Juniper
Key figures marking the Official Launch of the Flavour Beyond Borders – Southeast Asia Cooks Australian Fruit Cookbook
Photo 1 – From left to right: Brad Rodgers, Western Australia Director, Avocados Australia, Audra Morrice, Chef, Author, Television Presenter, Masterchef Singapore Judge, LIz Tran, Trade Development Manager, Summerfruit Australia, Alasya Zhen, Director, ASEAN-Australia Center, and Simon Fellows, Deputy High Commissioner, Australian High Commission KL
Nine of Southeast Asia’s most promising young chefs came together in Kuala Lumpur this week to reimagine the region’s cuisine using Australian avocados, summerfruit and table grapes, culminating in the launch of a new regional cookbook and a showcase of their winning recipes.
Held on 2 and 3 November 2026 at the University of Wollongong (UOW) Malaysia campus, the Flavour Without Borders Australian Fruits Culinary Showcase marked the culmination of an ASEAN–Australia Centre-funded programme spanning Singapore, Malaysia and Thailand. Across the three markets, culinary schools and emerging chefs were challenged to develop original Southeast Asian recipes using Australian avocados, summerfruit and table grapes, reimagining familiar local flavours through premium Australian produce.
The two-day programme was led by acclaimed Australian culinary personality Audra Morrice, who mentored the nine winning chefs, three from each participating country, through a hands-on masterclass focused on flavour balance, plating and storytelling, before they presented their winning dishes at the final showcase.
“This programme, part of the Australian Fruit Culinary project, was built on a simple belief: that great produce has a place in every kitchen, and that the best way to show it is to put it in the hands of the people shaping the region’s food future. Bringing Australian avocados, summerfruit and table grapes together with Southeast Asia’s emerging culinary talent has given us something far richer than a cooking competition. It’s created a genuine exchange of ideas, techniques and flavours across cultures. Seeing young chefs from Singapore, Malaysia and Thailand reinterpret our fruits through their own culinary heritage has been a powerful reminder that food connects us, and that quality and versatility translate across any border.
Our hope is that this is just the beginning, and that home cooks across Malaysia and the region will find their own ways to bring Australian avocados, summerfruit and table grapes into their everyday cooking,” said Brad Rodgers, Western Australia Director of Avocados Australia Ltd, who is leading the Australian Fruit Culinary project.
At the heart of the programme is an invitation to home cooks. The newly launched Flavour Beyond Borders – Southeast Asia Cooks Australian Fruit is a free digital collection designed to bring these ideas into everyday Malaysian kitchens. Featuring the winning chefs’ recipes alongside approachable ways to cook with Australian avocados, summerfruit and table grapes, it makes premium produce easy to enjoy in everyday meals and special occasions alike, showing that these fruits belong in local cooking every day, not only on the competition stage.
“What impressed me most wasn’t just the skill in the room, but the courage these young chefs showed in reinventing dishes their families have cooked for generations. Working with premium Australian avocados, summerfruit and table grapes, they weren’t following recipes; they were creating them, and the results genuinely surprised me. Mentoring the next generation is close to my heart, and this programme proves that when you give talented young cooks the right ingredients and the freedom to experiment, they’ll take flavour somewhere none of us expected. That’s exactly what Flavour Without Borders is about,” said Audra Morrice, International Culinary Ambassador, Avocados Australia.
The final showcase brought together industry, education, government, foodservice and retail stakeholders to celebrate the nine winning chefs and the recipes they developed over the course of the programme. Guests experienced a cooking demonstration by Audra Morrice before the winning dishes were presented and recognised, followed by a networking reception. “As an institution, we believe the best learning happens when students are challenged to create in a real-world setting alongside industry and international peers. Hosting this showcase allowed our culinary community to be part of something that stretched well beyond the kitchen: a cross-cultural collaboration that developed not only technical skill, but confidence, creativity and a global outlook. Programmes like this are how we prepare the next generation of culinary professionals to lead in a connected, borderless food industry,” said Professor Dr. Hiew Pang Leang, Vice-Chancellor and Chief Executive Officer of University of Wollongong Malaysia.
The competition also recognised the creativity and culinary talents of participating chefs, with three standout entries receiving special accolades. Aphichaya Phabyom took home Best Recipe for Aussie Fruit Muan, while Josephine Yeo was awarded Best Plating for her Sarawak Gula Apong Grape Jello. Meanwhile, Richelle Venkatesh won Most Popular Dish for her Nasi Kerabu with Australian Avocado, which emerged as a crowd favourite. The programme was delivered in partnership with UOW Malaysia and supported by the Australian High Commission in Kuala Lumpur. Together, the partners reflect a shared
commitment to culinary exchange between Australia and Southeast Asia, and to showcasing the quality and versatility of Australian fruits in the region’s kitchens.
“Food has always been one of the most natural bridges between our nations, and this programme is a wonderful expression of the close and growing relationship between Australia and the region. Supporting an initiative that pairs the quality of Australian produce with the creativity of Southeast Asia’s young chefs speaks to what this partnership is really about: sharing the best of what we have, learning from one another, and building connections that last well beyond a single event,” said Simon Fellows, Deputy Australian High Commissioner, Kuala Lumpur.
The Australian Fruits Southeast Asia Cookbook is available digitally here.
