Take Five: Matt Wilkinson
- Words by Peppermint
Ever wonder what a chef feeds his family on his night off? In the run-up to his appearance at the Noosa Food and Wine Festival, we caught up with cookbook author and owner of Melbourne’s Pope Joan, Matt Wilkinson, to find out his food philosophy, his go-to weeknight dinners and his average day on a plate.
You’re a former ambassador for the Victorian Farmers’ Markets Association – why is it so important to you to know where your food comes from?
I think the bible says “know thy neighbour”, and in today’s times I reckon it should be “know thy farmer” – or at least a few. They’re bloody legends! My general rule is if it’s fresh produce and it’s had to come a long way, it’s not going to be as good as it is when it comes from closer and in season to the area we live… and it’s even better if you know the farmer.
Your books tend to focus on fresh, nutritious and seasonal foods – what’s your overall food philosophy?
Seasonal is where it’s at. When it comes to fresh food I take the region I’m in as ‘my country’. I eat the foods that grow there, whilst they are growing in that season, and then I don’t eat them when they don’t grow.
At the Noosa Food & Wine Festival, you’re creating a four-course meal using only ingredients sourced within a 100km radius. What do you most love about using local produce?
Taste, taste, taste – to me, local is tasty. I don’t have to do much to the produce. If I marry the flavours and textures well on the plate and respect how to cook it, it’ll surely taste good. Also, I’m proud to live in Australia and call it home, I have an Australian wife and kids, and by buying local I’m supporting the region and Australia in a small way – even if I was born a Pom.
You’re a father to two young boys. What are your stand-by family dinners that you can fall back on in a rush?
I don’t think there’s anything wrong with breakfast for dinner if you’re in a rush – we call it cowboy dinner. I use free-range animals so that’s important. My other go-to’s would have to be a simple pasta or free-range chicken thighs, quickly marinated in yoghurt with spices, then grilled with some veggies. Or a jacket potato is a good option too. I microwave the spud for 10 minutes first, then put it in a hot oven on a tray for 8 minutes and it’ll be cooked, fluffy and ready, and you can use up any leftovers from the fridge as toppings… it’s a great way to clear the fridge.
Finally, what does breakfast, lunch and dinner look like for you on an average day?
Breakfast looks like two fried, boiled or scrambled eggs on toast with kimchi. Lunch could be anything – a quick salad or a pie from the pie shop (my business next door to Pope Joan) or one of Pope Joan’s bloody tasty sandwiches. For dinner my wife Sharlee cooks mostly, and I love her rice with fried pork & eggplant dish – I add chilli. The recipe’s in our new book, Mr & Mrs Wilkinson’s How it is at Home, and I love having it every week.
I think the bible says “know thy neighbour”, and in today’s times I reckon it should be “know thy farmer” – or at least a few. They’re bloody legends!
PHOTO: LIZZIE HALLORAN
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Look, I don’t want to make anyone panic but IT’S DECEMBER!!! If you’re planning to give homemade gifts, you’re going to have to act fast. …
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This is a much-loved staple, created for Issue 50 in 2021. We love seeing the #PeppermintPaddingtonTop continually popping up in our feeds!
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We worked with South African patternmaker Sarah Steenkamp of @FrenchNavyNow_ to create this wardrobe essential – the perfect puff-sleeve blouse. Raglan sleeves make it the ultimate beginner sew, plus the gorgeous back buttons let you add your own personal twist.
Pattern via the link in bio! 🪡
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“In the 1940’s, Norwegians made and wore red pointed hats with a tassel as a form of visual protest against Nazi occupation of their country. Within two years, the Nazis made these protest hats illegal and punishable by law to wear, make, or distribute. As purveyors of traditional craft, we felt it appropriate to revisit this design.”
Crafters have often been at the heart of many protest movements, often serving as a powerful means of political expression. @NeedleAndSkein, a yarn store in Minnesota, are helping to mobilise the craftivists of the world with a ‘Melt The Ice’ knitting pattern created by @Yarn_Cult (with a crochet pattern too), as a way of peaceful protest.
The proceeds from the $5 pattern will go to local immigrant aid organisations – or you can donate without buying the pattern.
Raise those needles, folks – art and craft can change the world. 🧶
Link in bio for the pattern.
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"The most important shift is moving from volume-led buying to value-led curation – choosing fewer, better products with strong ethics, considered production and meaningful stories. Retailers have real influence here: what you buy signals what you stand for. At Life Instyle, this means using the event to discover and invest in small-scale, planet-considerate brands that align with your values and your customer’s conscience. Consumers don’t need more things; they need better things, and retailers play a key role in selecting, contextualising, and championing why those products matter."
Only two more weeks until @Life_Instyle – Australia`s leading boutique retail trade show. If you own a store, don`t miss this event! Connect with designers, source exquisite – and mindful – products, and see firsthand why this is Australia’s go-to trade show for creatives and retailers alike. And it`s free! ✨️
Life Instyle – Sydney/Eora Country
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Have you made the Peppermint Waratah Wrap Dress yet? Call *1800 I NEED THIS NOW to get making!
This gorgeous green number was modelled (and made) by the fabulous Lisa of @Tricky.Pockets 🙌🏼
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8 Things to Know About January 26 - from @ClothingTheGaps:
Before you celebrate, take the time to learn the truth. January 26 is not a day of unity it’s a Day of Mourning and Survival for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.
It marks the beginning of invasion, dispossession, and ongoing colonial violence. It’s time for truth-telling, not whitewashed history.
Stand in solidarity. Learn. Reflect. Act.
✊🏽 Blog written by Yorta Yorta woman Taneshia Atkinson.
🔗 Link in bio of @ClothingTheGaps to read the full blog
#ChangeTheDate #InvasionDay #SurvivalDay #AlwaysWasAlwaysWillBe #ClothingTheGaps
As the world careens towards AI seeping into our feeds, finds and even friend-zones, it`s becoming increasingly hard to ignore.
We just wanted to say that here at Peppermint, we are choosing to not print or publish AI-generated art, photos, words, videos or content.
Merriam-Webster’s human editors chose `slop` as the 2025 Word of the Year – they define it as “digital content of low quality that is produced usually in quantity by means of artificial intelligence.” The problem is, as AI increases in quality, it`s becoming more and more difficult to ascertain what`s real and what`s not.
Let`s be clear here, AI absolutely has its place in science, in climate modelling, in medical breakthroughs, in many places... but not in replacing the work of artists, writers and creatives.
Can we guarantee that everything we publish is AI-free? Honestly, not really. We know we are not using it to create content, but we are also relying on the artists, makers and contributors we work with, as well as our advertisers, to supply imagery, artwork or words created by humans. AI features are also creeping into programs and apps too, making it difficult to navigate. But we will do our best to avoid it and make a stand for the artists and creatives who have had their work stolen and used to train AI machines, and those who are now losing work as they are replaced by this energy-sapping, environment-destroying magic wand.
Could using it help our productivity and bottom line? Sure. And as a small business in a difficult landscape, that`s a hard one to turn down. We know other publishers who use AI to write stories, create recipes, produce photo shoots... but this one is important to us.
`Touch grass` was also a Merriam-Webster Word of the Year. We`ll happily stick with that as a theme, thanks very much. 🌿
