There’s something that happens at lunchtime at Youth Futures Community School that you might not find at many other schools.
Students come back for seconds. They ask for the recipe. They say thank you.
It sounds simple. But when you understand the young people we work with — many of whom are navigating real challenges in their lives — those small moments mean a lot. And behind them, every single day, are two people who take their role seriously: our school chefs, Janice and Lisa.
For Janice, cooking has always started at home. Her mum worked in a restaurant when she was younger and would come home and make beautiful things — pork fillet with mushroom sauce, carrot cake, jelly sponge with cream, scones. “Just very traditional cooking, really,” Janice says.
That warmth has followed her into the school kitchen. Ask her to describe her cooking style in three words and she doesn’t hesitate: traditional home cooking.
Her signature dish? Sausage rolls. “They love them,” she says, with the quiet satisfaction of someone who’s watched a tray disappear in under a minute. Guacamole and garlic bread gets the same treatment — “gone in seconds.”
But Janice’s role goes beyond filling plates. When students were completing their Certificate II and needed to work in a kitchen, Janice was there — not doing it for them, but guiding them through, letting them find their feet. “I’d just guide them through the kitchen to help them make whatever dish they had to make.”
She’s also quietly persistent when it comes to introducing new things. Thai green curry was a tough sell at first. Now? “Are you making that again?” The trick, she says, is patience. “Once they’ve gotten used to me, they’re quite all right.”
When asked what she hopes students feel when they eat her food, the answer is immediate. “Contentment. To feel happy.”
And her message to young people about food and nourishment? “Make sure you eat healthy. Lots of greens, fruits and veggies. Stay away from junk food.”
Simple. Warm. Exactly like the food.
Lisa never set out to be a cook. It was curiosity that got her — discovering new dishes from other countries and wanting to recreate everything delicious she’d come across. Her cooking reflects that sense of adventure: Italian at the core (she’s been making spaghetti bolognaise since she was nine years old), Asian-influenced from teenage years spent in China, and lately, Mexican-inclined. “The students LOVE Taco Tuesday,” she says.
Her philosophy is straightforward: “Do my very best with the ingredients I have and the time I have to prepare it.” And never take it personally when something new doesn’t land. She knows this well. “I’m looking at you, soup.”
But the wins make it worth it. Her most surprising success? Focaccia with Napoli sauce, served at winter recess. “I assumed this dish would be a fail,” she admits. “I was SO surprised when they enjoyed it and kept asking me to make it again.”
It’s a sentiment echoed by Kerry-Ann, Head of School at Midland: “She is so good at bringing in young people to work in the kitchen, which gives them such a sense of purpose.”
For Lisa, the best moments are when a student who’s usually particular tries something new and discovers they love it. And she’s not above a good kitchen secret: a few drops of soy sauce when you need a boost of salt. “I always feel guilty when I do this to Italian meals, but it works wonderfully.”
Her advice to young people who want to cook? “Watch a video tutorial. It shows you how food should look as it’s being cooked and can help make it seem less complicated.”
Both Janice and Lisa understand something instinctively that research backs up: food is about far more than nutrition. It’s routine, comfort, and connection. As Lisa puts it, “it keeps the hangry away and regulates everyone as an enjoyable daily routine.”
The students themselves say it best. When Liam joined Youth Futures this year, he was asked what his friend had told him to expect. His answer? “Good teachers, less people in the class. Free food.” He wasn’t wrong — rattling off the menu with obvious enthusiasm: “We get sushi, hot dogs, pancakes. Fruit and salad for lunch every day.” And Kai, reflecting on what he’s most grateful for at the school, put it simply: “The teachers are nice and the school gives us food.”
In a school where many students arrive carrying stress, uncertainty, or simply hunger, a warm meal made by someone who genuinely cares is part of how we help young people feel safe enough to learn. That’s not a small thing. That’s foundational.
So next time you hear a student say they came back for seconds — now you know who to thank
Student names have been changed to protect privacy.
