On the surface, Mark Udovitch and Table Sogeum are an odd pairing. The former spends most of his time digging through mounds of manure, soundtracked by a chorus of his giggling daughters. The latter delicately plates artisanal dishes for inmate dinner parties overlooking Sydney’s CBD.

However, they share one thing: they care about the processes of food.

Mark is the man behind the online pseudonym Plantbasedmale. A one-person ambassador of inner-city permaculture. Since the pandemic, he’s turned his backyard into a treasure trove of produce. Table Sogeum is a collaborative project between Sydney-based food enthusiasts Jas and Jenny. Beginning life as a common ground for their love of cooking, the project has evolved into a platform for sharing their stories and culture through food.

Jas and Jenny visited Mark’s botanical playground to harvest some shiitake mushrooms and freshly laid eggs. Mark was generous enough to allow us to tag along and sample a buffet of offerings from his garden. Finger limes were eaten, sweet potato leaves were tasted, and a particular chicken named Bowie was showered with adoration.

Seeing the three of them share their knowledge and passions was a refreshing reminder that food can still have a big impact, even on a micro level. There’s an empowerment in taking agency over your food that is often lost in a sea of agribusiness and trend-driven dining.

Special thanks to Mark for showing us around his garden and being so generous with his time. You can follow him at @plantbasedmale and @innercitypermaculture. Huge shoutouts to Table Soguem, whom you can follow @table.sogeum.

All video and photos were taken and edited by Sydney-based photographer Johanna Ng. A huge thanks to her for putting in the time, effort, and care into making this feature.  Follow her @johanna__ng.