Culture Club

Melbourne-based cook and author Julia Busuttil Nishimura released her first cookbook, Ostro, in 2017. Nearly a decade later, Julia has become a household name, with fellow chefs including Nigella Lawson and Jamie Oliver singing her praises. 

Julia has become well-loved for her simple, seasonal home cooking and is passionate about connection through family and food. She's written five cookbooks, with her latest, Simple Pleasures, out now. Julia is also the author of the award-winning children’s book, Sundays Under the Lemon Tree and a columnist for Gourmet Traveller, Good Weekend and her own food Substack, Ostro.

In this episode of Culture Club Chats, we discuss Julia's approach to authentic cooking, why her career grew alongside motherhood, and how to tap into her slow-cooking ethos in the cost-of-living crisis.

In our conversation, Julia references the Wurundjeri country seasons, Queen's Harvest Instagram and Taiwan Travelogue by Yang Shuang-zi. 

You can find Julia on Instagram at @juliaostro.

Thank you for listening. Jas & Mags xo 

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Calling all theatre kids: A bonus episode on Operation Mincemeat, the hit UK musical heading to Australia next year. 

Earlier this year, Maggie headed over to London as part of a select group of Australian journalists to learn more about Operation Mincemeat. The Olivier and Tony-winning musical comedy was written and composed by the British theater collective SpitLip made up of David Cumming, Felix Hagan, Natasha Hodgson, and Zoë Roberts. 

Set in 1943 during World War II, the musical is based off a true MI5 operation of the same name. To deceive Adolf Hitler and conceal the Allied invasion of Sicily, British intelligence officers use a dead homeless man's corpse, a falsified identity ("Major William Martin"), fake love letters, and an assist from a young Ian Fleming to plant misleading invasion plans off the coast of Spain. 

It became one of the best-reviewed shows in West End history, and in this episode, Maggie shares her thoughts as well as a quick behind-the-scenes chat with the creators themselves. 

Keep your eyes peeled for when Operation Mincemeat lands in Australia in 2027. You heard the Bookmarked rec here first, okay?

You can read Maggie's Broadsheet feature on the musical here. Remember, you can watch our episodes on YouTube and receive more Culture Club recs on Substack.

* While Maggie was invited as a guest of the musical, this episode was not a paid partnership nor included in the editorial package. Basically, Maggie is sharing this for the love of the game and for our fellow theatre fans. 

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Musician Gretta Ray was just 18 years old when she shot to national fame after winning the coveted Triple J Unearthed High competition in 2016 with her breakout single ‘Drive’. Gretta has since gone on to release two records, ‘Begin To Look Around’ in 2020 and ‘Positive Spin’ in 2024. 

As her career reached new heights, Gretta made the move to London. But just a short while later, she fell seriously ill with chronic infective endocarditis (an infection of the inner lining of the heart chambers and valves) at only 26 years old. 

In the years since, Gretta has been healing and rebuilding at home in Australia, and is ready for a new chapter with her album ‘Heartsong’, out on October 30.

In this episode of Culture Club Chats, we discuss her journey from an 18-year-old with a hit single to a 26-year-old fighting for survival and the art that grew from it. 

Thank you for listening. Jas & Mags xo

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Sally Rooney’s book ban, the unconscious bias in Traitors, and does your friendship have a wellness gap?

Hi friends! After a quick catch-up, we get into pop culture news, including the HBO Max reunion of the CENTURY. We play a Reel from Girls Rewatch Podcast. Books by Sally Rooney will no longer be sold in the UK because of the Irish novelist's support for Palestine Action, an organisation that has been banned in the country. What does this mean for one of the most famous writers of our time? 

Season 2 of the UK Celebrity Traitors is currently airing but in the second elimination of the game a “faithful” contestant, American Industry actress Myha’la Herrold who is Black was eliminated, sparking an interesting conversation about the role that unconscious racial and cultural bias plays in the game. 

We reference The Times and Sunday Times data journalist Yennah Smart's report on this from January and We Need To Talk About The Traitors And Unconscious Bias by Nicole Vassell for British Vogue.

Next, are you losing friends to the “Wellness Gap”? It’s a question that Gen Z led media company, Impact, asked recently. We break down what it means and if we're feeling it in our friendships as well. 

