Renowned Indigenous chef, Clayton Donovan is calling for research into the benefits of traditional Australian food.

"There should be more money put into the CSIRO to get more research done with some of the foods," he said.

"What we actually know, it's only the tip of the iceberg, there's so many foods."

Mr Donovan said he was interested to see research that recently showed one food that may be beneficial for cancer treatment.

"They've been consciously working on the blush berry, it looks like a kind of peach but they're using the seed and it's combating cancer."

Mr Donovan said traditional foods had always been important to him.

"I've always been waiting for a time where I can incorporate part of my culture into different cuisines.

It's Australian; it's the taste of home. The flavour profiles are amazing."

Sharing bush foods with the world

Mr Donovan has travelled to Dubai and to New Delhi, cooking with Australian foods and spices.

"It's some of the oldest foods in the world with one of the newest food trends, which is great, and we've got a lot of chefs around the world interested in using it."

Mr Donovan said much of his original knowledge came from his childhood in Nambucca Heads on the mid-north coast of NSW when the Gumbaynggirr Elders around him taught him about their local foods.

As he travels, his knowledge is growing.

Clayton Donovan has been travelling around the world sharing his recipes with Australian foods and spices. ( Supplied: Clayton Donovan )

Learning new skills from Elders

"I'm constantly learning with Aunties and Uncles and people who have been brought up with some knowledge about the foods of Australia, and I'm always amazed by what I don't know.

"You can tap into this amazing thing called Google, and find out what's there, there's a lot but there's so much still out there."

Mr Donovan said because the Indigenous cultures were passed down by generations, and little was documented, he had to spend time on the ground to learn.

"Some of the foods on the menus, you can't just duck down to the shop and pick up.

"Two weeks ago I was down in Melbourne, so it was finding out about these foods down in Melbourne and incorporating them into the menu, so we get out and get the foraging boots on and get amongst it."

Clayton Donovan has won awards for his work with Integrated Living. ( Supplied: Remy Tancred )

Winning awards

Mr Donovan recently won a National and a State award for his range of wild foods for elderly people.

He has been working with aged care service provider Integrated Living, developing foods that incorporate traditional foods and spices.

Last week, he won the "Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Cultural Competencies Award" at the NSW Aged and Community Services Awards for Excellence.

In May, the team was awarded "Best Team" at the Australian Nursing Awards for Mr Donovan's work with bush foods.

He said the awards, recognising his work incorporating Indigenous spices and foods into ready-made food for the elderly, were a surprise.

"Receiving awards like this is probably the last thing as a chef you think you'll be doing," he said.

Mentoring young chefs

While Mr Donovan spent much of his early career as the only Indigenous person in the restaurant, he feels excited to see more and more Indigenous trainees in kitchens.

Some of those kids are coming from the same background as me so it's good to just say 'Keep on going and push yourself'

"I remind them they've got one of the oldest cultures in the world and they've got some really good food to incorporate into any cuisine or any way they're developing a recipe."