Nestlé Australia has introduced 'Tuck In!', a program supporting emerging First Nations creatives to establish career pathways in commercial content creation.
Tuck In! invites First Nations chefs and aspiring content creators to develop recipes and video content celebrating the combination of bush foods and Nestlé products.
The idea behind the program has evolved from 2020 when Nestlé Australia sought to assemble a crew of First Nations videographers, stylists and producers to create content for bush food recipes.
It became apparent that there was a distinct under-representation of First Nations creators in this space, prompting Nestlé to consider how they could help establish pathways for more First Nations creatives and content creators.
Nestlé Oceania's marketing & communications director, Anneliese Douglass, said the program came about after Nestlé struggled to find First Nations videographers, stylists and producers to create content for a NAIDOC Week campaign.
“The need to develop opportunities for First Nations creatives emerged – and Tuck In! was born.
“There is so much untapped talent out there, and we were inspired by the knowledge,energy, and creativity that the team brought to the recipe content and production.
“We hope that what we have started with this project leads to valuable connections and bright futures for these exceptional creatives, and we’re excited to see even more up-and coming content creators showcased in years to come as the program continues.”
Nestlé brands including Nescafé Blend 43 and Nestlé Sweetened Condensed Milk commissioned recipe content for the inaugural iteration of Tuck In!. The recipes highlight how bush foods can be used in everyday cooking, encouraging home cooks to give bush foods a try.
All Tuck In! recipes and content have been developed in partnership with First Nations peoples and communities.
Chef and proud Gamilaraay man, Keith Munro of Shell House Dining Room & Terrace in Sydney, created the recipes. They were then brought to life by Australian Film Television and Radio School selected graduates, assistant producer Benji Menday and assistant food stylist Kerrod Meredith-Creed, who worked with the production team at SUDDENLY.
Menday credits the authenticity of the program and says that he can see it working towards closing the gap between First Nations people and the rest of Australia.
“As film students, we’ve worked on a lot of music videos, documentaries and film projects before. This project was a great opportunity to branch out into the commercial space for the first time.
“I’m such a big supporter of this program. Walking on set you can immediately tell the authenticity of the project and that it wasn’t a stunt for self-promotion. I think it’s really working towards the right direction, even in a small sense, closing the gap.”
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