The Great Catholic Healthcare Cook Off

It all started with baked custard. At a recent resident feedback meeting at Catholic Healthcare’s Emmaus Village in Kemps Creek, there was a discussion on the food and what everyone liked best. One of the residents, Margaret, said “The Chef can’t cook a baked custard. My baked custard is much better!”

To which General Manager, Andrew Kinkade replied, “Excellent Margaret! I’ll be back here in a few weeks. We are going to have a cook-off of baked custards. And if your custard is voted best, we’ll add it to our menu nationally”.

So, the challenge was set and the stakes were high.

Last week, the big day finally arrived.

Margaret, who is 88 years old, hardly slept the night before. “I was trying to count how many eggs I’d need,” says Margaret whose mother was a chef who cooked for several notable Australians including a prime minister. 

For the judging, 40 residents were given blue plates and red plates and blue and red voting cards to put in a basket to vote for their favourite. After several recounts, the resident vote was in favour of Emmaus Village Chef George’s custard (only just), but Margaret was presented with a trophy and flowers as the first ever Resident Chef.

“Margaret and the kitchen team were fabulous,” said Andrew. “It was a lot of fun in the kitchen, watching Margaret preparing her ingredients, directing our chefs and enjoying herself.

“It was wonderful to have all our residents participating in judging the best baked custard. This was our first Resident versus Chef cook-off and I’m sure it won’t be our last!”

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