingredients, including the iconic macadamia, citruses, berries, plums, myrtles and seeds, coastal greens and succulents, and a host of exceptional native seafood. Connect to Country with more than 110 easy and inspiring recipes, including everything from breakfasts and weeknight mains to special occasion centrepieces, along with a vibrant array of drinks and desserts. Featuring photography shot on Bundjalung land by Rob Palmer and artwork and illustrations from First Nations designer Jenna Lee, this gorgeous hardback celebrates the gifts from Country.
As for the future, Mindy hopes to increase First Nations representation in hospitality and the native food sector. She will continue to champion projects that support the health and well-being of First Nations people.