Seymour Health’s kitchen is where Katherine Thomas shows off her cooking skills, making morning teas, meals and many desserts for the staff and patients of the hospital.
But little did she know that her passion for cooking would earn her some silverware.
Ms Thomas’ cooking, inspired by her Filipino heritage, won her a bronze medal at the Victoria-wide Aus-TAFE Culinary Trophy.
The humble Filipino dish inasal inspired Ms Thomas for the challenge of making a main dish with chicken.
“I made inspired inasal from the Philippines, but I call it lemongrass roasted chicken, made with the Maryland part of the chicken,” she said.
“It also has, we call it Java rice in the Philippines but call it turmeric rice with annatto paste here, with blanched asparagus.”
Seymour Health hotel and food services manager Annette Kennedy said she was very happy when Ms Thomas asked for time off after the competition to celebrate her achievement with her family.
“When she showed me why she wanted time off, I got very very excited for her,” she said.
“I love to see people expand their knowledge and this young lady deserves every chance she gets.”
Among 67 contestants from all around Victoria, Ms Thomas took the bronze medal home, but the competition was not easy.
Her main dish was in the oven and her entrée had cooked on the stove. However, it wasn’t until 10 minutes before she had to plate up her chicken that she realised the oven and stove were connected and when she had turned the stove off, the oven was turned off as well.
By that point, Ms Thomas was sure she wasn’t going to win anything, but she refused to serve the chicken raw.
“The judges said we have to dish up, so I was like, ‘I don’t care if I’m not winning, I will never serve this chicken raw’,” she said.
“I will cook it whatever it takes, that's what my thought was. (I would) definitely lose anyway if (I) serve raw.”
She said she was surprised when her name was called because she was five minutes late serving her dish.
“Every minute, I think it’s two points (deduction) and I’m five minutes late,” she said.
“I said to my family ‘I think I will never get anything’, but I'm happy that I served what I wanted.”
Ms Thompson grew up in Mindanao, in the southern part of the Philippines, where she learnt to cook from her father.
The Philippines has a tradition called fiesta, a vibrant celebration of either a patron saint or a foundation of a town.
It involves colourful parades, dances on the streets and, of course, a large table full of food in the majority of households.
“When I was a kid, my dad usually cooked during festivals,” Ms Thomas said.
“My dad is a cook, so someone will hire him (during festivals) and I’m the one who follows and keeps chopping.
“I’m the one that’s like a kitchen hand.
“That inspired me and I thought I like this job.
“The kitchen is like my play area.”
Now that Ms Thomas has achieved a big goal, she is ready for what the future brings.
“I’m a bit ambitious,” she said.
“Next year, I’m planning to study pâtisserie, which is baking.
“I’m starving for knowledge, I want to learn more, but I’m still here (Seymour Health).
“I’m happy here.”