In 1770, naturalists Joseph Banks and Daniel Solander reportedly saw wild soybeans in Botany Bay. The following century, the Japanese government sent soybeans to Australia as a gift. Thanks to Chinese miners in the 1800s, tofu was most probably part of gold rush diets, but it wasn’t until just a few decades ago – with the growing vegetarian movement, waves of migration and people asking for soy in their coffee – that the soybean became part of everyday lives. Cult tofu shops, local brewers making soy sauce, artisan tempeh makers and the blockbuster growth of meat substitutes reflect the changing fortunes of the soybean; a versatile ingredient that has also been used in plastics and cars. 

This episode features Darwin Su, chef and founder of Ferments Lab; Shannon Martinez, chef and owner of Smith & Daughters and Smith & Deli; Sava Goto, chef and owner of Tofu Shoten; and Topher Boehm, brewer and co-founder at Wildflower Beer.

Image by Alana Dimou.

In 1770, naturalists Joseph Banks and Daniel Solander reportedly saw wild soybeans in Botany Bay. The following century, the Japanese government sent soybeans to Australia as a gift. Thanks to Chinese miners in the 1800s, tofu was most probably part of gold rush diets, but it wasn’t until just a few decades ago – with the growing vegetarian movement, waves of migration and people asking for soy in their coffee – that the soybean became part of everyday lives. Cult tofu shops, local brewers making soy sauce, artisan tempeh makers and the blockbuster growth of meat substitutes reflect the changing fortunes of the soybean; a versatile ingredient that has also been used in plastics and cars. 
This episode features Darwin Su, chef and founder of <a href="http://www.instagram.com/ferments.lab">Ferments Lab</a>; Shannon Martinez, chef and owner of <a href="https://www.smithanddaughters.com/">Smith &amp; Daughters</a> and <a href="https://www.smithanddaughters.com/smith-deli">Smith &amp; Deli</a>; Sava Goto, chef and owner of <a href="https://www.tofushoten.com/">Tofu Shoten</a>; and Topher Boehm, brewer and co-founder at <a href="https://wildflowerbeer.com/">Wildflower Beer.</a> 
Image by Alana Dimou.

The Culinary Archive Podcast is a series from the Powerhouse with food journalist Lee Tran Lam exploring Australia’s foodways: from First Nations food knowledge to new interpretations of museum collection objects, scientific innovation, migration, and the diversity of Australian food.

Contributing editor Lee Tran Lam is a freelance journalist who has worked with The Sydney Morning Herald, Gourmet Traveller, The Guardian, SBS Food, FBi, ABC, Australian Financial Review, Rolling Stone and Turkish Vogue. She hosts The Unbearable Lightness of Being Hungry podcast— which has been recommended by Bon Appétit, Broadsheet, Concrete Playground and chosen to be archived by the National Library; co-founded Diversity In Food Media Australia; and has edited the "New Voices On Food" book, showcasing emerging creators from under-represented communities and their food stories. She was named a Future Shaper by Time Out Sydney. 

