Kaurna chef Troy Anderson is bringing indigenous flavours and native ingredients to the humble meat pie
Chef Troy Anderson's Bush Tucker Bites food truck is breathing new life into the meat pie by using it to highlight native Gippsland ingredients
Jaci Hicken
March 28, 2025
Kaurna man and chef Troy Anderson is bringing Indigenous flavours to the masses, one pie at a time.
“I could talk forever about food and listen to people forever talking about food,” Troy told the Gippsland Monitor.
“Food has been massive in our family, with my grandfather being such a great baker, and his grandfathers before him, making the Maffra pie, and the hard work he put into his life being a baker.
“Then my sister was a cook, chef, and mum always made cakes. I just love food.”
According to Troy, his grandfather was the original baker of the infamous Maffra pie, a culinary pastry that has been interpreted over time by bakers all over.
The Monitor spoke to Troy at the Gormandale market in his food truck, with its ever-changing but always focused on Indigenous flavours’ menu.
A highlight is Troy’s pies.
Bush Tucker Bites Kangaroo, bacon and cheese pie.
“I found the easiest way to get someone to experience bush foods is in a pie or a sauce, because people love sauces and they love pies,” Troy said.
Each pie is a testament to Troy's dedication, brimming with rich, flavorful fillings that leave no room for disappointment. Just a few of the options included a hunter-style venison with aniseed myrtle pie, a savoury Emu and vegetable pie and the Kangaroo, and a bacon and cheeseburger pie. All were well worth trying.
Troy’s passion for cooking bush tucker comes through in every one of his pies – you can tell someone has made them with love for the fillings and flavours. And Troy also has a range of nine sauces, all with a bush tucker twist.
This includes Worcestershire sauce with apples and plums, aniseed myrtle, cinnamon myrtle, mountain pepper and salt bush to give it a unique characteristic, a Peri Peri with lemon-scented tea tree, Geraldton wax and lemon myrtle and a Sriracha with finger lime.
Troy hopes to one day hold immersive Indigenous dining experiences, pulling up at your home or place of work, serving six to 12 guests while projecting images and telling stories of the food.
He is also working on a book for schools that explains the truth about bush tucker, how to plant and grow it, and its history.
You can find Troy in his BTB food truck at the Gormandale Craft and Produce market on the third Saturday or the Longford community market on the second Sunday of the month.
His pies are well worth the drive.
