The Curious Cooks Podcast — Series 1: Food for Thought (and Action)
We’ve always believed that great food begins long before it hits your plate. With The Curious Cooks podcast, we’re pulling up a chair to some of the most passionate farmers, thinkers, producers and changemakers in Western Australia and beyond — and inviting you to do the same.
Hosted by me, Tracey Cotterell and my curious friend Kate Flower, Perth food stylist to many of WA’s much loved food brands, Series 1 dives deep into eight conversations that will change the way you see (and taste) food. Each season, we’ll keep this framework - unpacking critical themes, inviting new guests, and exploring fresh perspectives - to help curious cooks and eaters better understand the complex world that feeds us – focussing on Western Australia.
While the topics are serious, the conversations are anything but heavy. We bring our usual warmth, curiosity and a healthy dose of humour to every interview. Expect honesty and insight — but also laughter, with what we hope you find entertaining tangents and the kind of banter you’d hear around a kitchen bench. The overall tone is realistic yet optimistic, shining a light on what’s possible when good people work with the land and each other.
What’s on the Menu in Series 1
Across eight engaging episodes, we explore a mix of big ideas and grounded stories:
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EP1 We’re Food Obsessed
Pull up a chair and meet your hosts – we’re two food lovers who live and breathe the industry, and can’t wait to share our passion for talking, cooking and eating with you. We share our career highlights, death row meals, childhood food experiences, passion for eating and food education in this rolicking kitchen bench chat.
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EP2 Mixed Messages
Food marketing is everywhere - and it shapes what lands in our shopping baskets more than we think. What clever (and sometimes sneaky) tactics influence our food choices, and how to cut through the noise to make more informed decisions.
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Ep3 Fragile Food Future
Can Western Australia’s food systems withstand the pressures of climate, economics and global uncertainty? This episode explores how secure our local food future really is, with insights from people working on the ground to keep WA fed. Serious conversations, served with curiosity and hope.
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EP4 Counting the Cost
Every food choice we make has ripple effects - for farmers, communities, the environment and our own health. Mindful choices matter more than ever as our daily decisions shape the future variety, quality and accessibility of food in WA.
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EP5 Fresh Voices
Meet the next generation shaping WA’s food future. From innovative young farmers to passionate advocates and creative producers, Kate and Tracey shine a light on emerging voices bringing new energy, ideas and resilience to our local food landscape.
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Ep6 Food Trends
Sourdough frenzies to TikTok pasta hacks, we’ve seen it all; food trends travel fast and shape consumer demand. From social media buzz to real-world impact, we explore the hype cycle, what sticks, what fades and talk to people shaping what (and how) Perth eats.
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EP7 Follow Your Food
Ever wondered how dinner really gets to your plate? This episode traces the journey of food from growers and producers through processors, distributors and retailers. It’s a revealing look at the often-invisible chain that connects paddocks to pantries.
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EP8 The Hands That Feed You
Behind every beautiful ingredient are people whose work often goes unseen. In this heartfelt episode, we introduce listeners to the farmers, fishers, bakers, makers and quiet heroes who put food on our tables every day, celebrating their skill, passion and resilience.
Meet Our Guests
Our guests come from every corner of the food ecosystem: third-generation regenerative farmers, dairy pioneers, educators, authors, scientists, activists, and creative food entrepreneurs. They bring decades of knowledge, hard-won experience, and a shared passion for nourishing both people and planet. Their perspectives span the paddock, the classroom, the lab, the restaurant and the kitchen, offering listeners a uniquely WA-focused lens on national and global food conversations.
Why Listeners Love It
The more episodes you listen to, the clearer the picture becomes. You’ll gain:
- A deeper understanding of how food is grown and produced today — especially in Western Australia.
- Insight into the environmental, economic and social forces shaping our food choices.
- Practical knowledge to make better decisions as a consumer — for your health, your community and future generations.
- A sense of connection with the people and landscapes that make WA food so special.
- And above all, you’ll be entertained and uplifted — this is serious food talk with a big-hearted, optimistic twist.
This is a podcast for anyone who eats, cooks, shops, or simply wants to understand more about where their food really comes from.
Kate and I (and Anthony who is behind the camera and computer ) hope you'll listen on Spotify or Apple Podcasts or watch on YouTube.
And please share with your friends and family xx
From Curiosity to Connection — Join a Food Tour
If the podcast whets your appetite for more, our Matters of Taste Food Tours are the perfect next step. We take listeners from the podcast into the field — literally — to meet producers, walk the paddocks, taste extraordinary produce, and discover the stories first-hand.
👉 Explore our upcoming tours and see how you can turn knowledge into unforgettable experiences.