Last month in Sydney we filmed the last three episodes for our training modules that we are developing with Altura. This is creating much excitement as there will be 11 modules in total, they will be available sometime after October this year and distributed by Altura to, we hope, several thousand cooks and chefs in Aged Care Homes. You can register your interest here. Whilst the filming has had many wonderful moments, it’s also been exhausting work, only made possible by working with a wonderful team of people.
However, two of the last three filming days created more of a storm than ever. There was a great photo taken of Simon Bryant, my great friend from Cook and the Chef, and myself at the bench filming our own ‘cook and the chef’ for all the cooks and chefs of Aged Care. It was so amazing how it’s over ten years since we finished filming the ABC series, Cook and the Chef.
Many of you know that it’s continually repeated now on SBS so wherever I travel (when travelling was possible), people always tell me their stories of so often having viewed the whole 150 episodes we made over four years. There was always so much laughter but also real learning from each other over those years and the truly wonderful thing was we simply slipped into the same rhythm of working together over the two days in the most effortless way. I can’t thank Simon enough for not only giving up his time but giving me his energy, knowledge and wisdom all with great slabs of cheekiness!
I’m told the photo went viral and the ABC picked it up; the ABC National Drive Show the Monday after we filmed interviewed us both online for some 8 minutes at that prime time, talking about the experience. Simon’s comments were so en pointe as ever, joining me in saying how much we respected how hard the cooks and chefs in aged care worked and how we both wanted to share as much knowledge and give as much support as we can, knowing that the cook or chef with the specialised knowledge and backing of the management team can do more than anyone to make more of a difference to the residents in their care.
Sadly, we find ourselves with New South Wales in such difficulty that has such an effect on families, business and all our residents and staff in Aged Care. The fact that it is travelling through to other States, it’s hard to know where this will finish so personally, I can only encourage everyone who can to have vaccinations so we can find a way through this protecting as many people as possible. I send my very best wishes to everyone, Maggie