Sydney Opera House Culinary Director of Events Danielle Alvarez teams up with First Nations chef Mindy Woods to create a shared feast celebrating NSW artisan producers. Complemented by wines curated by Trippas White Group Sommelier Louella Mathews, the experience blends cuisine, art and performance, bringing together live music, dance, visual storytelling and Indigenous culture in a multi-sensory celebration.
Location
Yallamundi Rooms, Sydney Opera House
Date
22nd & 23rd May 2026
6:30pm – 9:30pm
Price
$275 per person
Includes set menu dinner with paired wines
Culture in Motion explores the fusion of light, sound and storytelling
Danielle Alvarez
Culinary Director – Sydney Opera House
Danielle is one of Australia’s most celebrated female chefs and the Culinary Director of Events at the Sydney Opera House. Raised in a food-loving Cuban American family, she honed her skills under her mother and grandmother’s guidance before embarking on a professional culinary journey.Â
Danielle gained her passion for farm-to-table cooking from an impeccable pedigree of restaurants both in the US and Australia. Her culinary prowess was refined in esteemed establishments like Napa’s French Laundry, San Francisco’s Boulettes Larder, and Berkeley’s Chez Panisse, particularly under the mentorship of Alice Waters. In Australia, she made waves as the visionary force behind Paddington’s Fred’s.Â
Mindy Woods
Chef
Mindy Woods is a proud Bundjalung woman, chef, and author reshaping Australia’s culinary identity through the power of First Nations food. A finalist on MasterChef Australia 2012 and recipient of the World’s 50 Best Restaurants 2025 Champion of Change Award, she is nationally and globally recognised for revitalising Indigenous culture through contemporary gastronomy.
As the founder of Karkalla, Mindy champions native ingredients and seasonal, locally sourced produce, weaving cultural storytelling into every dish to honour the world’s oldest continuous food culture. She works alongside communities and knowledge holders to protect sovereign Indigenous food systems, mentors the next generation of First Nations chefs in hospitality, and inspires audiences worldwide to connect more deeply with Country through food.
William Barton
Performer
William Barton is a renowned composer, producer, vocalist and multi-instrumentalist, celebrated as one of Australia’s foremost didgeridoo players. Drawing on his Kalkadunga heritage, his work bridges ancient cultural traditions with contemporary composition, bringing the voice of the didgeridoo to audiences around the world.
Across a distinguished career spanning more than twenty years, Barton has performed with leading orchestras including the London and Berlin Philharmonics and at significant global events from the Beijing Olympics to Commonwealth Day at Westminster Abbey. His work has earned major accolades, including an ARIA Award for Birdsong At Dusk and the Sydney Theatre Award for Best Original Score.
Get your tickets now
