By Jodie Scurrah
In Far North Queensland, the stories have always been there—etched into reef, rainforest and red earth. But for local restaurateur and storyteller Oliver James, the next chapter is about something deeper. Not just what defines the region, but how it chooses to define itself.
A new episode of SBS Food’s Taste of the Tropics, titled Foodie Friends, places Tropical North Queensland firmly in the spotlight—through a lens that is as personal as it is culinary. Hosted by Oliver and produced by Tamera Simpson from Cairns-based production company Wild Life Pictures, alongside a talented all-local production team, the episode traces a journey shaped by friendship, place and produce, moving from the Great Barrier Reef to the Atherton Tablelands and into Cape York.
At its core, this is not a story about food alone.
“The premise of the episode is unpacking how I create dishes—it all starts with relationships: producers, ingredients and the stories behind them,” Oliver says.
What unfolds is a layered exploration of how dishes are built—not in isolation, but through connection. For Oliver, food is never just food. It’s narrative. It’s context. It’s a way of translating place into something tangible.
“There’s a real synergy between building a menu and building a storyline—they’re both designed to communicate something meaningful.”
That philosophy naturally aligned with the filmmaking process.
“What surprised me most was how similar filmmakers and chefs are—we’re all storytellers, just working in different mediums.”
Where Food Meets Story
Rather than constructing something for the sake of the screen, the story is grounded in genuine connection—shaped by real people, lived environments and longstanding relationships.
“I wanted warmth on screen—something honest—so the easiest way to achieve that was to work with friends,” Oliver explains.
“When you’re working with people you trust, that authenticity naturally comes through in the final result.”
The episode opens on the Great Barrier Reef, where Oliver reconnects with freediving instructor Ant Judge. A world-class freediver and performance breathing coach, Ant brings a mindfulness-led approach to breathwork and ocean immersion, anchoring the sequence in both environmental awareness and personal discipline.
On Koombal Beach at East Trinity, Oliver prepares a fire-cooked seafood dish—an expression of place that reflects both the beauty of the reef and the responsibility locals feel to protect it.
From there, the story moves inland to Skybury Farms on the Atherton Tablelands. Here, Oliver reconnects with Candy MacLaughlin, general manager of the family-run operation and a familiar face from earlier café collaborations, including creative projects bringing together produce, art and music. Candy’s work reflects a model of innovation and resilience, where papaya and coffee intersect to create a distinctive agritourism offering.
Inspired by that connection, Oliver develops a smoked papaya dish—transforming a familiar tropical fruit into something unexpected, savoury and deeply regional.
The final chapter takes Oliver deep into Cape York, where he reconnects with Vince Harrigan and his brothers on Balnggarrawarra Country at Normanby Station. Across more than 30,000 hectares of ancient sandstone escarpment, their bush beef enterprise balances land care, cultural stewardship and environmental management, turning roaming wild cattle into a premium food story while supporting the regeneration of Country. The result is a clean, lean, organic beef unique to the region.
Oliver responds with a slow-braised beef dish that honours both landscape and lineage.
“Creating dishes is really about exploring a region—its people, its produce, its character—and bringing that together on a plate,” he says.
Rethinking Regional Identity
Running beneath the episode is a bigger idea—one that speaks to the evolving identity of Far North Queensland itself.
Oliver draws comparisons with cities like Melbourne and Sydney, where food, art and music shape a recognisable cultural identity.
“I’ve been thinking about how a city’s identity is built around food, art and music—it’s what people connect with,” he says.
“You meet people who say, ‘I’m from Melbourne,’ and there’s a sense of identity attached to that.”
It’s not accidental—it’s something built, reinforced and shared.
And for Oliver, that presents an opportunity.
“I’m interested in how food can help articulate identity—who we are, what we value, and how we connect to place.”
Rather than defining the region solely by its natural assets—the reef, the rainforest, the red dirt—Foodie Friends brings forward the deeper cultural layers: growers, producers, communities and creatives.
A New Chapter of Storytelling
For Oliver, the project signals a natural evolution—expanding beyond the plate into a broader storytelling platform.
“This is a new angle of storytelling for me, and I’ve really enjoyed it—it feels like the beginning of something,” he says.
“Every step of the process—from planning to filming to post—was a genuine pleasure.”
Behind the scenes, Tamera Simpson has shaped the narrative with a clear focus on connection, culture and authenticity. The production was built collaboratively, balancing storytelling with logistics while remaining grounded in place and purpose.
“Far North Queensland offers an incredible depth of food stories—it wasn’t about finding them, it was about choosing how to tell them,” Tamera says. “This project is really about connection—between people, place and culture—and expressing that through visual storytelling in a way that feels honest and respectful.”
The episode has also achieved ALBERT/Sustainable Screens Australia accreditation, reinforcing a commitment to environmentally responsible filmmaking—an ethos that mirrors the values of the region itself.
Beyond the Plate
Foodie Friends ultimately becomes more than a food program. It’s a portrait of Tropical North Queensland told through relationships—across reef, farmland and remote northern country.
What emerges is a region defined not just by its landscapes, but by its people and the stories they carry.
Food, in this context, becomes a language.
A way of expressing identity.
A way of connecting people.
A way of telling stories that might otherwise go unheard.
And in Oliver’s hands, it’s a story that’s only just beginning.
Taste of the Tropics, Season 2, Episode 2: Foodie Friends premieres Thursday 7 May at 7:30pm on SBS Food
