specialty focus
It ’ s about ingredients , and it ’ s about maximising every bit of flavour in texturemodified foods . It really is possible .
Another one of these modules you mentioned explores first-nations cuisines and cooking for people of diverse backgrounds . What do you think aged-care chefs should keep in mind when designing a menu that is culturally inclusive ? It ’ s incredibly important when you think about it . If you have a Chinese restaurant in a very Anglo aged care home , how are they going to be given the food that they need ?
It is always easier if there is a home where the residents are predominantly of one culture , but there ’ ll always be others they have to look after . There are simple ways of doing this , but knowing your residents first is the most important .
Of course , we have to give cooks and chefs support and time because they ’ re working so hard in an incredibly complex role . This online resource is about empowering them .
Given there are no basic national food standards for aged-care chefs to follow , and we know that food in aged care has been scrutinised over the past couple of years , what in your opinion are some really important aspects to consider when designing an aged-care menu ? We must bring in health professionals to support the nutritional needs . However , the cook or chef ’ s responsibility is to put in the flavour , the pleasure , the joy of the food . It is about a combined approach because it doesn ’ t matter how much nutrition is in a dish if there isn ’ t the trigger to want to eat it . Without the pleasure , the smell , the joy of it , often that is the gap .
The cook or chef has to be empowered with knowledge because what we want is a beautiful meal full of equal measures of pleasure and nutrition , every meal . To do that , we need better training , and these modules are the start , which will lead to more training with specialised education .
Given your time collaborating with chefs and cooks in the aged-care sector , what do you think makes a good aged-care chef ? A real love of food , an empathy for people , and an ability to work with others and train their team . That can be a big agenda , but they ’ re the things you need .
You need to have a cook or chef that loves food and is supported by management , health professionals and the care staff . To enable them to really shine we need everyone to be part of this journey .
A quick one from a viewer and aged-care chef who is wondering what are some great meal ideas and produce focuses to look out for in the cooler months ? Well , I ’ ve just been at the butcher ’ s and bought shin of beef or osso bucco , slow-cooking meat products , and , in fact , I also just bought a corned brisket , because brisket is more luscious than a silverside .
Slow cooking is the key to autumn and winter , but also with beautiful greens , and pumpkin is at its best from now on . Also sweet potato and beetroot : those
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It doesn ’ t matter how much nutrition is in a dish if there isn ’ t the trigger to want to eat it . vegetables with all the colour and flavour , because we also eat with our eyes , so we want colour on the plate .
Long , slow cooking allows the scents of the food you ’ re cooking to permeate the dining room .
Where can people go to access it if they ’ re interested in checking it out ? We did these episodes with Altura Learning , and they were amazingly professional and wonderful . You can source them through them , but also direct from our Maggie Beer Foundation website at www . maggiebeerfoundation . org . au .
The online training comes with entry into a professional network where we can interact with the cooks and chefs online , which is just as important . ■
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