Hungry for Culture Mix? Look out for these food stalls at the festival
Wollongong's premier multicultural event continues to make a name for itself with goods to make tummies rumble
A dish with a bit of rhythm in its making that reminds Devin Peiris of his upbringing will feature in a food stall when Culture Mix satisfies Wollongong appetites this month.
Culture Mix is a celebration of multiculturalism in the Illawarra region through food stalls full of foreign food, dances, workshops and art.
Devin owns Spice Factor, which will offer Sri Lankan food when the festival makes its fourth appearance since 2023, including a dish known as kottu roti.
“The story behind this dish is that it takes me right back to my childhood,” Devin said.
“It's a street food being made using chopped roti on a hot grill, and it's mixed with these vegetables and then the choice of meat and the flavours of Sri Lanka.”
What stuck with him was how this dish was made rather than the ingredients.
Devin reminisced about the dish being stirred and cooked as if it had a musical rhythm to it, making it a pleasure to watch way before eating it.
“They have these two big plates and a steel sort of black plate where they put all this roti – it's the main source of carbs that's been used,” Devin said.
“They put all these vegetables and then put a bit of oil, and then what's interesting is the act that is done by the person who's making so they use these two blades and make it with a rhythm, like a beat.”
Devin spoke about what it meant for him and his business to be part of the many stalls at Culture Mix both this year and his first year in 2024.
“I wasn't thinking that I would get the chance to run a stall there,” Devin said.
Other stalls at Culture Mix include D&J Desserts, Persian Home Kitchen and Pakistan Community Wollongong, a community-based not-for-profit organisation bringing chapli kebabs in its Culture Mix debut.
D&J Desserts is a Persian and Iranian food business that has been a prime favourite for the festival in previous iterations, being one of the first in 2023.
They produced baklava, saffron-infused sweets and nutty nougats in prior festivals.
Persian Home Kitchen, established in 2025, has had a stall in Thursday night food fairs in Crown Street and is making its first appearance at Culture Mix, offering fragrant rice, traditional stews and tender grills.
Another place for a sweet treat will be Syrian Sweets, a regular at Food Fair and a major member of Culture Mixwith its handmade and traditional goods.
Dreams Branch of UWAA is a branch dedicated to the Ukrainian Women’s Association of Australia and are known for offering dishes such as varenyky (Ukrainian dumplings), holubtsi (cabbage rolls) and kozaksky plates.
