Legends and Trailblazers 2024: Communicators, Educators

A city went into mourning when Natalie Paull closed her Beatrix Bakes patisserie. Baking’s answer to The Beatles had attracted endless queues and devoted cake stans over her decade in North Melbourne, but the cultural and culinary phenomenon lives on thanks to her magical way with words. Nat’s critically acclaimed and hugely successful cookbooks continue to deliver all the warmth, intelligence and generosity of her beloved cake shop, and her instant-classic recipes inspire even the most casual baker to attempt dazzling desserts thanks to her irreverent wit and wisdom. “Great baking is a special kind of superpower. It takes creativity and whimsy, but also real precision. Nat Paull has all that, captivating an entire city with her nods to nanna classics, but it’s her powers of observation and delightful turn of phrase that have brought the message to the world,” says food writer and broadcaster Wendy Hargreaves.

She’s a powerhouse of food communication with a black belt in making it all look effortless. Between her cookbooks (four and counting) and her columns and recipes for every publication that counts, Julia Busuttil Nishimura has a bit going on. But like all the greats who promote the enjoyment of food for a living, at the heart of her success is a palpable love of what she does. She equally celebrates her Maltese heritage and her very Melbourne lifestyle with her ongoing love affair with Italy, and is the master of meals that will make you feel good about yourself and the world at large. “Julia is a compassionate and stylish powerhouse who radiates good energy and impeccable taste,” says food writer and editor Michael Harry. “Her brilliant recipes have become a shortcut to modern Melbourne cooking and eating. Whatever she's cooking, I want to eat it.” Our 2024 communicator/educator Trailblazer also receives a cash bursary generously donated by Peter Nevile in memory of the late Pam Bakes, a long-time champion of Melbourne Food & Wine Festival.