Cooking up a career: How work experience led Arthur to his dream job

When 18-year-old Arthur Robinson first stepped into the kitchens at Sunrise Supported Living Tuncurry retirement village on the NSW Mid North Coast as a year 10 work experience student, he had no idea how much it would shape his future. Two years later, he is completing his chef’s apprenticeship under the guidance of his mentor and Head Chef, David Clifton, and he could not be happier.

“I always wanted to be a chef since I was little,” Arthur says. “As soon as I had the opportunity to work in a real kitchen, I just fell in love with it. The staff here are great and the residents make it such a rewarding place to be.”

Sunrise Supported Living Tuncurry operates an assisted living model, where residents can choose to eat in the dining room whenever they wish, rather than cooking for themselves, and enjoy freshly prepared meals made by Arthur and David in the on-site kitchen.

Arthur’s journey began with simple prep work, but he quickly proved himself eager to learn. Today, his skills have grown significantly, from mastering desserts like a classic sponge cake and triple chocolate brownies to preparing the dining room’s most popular meal of the week, the roast lunch.

Roast lunches on Wednesdays and Sundays are a highlight for both residents and Arthur. “I love doing the Sunday lamb. The smell when it’s roasting with all the veggies is just amazing,” he says.

Knife work has been one of his biggest areas of growth, thanks in large part to Dave’s mentoring. “Arthur had a tendency to cut at a funny angle,” Dave laughs, “but he’s worked hard on it. Now he’s producing nice, clean cuts, just the way a chef should.”

For Arthur, the experience is about more than just food. “I’ve learned so much from the residents, too. Their life stories really intrigue me. Almost every person here has something completely different to share and I love listening and learning from them.”

Sunrise Supported Living is a retirement village, which means the kitchen team has greater flexibility with its menus. Residents are invited to contribute their favourite recipes and ideas and many have found their way onto the menu. “It’s important to serve them what they want,” Dave explains. “And it’s easier when they tell us directly.”

Special themed events, such as restaurant nights, add another dimension to the kitchen’s work. The recent Spring Ball, with live music, finger food and dancing, brought the Sunrise community together and gave Arthur a chance to try out new dishes.

Arthur balances his apprenticeship with weekly TAFE studies, and while he hopes to keep learning at Sunrise for a few more years, he also has big ambitions to one day work in larger kitchens.

For now, though, he remains a much-loved member of the Sunrise team. “He’s happiest when he gets to cook something from scratch. You can see the pride in his work,” says Dave.

When asked if he would encourage other young people to try working in aged care and retirement living communities, Arthur is quick to say yes. “You meet so many great people here,” he says. “It’s a really good opportunity, and it teaches you more than just cooking. It teaches you about life.”