South Australia, 30, Call Centre Worker

Not fulfilled by her high-flying job in corporate insurance in Chandigarh, India, Nidhi was seeking more balance and a simpler life.

In March 2013, Nidhi and husband Sumit, 33, a self-employed software engineer, decided that simply changing jobs or cities was not going to cut it. Lured by the Australian weather and lifestyle, they packed up and moved to the other side of the world, settling in Adelaide.

Holding a Bachelor degree in Commerce from Panjab University, Nidhi began to study in 2013 for a Masters in Professional Accounting and Finance at the University of South Australia and graduated in January 2015.

Following her studies, Nidhi worked at TSA Telco Group and enjoys her role as a call centre employee. In her down time, she cooks.

Cooking regularly since age 12, Nidhi started helping out at seven, taught and encouraged by her parents. Her father would take her to the fruit and vegetable and spice markets, where she says her dad was her flavour thesaurus. Spending time cooking with her mother, Nidhi also looked up to the late Indian chef Tarla Dalal, whose shows she would regularly watch on television.

While Indian cuisine is a specialty for Nidhi, she also loves patisserie and desserts and is inspired by a range of cooks and chefs including Poh Ling Yeow, Billie McKay, Farida Ayubi, Adam Swanson, Maggie Beer, Sanjeev Kapoor, Vikas Khanna and Jamie Oliver.

In the future she would love to open her own eatery with her family, serving fusion food with a traditional base and a modern outlook.