Chef role adds flavour to Luisa’s life

Chef Luisa Brito has always valued Juniper’s support, and the work/life balance of her role so she could raise a family and turn a passion for cooking into a long-term career.

“Juniper has always been accommodating,” Luisa said. “It’s a good team to work with, we’re always improving and introducing more things, more choices with new events and functions,” Luisa said.

For more than two decades, Luisa has prepped, measured, cooked and baked at Juniper Rowethorpe in Bentley.

Originally from South America, Luisa grew up with the delicious aroma of freshly made bread each day, as half the family home was dedicated to her dad’s bakery business.

That fondness for baking stayed with Luisa over the years and became a bigger part of her life when she migrated to Australia with her husband in the 1980s.

After welcoming two of their three daughters in Sydney, the couple moved the family to Western Australia for work opportunities including stints at mining towns Laverton and Leinster.

When her youngsters reached school age, Luisa completed a Certificate 3 in Commercial Cooking at Eastern Goldfields College and later childcare studies.

Deciding cooking was what she enjoyed most, Luisa started working in aged care and loved interacting with customers.

“I felt like this is what I wanted to do,” Luisa said.
When the family shifted to Perth, Luisa perfectly timed a visit to the hospitality offices at Juniper Rowethorpe as a kitchenhand role was available, which she carried out for those first three years and then moved up to a chef position.

“This job helped a lot as Juniper was very flexible, as I could take the kids to school and start work later,” Luisa said.

“I really enjoy the work – it’s what I’ve wanted to do in my life.”

Rotating through different aspects of meal preparation, cooking and baking such as pastries, meat dishes and vegetables as well as her love of cooking desserts continues to keep her role an enjoyable one.

Taste sensations like Milo and chocolate muffins, chocolate cake, apple pie and apple crumble are just of the few of sweet treats Luisa loves preparing for customers.

“I love interacting with residents – I feel happy when the residents are happy,” she said.