In Bookmarked, we hear from Culture Club listener Kahlia who recommends two books: The World Beneath Her Feet by Holly Ringland and Mad Mabel by Sally Hepworth. Maggie recommends The Farm by Jessica Mansour-Nahra, and Jas recommends the drama series The Affair on Prime Video.

Thanks for listening! And if you want to share your own Bookmarked recommendation just email us a 90 second or under voice memo to [email protected].

Jas & Mags xo 

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Alix Earle and the literary crisis, Olivia Rodrigo speaks out about invasive paparazzi, and the privilege of being off social media.

Hi friends! We kick things off with a chat about our weeks including Jas' experience at Reading Party Melbourne and Maggie's Olivia Dean concert. In other Olivia news, Olivia Rodrigo has spoken out about the paparazzi caring about her love life in a Hollywood Reporter cover story. 

Vanity Fair has posted an interview featuring playwright Jeremy O. Harris and VF global editorial director Mark Guiducci and sparked a debate about legacy media platforming tech bros including Sam Altman. We reference Sam Altman's recent Vanity Fair cover by Annie Leibovitz and its reference Wanderer Above The Sea Fog by Caspar David Friedrich.

Mikey Madison is currently doing press for The Social Reckoning, a sequel to the Social Network film. Mikey, who is 27, shared insight into her decision to step away from having an online presence in comments to E! News and Entertainment Tonight. It sparks a conversation around the necessity for artists to have an online platform. We reference a recent post by ELLE UK and their new slate of content creators. 

Valentino did fashion week differently this year, choosing to show at the Bibliothèque Sainte-Geneviève in Paris for its spring 2027 show, Antibiblioteca: Catalogue of the Unread. Meanwhile, one of the US' most famous influencers, Alix Earle, admitted she has "never read a book". So, where are we at with the literacy crisis? We reference Impact's post on the subject as well as a TikTok from user Yagmur, and hear from journalist Noni Reginato who wrote a piece titled, Alix Earle Not Reading Isn’t As Cute As She Thinks It Is for ELLE Australia.  

In Bookmarked, we hear from The Grill co-host, Izzy Wight who recommends the book of essays, Matthew by Matthew Goldin. Maggie was also a guest on The Grill recently and you can listen to her episode here. And remember, if you want to share your own community Bookmarked recommendation, email us a voice memo <90 seconds to [email protected] and tell us what you've loved watching, reading or listening to recently! 

Jas recommended Sense and Sensibility and referenced our own interview (lol) with the film's screenwriter Diana Reid back in 2022. Maggie recommended the 2000 film, Hanging Up. 

Thank you so much for listening! You can watch and follow us on YouTube, Substack, Instagram and TikTok. Jas & Mags xo 

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Neighbours is being re-released for vertical video, Taylor Swift and the cult of fandom, and the Cornell 7 case. 

In today's episode, we begin with the news that the Australian soap, Neighbours, is returning to our screens. Our vertical screens, that is.

Pete Davidson is being dragged for not understanding the influencer economy in our big year of 2026. Does he have a point? 

A trigger warning for sexual assault and rape in our first major segment as we discuss the Cornell 7 case. We reference a piece in the Women's Agenda titled, Cornell asked for essays from 7 students who allegedly raped a woman. Women are asking for accountability by Rita Nasr and the important student journalism work by Cornell's own paper, The Cornell Daily Sun.

If you'd prefer to skip ahead, the segment starts and ends at 14:40–25:07. 

Next, Taylor Swift's The Life of a Showgirl Encore tracks are officially out in the world. The internet has been ablaze with conversations surrounding it, including in our own comments section. We break down the criticism and discuss why fan culture has reached dizzying heights. 

In this segment we hear from writer and musician Bianca Davino, who reads from her 2025 Refinery29 Australia piece titled Stan Expectation & The Allure Of Cultural Clout: Why Has The Reaction To The Life Of A Showgirl Been So Heated? and we hear her thoughts on the Encore discourse. We also play a TikTok from user Fa2Chainz who theorises why fans are becoming the industry experts online. 

In Bookmarked, we hear from Holly, our first listener recommendation! Thanks for the idea, Holly. If you'd like to share your own Bookmarked recommendation, simply record a voice memo <90 seconds with something you've loved watching, reading or listening to to [email protected] to potentially be featured in an ep! 

Jas recommends The Housemaid film while Maggie enjoyed The Ruiners by Ellena Savage. 

