Oprah Winfrey has been making the most of her return to Australia – and it was a tip from Hugh Jackman that ended with the talk-show icon personally serving ricotta pancakes to a 7NEWS reporter during her Sydney visit.
The media mogul touched down for a national speaking tour and immediately set about ticking off must-do activities.
After the Wolverine star told her to “do the walk from Bondi to Bronte and then go and have breakfast at bills”, Oprah wasted no time.
Jackman had already sold her on the venue, telling her Bills at Bondi had the “best pancakes” in the world.
A spokesperson for the restaurant said, “Hugh Jackman obviously has excellent taste,” adding: “We are grateful for Hugh’s support and we were honoured to share our iconic ricotta hotcakes with banana, strawberries and honeycomb butter with the icon, Oprah, at bills Bondi for her first breakfast in Australia.”
Oprah tackled the advice with enthusiasm, completing the picturesque coastal walk – “a 40 minute walk,” Jackman had told her, adding: “If all of a sudden you have the urge jump in the ocean, it’s the best jet lag cure in the world.”
After her Bondi walk, Oprah headed straight to Bills.
“Hugh Jackman, yeah, you are absolutely unbelievably right,” she said after tasting the famous hotcakes.
“This place, when you come here to Sydney, you gotta stop in. There was like 12 of us, and we ate like we’ve never eaten before.”
The next day, she returned to the Bondi café – this time insisting on serving the signature dish herself.
“Back for lunch? No, we’re back for more ricotta pancakes,” she said.
“Going to get more ricotta pancakes.”
In an unexpected twist, she personally delivered a plate to 7NEWS reporter Paul Kadak.
“For you, Paul,” she said.
“I’m your server today. Life is better when you share it.”
Her culinary praise continued, raving about dinner at Fred’s in Paddington.
“They had the best bread of my life. Do you understand? My life,” she declared.
Oprah’s Sydney adventures have also included meeting fans – including a group from Chicago who tracked her down after seeing her social media posts.
“We knew Oprah was here yesterday. That’s why we came here today. And we’re so excited,” one said.
She also stopped by iconic Bondi bookshop Gertrude and Alice, where staff gifted her two Australian novels.
“We were talking about book clubs, what she’s currently reading. We were really chuffed that she did come over,” a team member said.
Oprah last visited Australia in 2015 for a series of sold-out arena shows.
This time, she returns for In Conversation events across the country and New Zealand, which Ticketek says will offer a “rare opportunity” to hear from the media trailblazer in an intimate setting.
“From the power of authenticity to the necessity of resilience, Oprah’s reflections will resonate with anyone seeking purpose, inspiration, or a spark to reimagine their own path,” the company said.
Her tour opens in Sydney tomorrow, with further dates in Adelaide, Brisbane and Melbourne.
Images: Instagram / 7NEWS
