Opening doors to the foodservice industry for young chefs of Aboriginal and Torres Strait islander descent, the National Indigenous Culinary Institute (NICI) was founded in 2012 by industry leaders including Neil Perry, Matt Moran, Luke Mangan and the late Michael McMahon. Other luminaries including Terry Durack, Bill Wavish and Bill Sweeney have lent their ongoing support to the institute, which provides opportunities to work in some of the country’s best restaurants. To find out more we spoke to NICI CEO Nathan Lovett and Mason Hennock, one of the young chefs who has participated in NICI’s program.