Food and storytelling sit at the heart of Kristina Naray’s life practice as a cook, host and cultural storyteller. Of mixed Bisaya Subanen Filipino and Hungarian heritage, her roots trace back to Zamboanga Del Norte and the foothills of the Malindang Ranges in Mindanao, and to the riversides and farmlands of former Yugoslavia (now Serbia and Croatia) in Central Europe.

Her agricultural roots continued in Australia, growing up on Dharug Country, Western Sydney, and later on a grape and citrus farm in Victoria’s Millewa–Mallee region. She holds a Bachelor of Health Sciences, majoring in Nutrition and Health Promotion. While her work spans food, education, and community, Kristina is most proud of her intimate supper club dinners and cooking workshops, where she shares dishes and practices passed down through generations.

Kristina is an integral part of The Entree.Pinays, a collective of entrepreneurial Filipinas introducing Filipino cuisine, culture and community to Australia. Each meal she creates is both an offering and a quiet act of resistance – celebrating pre-colonial Filipino foodways often dismissed as probinsya farmers’ food, despite being among the most sustainable, nourishing and culturally rich practices in the Philippines.

Resisting  the hospitality industry’s pressure to scale up, Kristina is committed to creating small, intentional experiences that prioritise intimacy, care and genuine connection. She honours the spirit of her heritage, home cooking and the power of gathering around the table.