Habitat-inspired food that uses local produce to create beautiful and honest dishes.

Chef and owner of two-hatted Biota Dining in Bowral, New South Wales, James Viles has become one of Australia's most respected young chefs and restaurateurs, recognised for his commitment to sustainability and his dramatic modern food. He champions the use of seasonal, ethical produce to create honest, pure and delicious dishes.

Biota Dining sits in Australia's Southern Highlands, a remarkably beautiful region known for its fertile farmland, dense forests and seasonal climate. James' philosophy is simple: listen to the local environment and take your inspiration and intuition from the very place that surrounds you. His dishes match ingredients, textures and flavours that exist alongside each other in nature. While James Viles might be redefining regional Australian cuisine, this notion of biota is relevant everywhere in the world.

In this his first book, James invites readers to celebrate spectacular food created from the perfect balance of animal and plant life in the Southern Highlands. Biota contains over 80 delicious, seasonal and achievable recipes.