Rockpool Bar & Grill, Sydney

Graduate of the National Indigenous Culinary Institute, advocate for First Nations ingredients, mentor to Indigenous chefs, Rockpool Bar & Grill sous-chef. Luke Bourke has packed a lot in, and that’s without even mentioning stints at est., Noma Australia and The Ledbury in London, which followed a tour of Ireland with twin chef-brother Sam to spotlight native ingredients.

Needless to say, drive and ambition are part of his make-up, as is a passion for the foods of his heritage. Growing up on Dharug Country, Bourke dreams of returning to Western Sydney to open a restaurant with his brother and older sister Teagan (also a chef), employing First Nations cooks and building a menu grounded in place.

“Not just farm to table, but our backyard and culture to your plate,” he says. “Using native ingredients grown on our land, drawing on 60,000 years of culture to create a food journey that showcases Indigenous heritage in all its glory.”