This is award-winning chef James Viles’ photographic journal of his road trip due north, from Tasmania to the Gulf of Carpentaria. His focus is real food, where it comes from, how it’s grown, tended and harvested, and how it sometimes flourishes in the most remote and breathtakingly beautiful parts of Australia. James describes the people he meets along the road and the conversations he has with foragers, food producers, fishermen, tribal elders and local farmers, all of whom are knowledgeable and passionate about Australia and Australian ingredients. He also discovers that sleeping in a swag under the stars reminds him about what matters and reconnects him to his creative self. With exquisite imagery from Adam Gibson, this is a portrait of an extraordinary country.

Chef and co-founder of two-hatted Biota Dining in Bowral NSW, James has become one of Australia’s most respected chefs and restaurateurs, recognised in particular for his commitment to sustainability and his creative affiliation with nature. His menus are deeply connected to the land, and he gathers inspiration from his travels through Australia. Biota Dining has become one of the most awarded regional restaurants in NSW and has retained its two hats with the Good Food Guide since its second year of opening in 2011. James’ extra-curricular roles outside of the restaurant include regular travel through Australia documenting ingredients; in 2017 he was officially made ‘a friend to Australia’ through Tourism Australia and is an active ambassador with Jaguar Land Rover Australia and Electrolux. James’ first book Biota: grow, gather, cook was published by Murdoch Books in 2015.