Thank you SO much for listening! And remember, you can find us on Substack and YouTube.

Jas & Mags xo 

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The generational interview debate, celeb burner accounts, and why are robots infiltrating fashion shows?

We kick off with popcorn celeb bits: Taylor Swift is back, Channing Tatum could be running a burner account, and Mary Beth Barone & Joe Awlyn are starring in a rom-com.

At both Vogue World in Milan and London Fashion Week, we saw robots take centre stage, so what does this say about where the fashion world is?

We reference Why Were There Robots at Vogue World? in The Cut by Olivia Craighead and The Story Behind the Runway Robots at Vogue World 2026: Milano by Emma Specter for Vogue US. In Bookmarked, Maggie recommends the series, Furious while Jas is loving Matilda Mann's new album Kismet.

Thank you for listening! You can follow us on Substack, Instagram and TikTok.

Jas & Mags 

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Spring is here, and these are our seasonal favourites: from books and music to hobbies and beauty. 

Let us know in the comments what you're loving as well!

Forest Therapy

Brat by Gabriel Smith

The Ruiners by Ellena Savage

Rebecca Daphne du Maurier 

Pool House by Mary K. Choi 

Alien 

Minority Report

Sense and Sensibility 

Industry

Widow's Bay 

Fiona Apple 

Triple Seven Wishy

Kath and Arun – Let Them Cook

Glutenberg Bible

The Ordinary’s Soothing and Barrier Support Serum 

Go-To Soft and Creamy Hydrating Cleanser 

Nars Soft Matte Concealer Pot

Katie Jane Hughes

YSL LoveNude Lip 

Thank you for listening and you can follow us on Substack and YouTube. Mags and Jas xo

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A new season means a new Troye Sivan track, and we are sat for the medieval music video that came with it. We reference Gladys Lai's trend piece for Vogue Australia on the rise of the Renaissance Fair. Plus, Lena Dunham is officially Mother, having had a baby via surrogate.

In culture's biggest story of the week, Ed Sheeran is in strife after bowing to stadium owners and dropping Macklemore from his tour. We chart the story and dissect how Ed being Mr Nice Guy contributed to the controversy.

Sydney Sweeney is once again the face of a hugely controversial advert, having posed nude for sports prediction company Novig. Are we surprised? We read from an op-ed by Marina Hyde for The Guardian.

Next, it's apparently the year of the intellectual influencer. Dazed's Laura Pitcher wrote about the phenomenon happening on our algorithms, and we dissect why people are craving education on reels (hint: it's that damn phone).

We have a spring bumper Bookmarked coming to your podcast feeds later this week, so stay tuned for that! 

Thank you for listening - Jas & Mags xo

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Wimbledon bans influencers, Australia might be opting out of social media algorithms, and unpacking the Stella Lefty nepo pop-star drama. 

First up: Current SNL cast member Veronika Slowikowska (AKA Veronka is Cool) revealed a new singing project: Me As A Girl. Even local sleuth, Triple J presenter Abby Butler, made a TikTok on the subject. 

Next, Nathan Fielder has made a documentary about Theranos fraudster Elizabeth Holmes. We reference this Vanity Fair feature.

In world-breaking news, Australia might be the first to switch off social media algorithms. Thanks to the campaigning of local not-for-profit, Teach Us Consent, the Australian government may encourage an "opt-in" algorithm. Is this a positive? Or is the algorithm becoming a close comfort? We reference our own interview with Teach Us Consent founder, Chanel Contos, from 2023! And this piece in The Conversation by Rob Nicholls.

Wimbledon is banning influencers? Kind of. Wimbledon will not have any accreditation category for influencers or content creators, sparking a debate not just online but also in the Culture Club studio. 

There’s a name that hasn’t left the internet’s lips this month, and that is Stella Lefty. Her country-pop song ‘Boston’ has gone super bonkers viral and, as a result, brought about a LOT of attention. We break down the plagiarism accusations and billionaire father claims. We reference a Yahoo article by Kelsey Weekman and a review by The Guardian: Boston singer’s debut is bland, boilerplate and beyond banal.

In recommendations, Maggie loved Sterling Point while Jas recommends the new A24 movie about Anthony Bourdain, TONY.

Thanks for listening! You can follow us on Substack and YouTube as well.

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