In this episode of the Hak It podcast, host Sakshi Chhabra Mittal turns the spotlight on an “expert series” devoted to mushrooms; what they are, why there’s so much confusion around them, and how to bring them into everyday life. Her guest is Jessica Roimata Clarke: a New Zealand–born model and entrepreneur, and the founder of Mother Made, a brand known for its mushroom powders. The conversation is framed by a simple aim, cut through the noise, talk clearly about different varieties, and share practical ways to use them,prompted in part by Sakshi’s own enthusiasm for clear, trustworthy ingredient labels.
Before diving into mushrooms, Sakshi invites Jessica to share her story. Clarke began modelling at 15 and, by 17, had already walked runways in Milan, Paris, New York, and London. Fresh to New York, she was the Calvin Klein exclusive at NYFW SS/10, then continued to appear for houses including Marc by Marc, Giorgio Armani, Mulberry, Salvatore Ferragamo, Emilio Pucci, Lanvin, Elie Saab, Sonia Rykiel, and Dolce & Gabbana. She was photographed by Mario Testino for D&G Spring/Summer 2011, and in 2011 became the first New Zealander to model in the Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show. Originally from Palmerston North and a former Palmerston North Girls’ High School student, Clarke won Miss Teen Manawatu (2009), played netball for her school’s senior team, and was a Māori representative player. She is now based in New York.
Clarke’s path toward wellness is rooted in upbringing and identity. She shares that she is from New Zealand and has Māori heritage through her mother. Growing up, plant remedies and a closeness to nature were part of everyday life, shaping how she thinks about health. Moving to New York at 17 placed her squarely in the pace and pressures of fashion, and later pushed her to revisit the more holistic foundations she knew as a child. That return, bridging high-fashion discipline with grounded, nature-focused habits, provides the context for her shift from catwalks to mushrooms.
With that background, Sakshi and Jessica introduce Mother Made. The brand focuses on mushroom powders, and the discussion acknowledges a familiar problem: there are many types of mushrooms, lots of claims, and plenty of confusion. The episode sets out to clarify the landscape, what the varieties are, what people commonly look to them for, and how to incorporate them in real life. Sakshi notes her appreciation for transparent ingredient labels, and the pair keep the conversation centred on clarity, simplicity, and day-to-day practicality.
Rather than hype, the episode offers orientation. Listeners are guided through the basic categories people tend to encounter, why someone might reach for mushrooms in the first place, and how to think about them without getting lost in jargon. Clarke’s perspective connects heritage and habit: an emphasis on nature, learned early on, now channelled into a modern product format. The aim isn’t to overwhelm with detail but to reduce the barrier to entry, to make it easier for someone to know what they’re buying and what role it might play in their routine.
Across the conversation, what stands out is the continuity in Clarke’s story. The discipline and global exposure of a modelling career sit alongside a return to roots: an affinity for traditional, plant-based approaches that shaped her childhood. That continuity gives the mushroom discussion a lived-in credibility; it’s less a sudden pivot than a reconnection, from runway schedules to everyday rituals that prioritise clarity, quality, and nature. As the expert series kicks off, this episode sets the tone: demystify, simplify, and invite curiosity. For anyone overwhelmed by the mushroom conversation, Sakshi and Jessica offer a starting point that is grounded, transparent, and approachable; true to the Hak It ethos of questioning assumptions and making informed choices.
