Ballan chef ready to start cooking with the stars

Hospitality worker Sarah Griffiths leaves Ballan later this month for the Barossa Valley, where she’ll learn from one of her culinary heroes.

She has earned a scholarship to the Creating an Appetite For Life education program, a three-day interactive course with celebrity cook Maggie Beer.

“I was at work when I got the call that I had the scholarship and I was in disbelief,” Ms Griffiths said.

“I’m very excited. I love Maggie Beer.”

Ms Griffiths has toiled in hospitality for 15 years but recently started working in the kitchen at Ballan Community Health’s aged-care hospital.

She’s one of 30 chefs and cooks from aged-care centres in Victoria selected to attend the event, where those on the front line of the industry will discuss ideas and challenges.

“Working in aged care is different from where I’ve worked in the past, but I really enjoy it,” Ms Griffiths said.

“I’m keen to learn more about cooking and presenting food in creative ways for our [residents].”

The program, run by the Maggie Beer Foundation, will have participants sharing a dinner at Ms Beer’s home and rolling up their sleeves for hands-on cooking sessions with HammondCare executive chef Peter Morgan Jones and Ms Beer’s co-host on the TV program The Cook and the Chef, Simon Bryant.

Details: www.maggiebeerfoundation.org.au