Australia -

Australia

Australian food traditions have been shaped by the people who settled in Australia. Throughout the majority of Australian history, Australian cookery was based on traditional British food, brought to the country by the very first British settlers.

Later, in the 19th and especially 20th century, food began to reflect the influences of Mediterranean and Asian cultures, introduced by many immigrants who settled in Australia during this period.

Nowadays, food consumed by Australians bears the influences of globalisation. Organic and biodynamic, Kosher and Halal food, for instance, is extensively available in Australia. Restaurants whose cuisine tends to demonstrate contemporary adaptations, interpretations or fusions of these multicultural gastronomic influences are frequently labelled with the umbrella term "Modern Australian". Fast food chains may also be found everywhere in the country. British traditions still persist to varying levels both in domestic cooking as well as the takeaway food sector, with pies, fish and chips remaining popular amongst Australians.

A native Australian cuisine movement has also emerged, evolving out of the Australian themed restaurants from the mid-1980's. The discovery of the spice-like qualities of many native Australian plant ingredients formed the basis of a gourmet cuisine. That is in contrast with the Bush tucker or foraged food as in native Aboriginal traditions unfamiliar to gourmets.