Our shared vision
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Mel’s work is grounded in mindful movement, intentional nourishment, and compassionate presence, meeting people exactly where they are, without pressure or perfection. As a nutritionist, her approach is rooted in the belief that food is more than fuel; it’s information, support, and a daily opportunity to care for the body as a whole. She sees the body as an intelligent system that responds best to consistency, care, and gentleness. In this space, wellness isn’t about extremes or rigid rules, but about rebuilding trust with yourself and learning to nourish your body in a way that feels steady, supportive, and sustainable.
Nunik's path comes through food, culture, and lived experience. Raised in a Javanese household where cooking was an act of care and survival, and shaped by years of professional cooking and global travel, she believes that nourishment begins long before the table. Markets, kitchens, shared tables and unhurried conversation are all part of the healing process, as important as what we eat itself.
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Together, this journey in Java, from Surabaya to the mountains of Batu, invites guests into a slower rhythm of living. Days are shaped by simple rituals: starting the day with presence, cooking and eating mindfully, breathing mountain air, walking through local villages and markets, and resting without guilt. There is space to participate fully, or to simply be held by the environment.
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At our Nomad HQ in Batu, surrounded by gardens and mountain views, this trip is not designed to transform you into someone new, but to gently guide you back to yourself. Through food, movement, nature and shared presence and experiences, Mel and Nunik invite you to experience Java not as a destination to consume, but as a place to remember what it feels like to live with intention, connection and care.
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Come travel with us.
A Journey Back to the Table
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I was borin in Surabaya in 1965, in a home where food was never just food. It was survival, love, responsibility, and connection. My childhood was shaped by the rhythms of a Javanese household, early mornings, shared labour, and meals prepared not for luxury, but for care. These rhythms quietly taught me that nourishment begins long before we sit at the table.
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My mother raised nine children while helping my father earn a living by running a small local restaurant. As children, we all had a role. From middle school through university, I woke early to prepare food, clean and serve customers. Every two days, I went to the wet market, learning to choose vegetables, herbs, fish and spices by sight, scent and touch. Those market mornings taught me attentiveness, respect for ingredients, and the understanding that food carries the energy of the hands to prepare it.
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In 1993, I left Surabaya to work in Singapore to work as a flight attendant on private charter flights. Travel expanded my world, but it also clarified what I missed - the grounding rituals of home cooking, shared meals, and slow conversation. Wherever I went, I sought kitchens. I joined cooking classes and learned from local cooks in Sydney, Singapore, Malaysia, Vietnam, Paris, Barcelona, and Melbourne, discovering that while techniques doffer, the heart of cooking is universal: presence, generosity and care.
After selling my partnership in a cafe and catering business in 2009, I founded Nu Catering in 2011. For many years, I cooked professionally, focussing on nourishing, gluten-free and South East Asian- inspired meals. A simple weekly Thursday Dinner began in my home, first for ten friends, then quietly growing into a community of over sixty people. What people came for was not only the food, but the feeling of being held, even briefly, in the middle of busy lives.
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Now, as I gently wind down my catering work, I feel called back to where this story began. At Omah'ku in Batu, East Java, surrounded by gardens and mountains, I am returning to slower rhythms, cooking together, visiting markets, walking in nature, and sharing meals without urgency. In partnership with Mel, this Nomad Nourish and Explore trip is an invitation to pause, to remember, and to reconnect. Not just with food and place, but with yourself.
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A lifelong call to care
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I grew up in a home where food and nature were at the heart of daily life. My mum’s love of home-cooked meals taught me that food is more than fuel — it’s care, connection, and comfort. My dad instilled in me a love of the outdoors, of fresh air, movement, and the simple joy of being in nature. These early experiences quietly shaped how I see the body, the mind, and wellbeing: as intelligent systems that respond best to attention, gentleness, and presence.​
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My professional journey began as a Personal Trainer, guiding people to build strength, confidence, and trust in their bodies. Over time, I realised that wellbeing is about far more than exercise alone. This curiosity led me to study nutrition, where I learned to see food as a source of energy, support, and restoration, something that nourishes the body and spirit in equal measure. Today, my approach blends movement, nutrition, and mindfulness, helping people reconnect with their bodies in a way that is steady, sustainable, and deeply personal.
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Life has taken me on quite the adventure. I’m a mother to three amazing boys, each born in a different country, while we were travelling and working across the world. Those years taught me resilience, adaptability, and the beauty of creating home wherever life takes you. Along the way, my husband and I self-published a book on home exercise, a project born from our shared love of making health practical, simple, and accessible.
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Motherhood has taught me patience, resilience, and the art of nourishing life in its fullest sense. Feeding growing boys, balancing work, travel, and family, and embracing the unpredictability of life showed me that wellness isn’t about extremes or perfection — it’s about building trust with yourself, finding rhythm in daily rituals, and discovering joy in small, mindful choices.
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Now, my work is the culmination of everything I’ve learned — movement, nutrition, nature, and the art of slowing down. Whether I’m guiding someone with their health, leading a retreat abroad, or sharing a simple meal with family and friends, my philosophy remains the same: to nourish the body, connect deeply with ourselves and others, and move through life with curiosity, presence, and gentle intention.
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