The Culinary Archive Podcast is a series from the Powerhouse with food journalist Lee Tran Lam exploring Australia’s foodways: from First Nations food knowledge to new interpretations of museum collection objects, scientific innovation, migration, and the diversity of Australian food.
Contributing editor Lee Tran Lam is a freelance journalist who has worked with The Sydney Morning Herald, Gourmet Traveller, The Guardian, SBS Food, FBi, ABC, Australian Financial Review, Rolling Stone and Turkish Vogue. She hosts <a href="https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&amp;rct=j&amp;q=&amp;esrc=s&amp;source=web&amp;cd=&amp;ved=2ahUKEwiUld6y-f_xAhXPAnIKHQYDAboQFjAAegQICBAD&amp;url=https%3A%2F%2Ftheunbearablelightnessofbeinghungry.com%2F&amp;usg=AOvVaw1QpIti4MLtsU5ky-yKyAzu">The Unbearable Lightness of Being Hungry</a> podcast— which has been recommended by Bon Appétit, <a href="https://www.broadsheet.com.au/national/entertainment/article/nine-food-focused-podcasts-fill-restaurant-shaped-hole-your-life">Broadsheet,</a> Concrete Playground and chosen to be archived by the National Library; co-founded <a href="https://www.instagram.com/diversityinfoodmedia.au">Diversity In Food Media Australia</a>; and has edited the "<a href="https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&amp;rct=j&amp;q=&amp;esrc=s&amp;source=web&amp;cd=&amp;ved=2ahUKEwjfx9fH-f_xAhUWA3IKHTGaBdcQFjARegQIDhAD&amp;url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.foodcourtbooks.com%2Fshop%2Fp%2Fnew-voices-on-food-diversity-in-food-media&amp;usg=AOvVaw0GEJcwdR0ZLdO3pkyN1XfC">New Voices On Food</a>" book, showcasing emerging creators from under-represented communities and their food stories. She was named a <a href="https://www.timeout.com/sydney/things-to-do/time-outs-food-and-drink-future-shaper-lee-tran-lam">Future Shaper</a> by Time Out Sydney.

CULINARY ARCHIVE PODCAST

The Culinary Archive Podcast is a series with food journalist Lee Tran Lam exploring Australia’s foodways: from First Nations food knowledge to new interpretations of museum collection objects, scientific innovation, migration, and the diversity of Australian food.

Contributing editor Lee Tran Lam is a freelance journalist who has worked with The Sydney Morning Herald, Gourmet Traveller, The Guardian, SBS Food, FBi, ABC and Turkish Vogue. She hosts The Unbearable Lightness of Being Hungry podcast— which has been recommended by Bon Appétit, Broadsheet and Concrete Playground; co-founded Diversity In Food Media Australia; and edited the New Voices On Food book, showcasing emerging creators from under-represented communities and their food stories. She was named a Future Shaper by Time Out Sydney.  

Image by Alana Dimou. 

The Culinary Archive Podcast is a series with food journalist Lee Tran Lam exploring Australia’s foodways: from First Nations food knowledge to new interpretations of museum collection objects, scientific innovation, migration, and the diversity of Australian food.
Contributing editor Lee Tran Lam is a freelance journalist who has worked with The Sydney Morning Herald, Gourmet Traveller, The Guardian, SBS Food, FBi, ABC and Turkish Vogue. She hosts <a href="https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&amp;rct=j&amp;q=&amp;esrc=s&amp;source=web&amp;cd=&amp;ved=2ahUKEwiUld6y-f_xAhXPAnIKHQYDAboQFjAAegQICBAD&amp;url=https%3A%2F%2Ftheunbearablelightnessofbeinghungry.com%2F&amp;usg=AOvVaw1QpIti4MLtsU5ky-yKyAzu">The Unbearable Lightness of Being Hungry</a> podcast— which has been recommended by Bon Appétit, Broadsheet and Concrete Playground; co-founded <a href="https://www.instagram.com/diversityinfoodmedia.au">Diversity In Food Media Australia</a>; and edited the <a href="https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&amp;rct=j&amp;q=&amp;esrc=s&amp;source=web&amp;cd=&amp;ved=2ahUKEwjfx9fH-f_xAhUWA3IKHTGaBdcQFjARegQIDhAD&amp;url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.foodcourtbooks.com%2Fshop%2Fp%2Fnew-voices-on-food-diversity-in-food-media&amp;usg=AOvVaw0GEJcwdR0ZLdO3pkyN1XfC">New Voices On Food </a>book, showcasing emerging creators from under-represented communities and their food stories. She was named a <a href="https://www.timeout.com/sydney/things-to-do/time-outs-food-and-drink-future-shaper-lee-tran-lam">Future Shaper</a> by Time Out Sydney.  
Image by Alana Dimou.

Advertisement