Luke cooks with Lieu Nong

Lieu Nong fled Vietnam for Australia in 1980, with her eldest son, Linh. Before being reunited with Linh’s father, Lieu and her son stayed in a refugee camp run by monks, having lost all their possessions to sea thieves on the long journey.

Luke cooks with Lylah Hatfield

According to Lylah Hatfield, Lao cuisine is reflective of a culture that’s based on community and village life. As such, the food is prepared simply and the tastes are spicy and earthy, with lots of fresh herbs.

Luke cooks with Thida Lao

In 1976, as a 4 year old, Thida Lao boarded the first Qantas plane load of refugees from South East Asia to Australia. Along with her family of six, she first lived in a hostel in Melbourne’s eastern suburbs and later settled in St Kilda.