Chef, educator, changemaker. Mindy Woods has just been recognised as the winner of the 2025 Champions of Change award in this year’s The World’s 50 Best Restaurants.

As the owner of Karkalla On Country, proud Bundjalung woman Mindy Woods has become one of the foremost ambassadors for Australia’s native cuisines. Karkalla offers cooking classes and culinary events in the Northern Rivers on Bundjalung Country, helping both Indigenous and non-Indigenous guests engage with First Nations cultures and emerge with a better understanding of land and ingredients. Karkalla On Country grew out of Woods’ acclaimed former restaurant in Byron Bay of the same name.

Woods is also an active educator in schools, a Landcare ambassador and board member of former delicious. Harvey Norman Produce Awards winner, Black Duck Foods. On top of this, she sells a range of native spices, from 100 percent Aboriginal-owned sources, and is a published author after the release of her debut cookbook Karkalla At Home, which shares everyday recipes harnessing native ingredients.

Related story: Mindy Woods’ wattleseed and chocolate brownies

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The Champions of Change award was first introduced to The World’s 50 Best Restaurants program in 2021, as a way to shine a spotlight on innovative food professionals changing their community and the industry for the better. As part of the recognition, 50 Best will be contributing to the causes of Woods’ choosing.

“I believe food is a powerful way to connect people to culture, land and history,” Woods says. “My goal is to continue creating spaces where we can all come together, embrace native and locally grown ingredients that not only honour the environment but also preserve the sustainable practices that have been passed down through generations.”

Related story: Mindy Woods’ guide to buying native ingredients ethically

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William Drew, director of content for The World’s 50 Best Restaurants, says that Wood’s work has made her a deeply deserving recipient of the global award.

“The Champions of Change Award recognises those making a significant impact on the future of hospitality, and we are proud to honour Mindy, who is such a deserving recipient this year,” he says. “The work she is doing to preserve and share Indigenous culture through food is truly admirable, and we are excited to support the continued development of her invaluable contributions.”

The award is one of a handful being revealed ahead of the official The World’s 50 Best Restaurants 2025 awards ceremony in Turin, the capital of the food-obsessed Piedmont region of Italy, on Thursday, June 19 (when top Australian restaurants will be on tenterhooks to see where they land). Stay tuned to learn who makes it.

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