COOKING THE BOOKS

I have always had an insatiable appetite for challenge. From early in my career, I sought out the best chefs to learn alongside, continually refining and revitalising my approach in the high-stakes, adrenaline-fuelled environment of restaurant and hotel kitchens. I followed this up with entrepreneurship - establishing a series of food-related businesses.

But as my children moved through school, my focus gradually shifted towards family. When, in 2020, I traded my chef’s hat for the role of a teacher’s assistant in Wenona’s Technology and Applied Studies Department, I told myself that if it proved to be a poor fit, I’d make it a very brief detour.

What I hadn’t anticipated, was discovering a deep love for working with the students at Wenona. All chefs get a buzz from producing great food that brings pleasure to others, but this is a more profound sense of fulfilment. Teaching the students the importance of healthy living and eating and the art of creating food that brings people together, will shape their lives in significant ways – food is the essence of life.

Most people don’t realise what an exciting place the Wenona kitchen can be. As Food Technology is new to the School (our first cohort of Year 12 students only graduated at the end of last year), we have the scope to incorporate the latest knowledge and techniques and are bursting with ideas. The popularity of plant-based meats is skyrocketing? We compare their cost and nutritional value, creating our own cheaper, healthier alternatives. Allergies are increasing? We experiment with alternative ingredients, such as aquafaba in meringues and run taste tests. We also trial popular TikTok trends to see if they are viable and have introduced food photography – in this Instagram-obsessed world, food also needs to look amazing.

I also address the risks associated with the uninformed online health community whenever possible. Numerous influencers post inaccurate health information and teenage girls are particularly susceptible. The Wenona kitchen is a great preparation for real life.

I am hugely grateful to have received a Wenona Study Grant to explore the possibility of becoming a fullyfledged teacher. My motivation stems not only from a desire to continue inspiring the next generation, but to show my own daughters that “you can do hard things”, including returning to university after 20 years.

Hardest of all, has been adjusting to the ways of modern university study. I am a hands-on person, so I enjoy the interactive nature of the food and nutrition course, where we bounce ideas off each other and learn from our diverse backgrounds. But the academic writing course is structured and theory-based - a very different beast.

My eldest daughter is also at university and finds it hilarious to watch me struggle with technology, as we sit side by side working on our assignments. As a chef, I have never had to handle situations like Zoom lectures, online portals, and splitting screens – I’m gaining a multitude of new skills!

I do not know what the future holds, but I am eager to continue using my chef qualifications to enhance the Food Technology curriculum and provide an even more enriching experience for our students. Not many professional chefs teach this subject in Australia. I am grateful that the girls at Wenona can benefit from my expertise.

At just 22, the visionary new Manager of the Independent Theatre Mr Theodore Carroll, is ushering in a fresh new era.