Will takes working in aged care over fine dining any day

While Juniper Chef Manager Will Keding has years of working in fine dining behind him, the reward of working in aged care is the icing on the cake.

Part of a team of 15 staff at Juniper’s Rowethorpe Catering hub in Bentley, Will balances administration tasks with staffing, but always enjoys “getting back on the tools” in the kitchen.

He developed an interest in cooking from about age seven, accompanying his mum on shifts at the Second Avenue Nursing Home where she worked as a chef.

“Mum would take me along instead of having a babysitter – I loved the banter, I loved the vibe of the kitchen,” he said.

“They would put you to work too, I remember washing the head chef’s car and peeling spuds.”

After high school, Will started an apprenticeship and spent each of his five-year stint at a different restaurant including prestigious names such as Cocos and Bistro Felix to improve his overall skillset.

Post apprenticeship, Will worked as a pastry chef at revered Jacksons fine dining restaurant in Highgate where “high pressure, long days where everything was created from scratch” were part of the job.

Following close to a decade of working in fine dining, he moved to the health sector several years ago.

A chance to diversify his skills resulted in Will studying human resources, but all the while he kept up his interesting in catering by taking on temporary roles in the aged care sector.

Enjoying the mix of the two, he started spotting management positions in aged care and made the move to a full-time aged care role about six years ago.

“What brought me to aged care is that it’s more rewarding and there’s more appreciation – people are looking forward to their meals,” Will said. “You go home at the end of the day, and you feel a bit more rewarded.”

Another highlight of Will’s job is interacting with residents to find out more about them. To gather feedback, you will find Will at events like Juniper’s monthly Chef’s Table get-togethers where residents trial new dishes for an upcoming seasonal menu.

With the endless creativity he brings to the Chef Manager role, Will looks set to continue relishing the mix of management skills and cooking skills for a long time to come.

“It’s a very challenging role … but I’m very fortunate to have a lot of support and if you’re stumped, you can always get a bit of advice or assistance,” Will said.