Dine and Design with Julia Busuttil Nishimura

While Julia Busuttil Nishimura is widely known for inspiring a legion of home cooks, the Melbourne-based chef, author and presenter can equally be admired for her taste in interiors. Ahead of the launch of her fourth cookbook, Good Cooking Every Day, we visited Julia at the Victorian house in Clifton Hill that she shares with her husband and two young children. She reflected on the joys of creating seasonal dishes influenced by her Maltese heritage and the design details that make the home a place for her generous hospitality.

Photography by Annika Kafcaloudis

When did your love of food begin?

I can remember loving cooking from a really early age. I was always fascinated by the garden, ingredients and how things went together. I can remember being maybe four or five [years old] and watching my aunties and my mum in the kitchen make ravjul (a Maltese ricotta-filled pasta). I felt like it was this special club, and I wanted to be a part of it. My mum always really nurtured my love of cooking.


Tell us about your career path and the people who have mentored you along the way?

Even though I was already completely obsessed with cooking and the food world by the end of high school, I studied politics and Italian at university and then went on to become an Italian teacher. While I was at university, I studied and worked in Italy and my desire to do more with my love of food really blossomed. The family I worked for in Italy were hugely instrumental for me and my career. They taught me so much. My mum is another mentor in my life. She really instilled in me the value of cooking and feeding others. And then other cookbook writers have been hugely inspiring for me and my career.can remember loving cooking from a really early age. I was always fascinated by the garden, ingredients and how things went together. I can remember being maybe four or five [years old] and watching my aunties and my mum in the kitchen make ravjul (a Maltese ricotta-filled pasta). I felt like it was this special club, and I wanted to be a part of it. My mum always really nurtured my love of cooking.

Is there an old cookbook that has special sentimentality for you?

My very first cookbook was River Cafe Two Easy [by Rose Gray and Ruth Rogers]. It is still so special to me and one I like to flick through often. It is so visual and food-centred with bright, clean photography. I remember reading it for the first time as a 16-year-old and was completely drawn to it. It hasn’t aged at all either, [it’s] still so modern and fresh.


What are the sights, sounds and scents we’d find in your kitchen right now?

Right now I am roasting some pumpkin for a salad with chickpeas and lots of herbs. I love the smell of roasted pumpkin – sweet and nutty. I also just arranged some fresh flowers, very tall branches with small pink flowers. It smells like spring. My 4-year-old son Yukito is sitting at the bench eating cheese on toast.


Are there any habits you practice to prepare yourself or your surroundings before you dive into cooking?

I really need to have a clean kitchen and dining table to begin working so I like to put things away and clean down. I am also a very big list maker and like to jot down ideas, so will often sit down at the dining table with a pen and paper before I begin cooking.

What objects or utensils in your ritual of cooking bring you joy?

I love my mortar and pestle. It’s a sturdy one made from Carrara marble. It is a real joy to use, and it stays out on the bench. I have also been slowly buying copper pans and they are so amazing to cook with – so beautiful and practical.


Is there a particular ingredient that calls to mind a sense of comfort?

Pasta, to me, is an ingredient that in its essence is comforting. I always feel like I can make a good meal if I have a packet of pasta in the pantry –whichin itself brings much comfort.

"Food itself has so much beauty."

Similar to how our customers want to understand how their rugs are made, it seems like people are increasingly interested in knowing where their food comes from. Why do you think that is?

I think because we understand that it is more than just an object or an ingredient, but there are actual people behind the production or cultivation of these things and knowing the origins is part of an important story which impacts how you enjoy those things.


How important are aesthetics and presentation in your style of cooking?

It’s not the most important thing, but it is important. I like a very loose style of presenting things, and think the food itself has so much beauty, so I don’t like to fuss about too much with extra little bits and pieces. Overall, I like to keep things uncomplicated in both aesthetics and presentation.

In addition to your culinary gifts, you and your husband Nori have an exquisite eye for design. How would you describe your aesthetic?

It is really a mix of our own Japanese and Mediterranean sensibilities. Warming and welcoming whilst still quite minimal. I love natural textures and colours, and I think our style is quite earthy and warm.


Your beautiful mother shares your home. When it comes to creating a space fit for intergenerational family life, what are your "must-haves"?

My mum lives in a studio in the garden.Having our own separate space, but still being together, has been really great. Open communication and expectations of each other is also really important for harmonious intergenerational family living. The kids just adore her so it is so lovely for them, especially.

Is there an object or piece of furniture that holds particular meaning?

I collect ceramics on my travels – I brought back quite a lot from my last trip to Italy. I have some large spatterware bowls which are very old, and I love them a lot.


We're honoured to have a few of our favourite rugs in your home. What colours, textures and details were you drawn to?

We have two young children so durability is at the top of our list. I really think our rugs make our space and I love earthy tones. Browns and sand really complement our furniture and aesthetic. I like the combination of jute and wool, especially in the Trellis, which reminds me so much of Japanese Tatami flooring.


Finally, what’s inspiring you right now?

The change of seasons from winter to spring is so inspiring. All of the blossoms and magnolias blooming have me feeling light with a sense of newness. Spring produce like artichokes, broad beans and peas have become part of my weekly cooking again and I am always just so inspired by nature, and the fleeting nature of the seasons.

Follow Julia Busuttil Nishimura on Instagram.