Illawarra Diggers head cook Christine Brown, celebrity chef James Reeson from the Maggie Beer Foundation and Health Minister Ryan Park. Photo: Illawarra Diggers.
Illawarra Diggers Aged and Community Care is turning up the heat on aged care dining standards in a bid to boost nutrition, enhance mealtime experiences, and improve quality of life for its residents.
The Corrimal aged care facility has unveiled its state-of-the-art kitchen transformation, alongside a year-long nationally recognised culinary training program led by the Maggie Beer Foundation.
Recognised for its commitment to on-site “cook fresh” meals, Illawarra Diggers was selected late last year to participate in the foundation’s national food reform initiative, funded by the Department of Health and Aged Care.
It follows ABC TV series Maggie Beer’s Big Mission, hosted by the food icon, which showed through a world-first social experiment the difference improving food quality could make in the lives of older Australians.
During the past year, British celebrity chef and foundation mentor James Reeson has worked closely with Illawarra Diggers’ kitchen staff to enhance flavour, nutrition and food presentation.
Reeson is best known for his TV cooking shows Alive and Cooking, James Can Cook and The Occasional Cook.
“Our team has worked side by side with James and the foundation’s experts to explore new recipes, refine our service, and build capacity,” hospitality manager Michelle Carlson said.
“It’s been an exciting journey that’s lifted both skills and standards.”
Coinciding with the training, Illawarra Diggers completed a full-scale kitchen upgrade — its first in more than 15 years.
The $800,000 refit included new flooring, walls, cool and freezer rooms, servery, ovens, dishwashing facilities, and dry goods storage.
In a bid to continue delivering fresh meals throughout construction, a $100,000 temporary outdoor kitchen setup was installed in the rear courtyard for three months.
“The result is a modern, efficient, and high-performance facility that allows us to expand our menus and offer even more meal choices to our 105 residents,” Michelle said.
“We serve fresh meals 365 days a year — breakfast through to supper — and having a fit-for-purpose kitchen is essential to doing that well.”
Illawarra Diggers CEO Peter Whittall said despite construction happening adjacent to the dining area, there wasn’t a single resident complaint.
“Our residents showed extraordinary understanding, and our staff went above and beyond to maintain the highest standards — even completing our three-year reaccreditation audit with the Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission mid-build,” Peter said.
Member for Cunningham Alison Byrnes said she was pleased to see how the investment from the Federal Government aimed at improving food quality in aged care was inspiring facilities like Illawarra Diggers to take the next steps in delivering higher quality service.
“The Albanese Government has been working hard to help providers serve more delicious and nutritious food for older people in our community,” Ms Byrnes said.
“It is really fantastic to see Illawarra Diggers take that idea and expand on it by investing in their kitchen facilities.
“Improved nutrition, improved food and improved dining experiences really do lead to better quality of life for our older people and I want to thank Diggers for their commitment to this goal.”
Member for Keira Ryan Park said he was proud to see Illawarra Diggers continue to set a high standard in aged care, not only through its service but now through its kitchen upgrade and partnership with the Maggie Beer Foundation.
“This is a shining example of what can be achieved when dedication to dignity, nutrition, and innovation come together to improve quality of life for residents,” Mr Park said.
“I commend the entire team for their care and commitment to excellence.”
Reeson will return to Illawarra Diggers to mark the conclusion of the Maggie Beer Foundation’s 12-month program, which will continue with monthly coaching and support to embed a culture of culinary excellence.
