Aussie udon — From wheatbelt to noodle bowl

Aussie udon — From wheatbelt to noodle bowl

From Every Bite by ABC Australia

April 24, 2026 · 29 min

About this episode

This episode explores the relationship between Western Australia and Japan in the production of udon noodles.

Udon noodle making in Japan goes back 1,200 years, so when did Western Australia become one of its top suppliers of noodle wheat? Japanese udon noodles are serious business, with regional varieties of broth, toppings and preparation techniques inspiring fierce local pride. But wherever you are, there's a good chance the wheat comes from Australia. Today, we travel from the WA wheatbelt to the flour mills of Japan, meeting the farmers, scientists and chefs who maintain this long standing relationship. Guests: Kristy O'Brien, ABC Landline reporter Larisa Cato, general manager of education and training at Grains Australia Tomokazu Kubo, noodle expert and sensory assessor for flour millers NIPPN Tracy Lefroy, wheat farmer and chair of the GIWA Wheat Council Daisuke Hiramatsu, owner, and Ryo Hirose, sous chef, Hifumiya Udon Noodle House in Perth Get in touch: We'd love to hear from you! Email us at everybite@abc.net.au This episode of Every Bite was produced on the lands of the Wurundjeri people of the Kulin Nation.

People in this episode

Guests: Kristy O'Brien, Larisa Cato, Tomokazu Kubo, Tracy Lefroy, Daisuke Hiramatsu, Ryo Hirose

Topics covered

  • udon noodles
  • wheat production
  • Japanese cuisine
  • agriculture
  • cultural exchange

Keywords

  • udon
  • noodles
  • wheat
  • Japan
  • Western Australia
  • agriculture
  • cuisine
  • cultural pride

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: ABC Landline, Grains Australia, NIPPN, GIWA Wheat Council, Hifumiya Udon Noodle House

Places: Western Australia, Japan, Perth, Wurundjeri, Kulin Nation

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