Food in residential aged care has a bad reputation yet chefs David Martin and Harry Shen, of St Vincent's Care Services Kew, a luxurious new aged care home 5km east of the Melbourne CBD, have shone the torch for the sector against some of the world's top chefs from London's The Dorchester, London Marriott Hotel Park Lane, Harrods, Hilton London Bankside, and French hotel Auberge du Lac.
David and Harry won the following medals and commendations at the 2024 International Culinaire Salon, part of Food Drink and Hospitality Week in London on 25-27 March 2024.
- Silver medal: Mystery Grand Prix Basket (Hard Category) - 2nd in Class against 16 Teams (One-hour time limit, two rounds),
- Silver medal: Tilda National Team Chef of the Year 2024 - 2nd in Class against 8 international Teams (45 minutes), and
- Highly Commended: Waitrose National Team Chef of the 2024 - (One-hour).
"The judges were blown away by what we are serving our community every single day," St Vincent's Care said.
In the National Team Chef of the Year category, the duo were asked to make a dish consisting 50% of rice and 25% of a food by-product that would otherwise have been discarded. The team made a coconut rice pudding with crème brulée topping, popped rice and compressed pineapple core. They carved the pineapple husk into a spoon and bowl, using them to serve the dessert.
Food has been derided in aged care, with the Royal Commission into Aged Care Quality and Safety citing research showing some providers were spending as little as $6 per bed per day on food, resulting in the Morrison Government introducing a $10 Basic Daily Fee Supplement (which became the Hotelling Supplement) which was intended to improve nutrition in aged care.
St Vincent's Care Services Kew spends $67.23 per bed per day on food, 82% more than the sector average of $36.89.