Working from home during the pandemic has broken dependency on office-centric lifestyles and coincided with a preference for fresh air and open spaces to urban bustle.

More than a few eyes have been opened to the appeals of country living.

With our temperate climate, thriving cultural community, and outstanding food and wine, it's not hard to see why Orange is top of the list for city dwellers seeking a better lifestyle.

From a chef's perspective there is little more you could ask for.

We have an abundance of world class produce grown and crafted right here and a strong market of diners to support quality cooking.

I'm not the only one to have been tempted west by the culinary opportunities Orange offers.

Ruben Lopez Mesa moved here a couple of years ago with his young family and was struck by the region's similarities with his home province of La Mancha in Spain.

The tableland's plateau dotted with grape vines and apple trees, flocks of sheep, fields of garlic and localised specialty crops like saffron and truffles took him right back to his childhood.

Now he's settled in with wife Kellie and daughter Isa in what he calls "a little slice of paradise".

It hasn't taken him long to build relationships with local growers and artisans whose fresh produce he showcases in his role as head chef at Bills Bean's in East Orange.

A particular passion of his is to elevate the understanding and appreciation of Spanish cuisine in Australia.

That has driven him to create and direct Eat Spanish; a non-profit organisation that offers networking for Spanish chefs and food-lovers across Australia, inspires and educates the public about authentic Spanish cuisine, and provides access to a better and wider range of Spanish produce.

Connecting to his heritage through food is paramount in everything he does.

Translating that to a cafe menu in rural Australia can be challenging but Mr Lopez Mesa strikes a great balance between reflecting his passion and satisfying the demands of his customers.

"Not everyone wants to eat Basque cheesecake with their coffee in the morning and that's okay," he tells me.

"But I do! And a lot of our customers who try something new like this seem to enjoy it and go away thinking differently about food."

Many Aussies will always want a bacon and egg roll but Lopez Mesa's offerings have plenty of Spanish flavour.

Boring old muffins are replaced by magdalenas; a fluffy, crunchy, fruit-filled alternative baked with olive oil.

The winter months were warmed up with delicious bowls of potaje, a category of rich and flavoursome soups and stews.

Some days they might feature chickpeas, spinach, garlic and pimentn.

Other times it might be wild mushroom, homegrown kalamata olives, artichokes and lentils.

With summer fast approaching I'm looking forward to seeing what seasonal Spanish treats await us.

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