New cooks network is supporting LDC chefs to make compliant and tasty menus

Freya Lucas

Mar 05, 2025

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A new cooks network in the Victorian community of Brimbank is supporting long day care (LDC) cooks to be happy and successful in their roles. Open to chefs, cooks, managers or early learning staff members who prepare meals onsite at local LDC services, the IPC Health Cooks Network helps its members to learn easy ways to adapt menus for allergens and fussy eaters, share knowledge and experiences with fellow cooks and dietary professionals, find effective ways to add variety to meal planning, and boost their nutritional expertise.

“[We] have delivered healthy eating programs to kindergartens and childcare centres for many years and identified that chefs needed support to assess menus via a needs assessment,” IPC Health promotion officer Saira Karim shared with local news source Star Weekly.

“The new network will support chefs create new and culturally friendly recipes and regularly update menus that provide a variety of deliciously nutritious meals to children.”

St Albans’ Acacia Children’s Centre’s chef Czarina Battershell said she’s grateful for the support she’s received since joining the network.

“It is so exciting that IPC Health has created a program where us cooks and chefs have the opportunity to be part of a network in which we can relate and not feel so alone, share our challenges and improve our knowledge,” Ms Battershell said.

Would you like to learn more about the network? Email HPCS.Team@ipchealth.com.au

For the original coverage of this story please see here.

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