About Us
Truffière Duthil (pn. “Doo-Till”) was established in 2020 by Philippe Tot, his wife Polina and their three young children. Read our story below to find out why we started Truffière Duthil.
The perfect match,
ingites our dream
When I met my wife Polina, I knew that I found my soulmate…
We shared a love of culture, history, cuisine & wine, Arts and the natural world. As we grew our family we knew it was time to make our move starting Truffière Duthil.
Philippe Tot
A well recognised authority, expert and teacher in Tree Physiology & its several associated cultures; Philippe Tot was lucky to be guided in close training since his childhood in the early 80s.
As a 15 year old in 1992, he commenced his professional career in Horticulture with Darling Harbour Authority & The Chinese Gardens of Friendship in Sydney as horticulturist and Specialist Penjing caretaker (Penjing- Ancestor of Chinese Bonsai).
With the Chinese Garden of Friendship Philippe was eventually the curator and continued as resident expert there for nearly 20 years.
After lecturing for a few years via several institutions, Philippe took levels to the next step to found The Lingnan Penjing Academy of Australia (2009 to present), teaching Chinese and old European horticulture, philosophy, wind-water geomancy, plant flux physiology, Microecology, design principles, related through Chinese Penjing & landscaping.
During this time, he has continued to hone his broader horticultural skills through running a specialised consulting and garden maintenance business since 2002.
“Chinese Penjing (Chinese Bonsai) is a practice I was introduced to by my neighbour as a young boy living in Sydney’s Inner West in the early 1980s. We just spent much time together working with Trees. Later, I had the honour of travelling to Hong Kong to learn from seasoned specialists of Penjing and trees intended for medicinal & tea preparation; earning my standing as a specialist Penjing Practitioner. I first learned old techniques, cultivating potencies in leaf structures & roots. A lifetime later, continuing lecturing & in doing so, I further fine tune the sciences in an endless pursuit of perfecting my craft.
With such a background and in running a Truffiere – Nothing is wasted.
All my specialist skills are harnessed & utilised toward the very peaks & optimums… Trufficulture excellence the result.
Expertise in Trees, Flux timing, soil microbiology, Truffleculture, my families heritage & direct history with Périgord Truffles of France.
They all merge in the same place – Truffière Duthil.” Philippe Tot.
Our Heritage
DNA in horticulture & agricultural roots lie deep in both sides of the family.
Philippe was very close to his grandmother Elisa (Née Duthil); she was his only grandparent & what a great one she was.
Elisa Duthil grew up with a Truffière & vineyard in a small village, Montaigu de Quercy in the South of France.
Our Duthil family history can be traced back to the 18th century, with predominantly agricultural backgrounds based in the Dordogne region, Périgord or the department of The Lot region of Quercy Aquitaine France.
Two generations later, Truffière Duthil was established in Australia; initially in the Mudgee region in 2019.
Growing family needs had it my family sought an alternative location and chose a landscape reminiscent to that of the Périgord noir region of South France. This being Essington NSW, laced with pine forests.
The loss of both Philippe’s father in late 2020 and grandmother soon after in early 2021 and the subsequent emotional rattling reinvigorated resolve to make Truffière Duthil even stronger and better than before. Reaching for nothing less than one of the finest examples of Truffle farms Australia has ever seen, in appearance, pinpoint timing, functionality, sustainability and productivity.
At the core, Philippe is driven to honour his father and grandmother and entrust the story of the family in the Duthil plantation for future generations.
It was Karma that Philippe had been cultivating trees and roots of Penjing his entire life; just as his ancestors had been cultivating Black Périgord Truffles in the roots of their French farm in Montaigu de Quercy, Aquitaine over a hundred years ago. Life moves in full circles.
Philippe’s innate passion for trees, soils took him on a lifelong journey of its sciences. A need for a tree change for a growing family and a deep desire to rekindle his relationship with his ancestors drove Philippe here, to the volcanic plains of Essington, Oberon region in the Central West of New South Wales.
Here begins a new family chapter, cultivating a rare culinary delight with passion and excellence, The Black Périgord Truffle.
“Yes, yes, that’s what. I wanted, I always wanted, I always wanted, to return to the body where I was born.”
– Ginsberg.
The Duthil line in one photo. On the first Duthil Truffle plantation in the Mudgee Region 2019.
From left to right: Philippe Tot & wife Polina Tot, Baby Izolde Tot, Danielle Jeannette Fajarda née Duthil, Elisa Fajarda née Duthil.
The Duthil Family Story…
Just a little girl in the 1920’s & 30’s, Elisa Augustine Duthil of Montaigu de Quercy (and later Fumel, South West Aquitaine, France) grew up on a large farm along with her brother and sisters. Traditional farm life was hardly dull, spending much of her time tending to cows, pigs, sheep, chickens, several fruit & nut orchards, and a large vineyard. Enjoying fun times riding her horse, Chérie, and two other cheeky work horses Arthur & César. She and fondly remembered harvesting Périgord Black Truffles on their farm from under the trees. Later in life, she would describe in detail to her to grandson Philippe, her memories of the family farm; some of her fondest memories. Her parents Alfred and Cècile Duthil showing her old family tricks of “la Truffes” (their own methods and routines thoughtout the seasons).
In gathering seasons, the Duthil family had pigs to find truffle, as well as a family Pointer Dog.
It was Elisa’s task to find, gather ‘la Truffe’ and then sell them at the weekly local markets along with their fresh cheeses made to the locals at the Montaigu market, in the South of France.
Two generations later, hearing of such tales growing up it’s hardly a surprise and perhaps a higher calling that Philippe Tot eventually merged his expertise and decades of field work. Lecturing Flux-timing in trees and soil microecology; eventually returning to his family roots in farming the Black Périgord Truffle.
Observing the similarities of climates to that of the Périgord regions of France that Elisa spoke of so fondly…Philippe allocated five acres of the Essington, NSW (part of the Oberon region) property to exclusively grow 500 hazelnut and English oak truffle trees.
In addition to the truffle farm, the property also hosts students of Penjing at The Lingnan Penjing Academy of Australia, with pupils travelling from all over Australia each year coming into the Oberon region.
Beautiful Braford cattle roam between paddocks on the farm surrounding the Truffiere.
Before her passing, Elisa voiced how proud she was of Philippe’s achievements and thrilled to begin to see the fruits of what they have accomplished as a family. To see Truffles back in the family just as it was when she was a child gave her great joy, reliving her childhood in the grandchildren and great grandchildren who now continue the truffle farming tradition. Sadly, the family lost Elisa Fajarda Née Duthil & passing away in Feb 2021 at the age of 96.
Truffiere Duthil had their first samples of truffles in 2024 and following year in May 2025 the first good harvest. At just 3.5 years since putting the plantation down in early Sept 2021. With exceptional quality, yield and large truffles, boasting deep and complex aromas, with most weighing in well over 100gm + each.
Elisa instilled a lasting legacy through her love of family, cultivating the land and stories of her childhood. This legacy lives on today through grandson Philippe Tot and his family at Truffière Duthil, amongst some of the finest Black Truffle ever seen in Australia.
Bien à vous,
Truffière Duthil.