Kristina grew up in Darug (Western Sydney) and on a grape and citrus farm in Millewa-Mallee region (VIC), and has lived in Naarm/ Melbourne since she was 15. She completed a Bachelor of Health Sciences majoring in Nutrition and Health Promotion, working as a nutritionist, cooking teacher, cook, and within the public health sector for over 13 years.

Kristina’s mum is from Zamboanga Del Norte in Western Mindanao, with lineage on her Lolo’s side to the Subanen tribe indigenous to the region, and lineage to the island of Bohol in Central Visayas from both her Lola and Lolo. Her family have a long history of living resourcefully off the land, farming coconut, rice, corn, and market vegetables, while enjoying the nature, culture, and community life in the mountainous probinsya.

Kristina’s father is ethnic Hungarian from former Yugoslavia (now Serbia + Croatia) with a farming background as well, living in the countryside next to the Duna river, where his family farmed grapes, sugarbeet, and seasonal produce, migrating to Australia as a refugee with his family as a child.

Kristina loves sharing the food from her cultural backgrounds, learning about other cultures, and connecting with community. Her work strives to encourage a shift towards sustainable living through permaculture, buying direct from farmers and artisan producers, and decolonising the way we approach food and life.