Each year we recognise the great work done by individuals and teams across our sector and publicly acknowledge them through our Awards for Excellence. 

We are pleased to be able to present you our 2025 State Winners who now go on to compete against each for the National Award titles set to be announced at next month’s National Conference. While there can only be one winner for each category, in a broader sense all our Award nominees are winners – because all have proven themselves as dedicated to going the extra mile in terms of work ethic and commitment to quality. They all truly are the unsung heroes of our industry and we extend our heartfelt congratulations and thanks for their efforts.

BRILLIANCE IN SERVICE

QLD/NSW: Hospitality Team, Whiddon Laurieton

The Hospitality Team consistently delivers exceptional service that enhances residents’ lives daily through creativity, collaboration and genuine care. Their dedication goes well beyond routine hospitality, creating immersive events and everyday moments that strengthen resident wellbeing, staff engagement and a true sense of home.

The team plays a central role in Laurieton’s monthly theme days – notably the annual Greek Day and other events such as Easter Show, Italian Night and Autumn Dance. They lead the development of themed menus which incorporate authentic flavours, cultural traditions and resident preferences, transforming dining into an experience that stimulates appetite, memory and conversation.

The menu planning for these events is a highly considered process requiring a significant time investment. Once finalised, close collaboration with the Wellbeing and Lifestyle and Maintenance Teams facilitates the design of the overall dining experience – from decorations and props to table settings and service style. Many elements are co-created with residents through craft activities, reinforcing connection and engagement.

The Team’s day to day service reflects this same commitment to respect, dignity and relationship based care. 

VIC: Jasmine Bhangu, Chef Manager, Providence Aged Care (Villa Maria Catholic Homes)

Jasmine consistently delivers beyond service expectations, placing residents’ individual needs, preferences and life experiences at the centre of everything she does. One example is her support of a resident who had low appetite and frequently refused meals. By taking the time to understand the resident’s past preferences, Jasmine identified a desire for simple homecooked meals. She worked with her team to introduce smaller portions and familiar dishes. With patience and encouragement, the resident’s appetite improved, resulting in noticeable benefits to both nutrition and mood.

Jasmine has also elevated the dining experience for residents through monthly multicultural menus including Chinese, German and Italian cuisine, special events such as Mother’s and Father’s Day to create memorable occasions, a multicultural calendar to celebrate cultural diversity, and a Garden to Plate program enabling residents to grow fresh produce and enjoy meals made from their own harvest.

Her impact is reflected in the deep trust she builds. One meaningful example is when a resident gifted Jasmine their mother’s handwritten recipes, describing them as a “treasure.” This gesture highlights the strong relationships Jasmine fosters and the emotional connection residents feel with her.

SA: Karamjeet Kaur Brar, Hospitality Assistant, Eldercare

Karamjeet always goes the extra mile to ensure her workplace is set for success and has a sunny disposition that all residents enjoy. She makes sure all her duties are achieved at the highest standard and shares her knowledge freely with other staff members.

Karamjeet is very respectful of residents and always willing to step up with any changes needed while supporting other staff when she sees them struggling. Recently she was speaking with a resident who did not feel like eating their dinner. Karamjeet offered the resident a variety of other choices which the resident declined. Eventually she was able to identified that the resident really desired a special omelette, which Karamjeet prepared to the resident’s delight.

WA: Godofredo (Jeff) San Diego, Chef Manager, St Vincent’s (Catholic Homes)

Jeff leads foodservices for 86 residents at St Vincent’s, with a strong focus on personalised resident-centred care. He takes time to understand each resident’s dietary, cultural and personal preferences, placing dignity and choice at the centre of dining.

Jeff regularly goes above and beyond by hosting breakfast clubs – each month 12 residents from across the facility are invited on a rotating basis to enjoy a full cooked breakfast together, with the aim of promoting social connection and interaction between residents from different wings. Feedback has been overwhelmingly positive, with residents expressing that they feel valued and listened to, and many have formed new friendships through the experience.

He also took the time to train residents as sous chefs for a MasterChef-style event, promoting inclusion and confidence and cooks for staff celebrations, contributing to a positive workplace culture and team morale.

LEADERSHIP

QLD/NSW: Aidan Rice, Head Chef & Catering Manager, Pindara Private Hospital, Ramsay Health Care

For over 15 years Aidan has demonstrated exceptional leadership through his commitment to people, operational excellence and patient-centred hospitality. Aidan is distinguished by his strong people-first approach: he recognises the strengths of individuals and actively nurtures their growth, creating an environment where staff feel valued, respected and empowered to succeed. Many team members who began their careers under his leadership have progressed into senior hospitality and leadership positions, reflecting the lasting impact of his mentorship and guidance.

He has developed and implemented comprehensive food safety programs that continue to be utilised across multiple Ramsay Health Care facilities while maintaining uninterrupted service and high standards.

During a significant operational disruption caused by Cyclone Alfred, Aidan coordinated contingency plans to ensure meal production could continue safely and efficiently while maintaining strict food safety standards. What stood out most was the way Aidan supported and reassured his team during a highly stressful period. Rather than allowing pressure to create panic, he created stability. He communicated clearly, delegated effectively and remained present alongside his staff throughout the disruption. His calm leadership gave his team confidence and ensured service continuity without compromising patient care.

VIC: Dineshkumar Subramani, Hotel Services Manager, Mecwacare

Dinesh combines chef expertise with strategic leadership to transform aged care dining at scale. Through initiatives like Mecwacare’s upcoming Meal Connect Project, Dinesh has modernised meal production, implemented standardised menus and pioneered AI-driven innovation in food services.

Dinesh actively mentors chef managers and hotel services teams, coaching and upskilling rather than simply directing to create a culture of continuous improvement and professional growth. He has implemented SOPs, audit frameworks and compliance systems across all kitchens by engaging teams in developing these standards.

His resident-first approach ensures quality, safety and dignity in dining while driving operational excellence, compliance and team development.

SA: Justin Spencer, Property, Project & Maintenance Manager, RSL Care SA

Justin demonstrates strong leadership through his proactive approach, calm decision making and unwavering commitment to residents, staff and operational excellence. Managing maintenance operations across multiple aged care and retirement living villages, he leads by examples and has built a highly capable team that consistently delivers prompt, high quality outcomes with minimal disruption or stress.

Justin ensures staff, residents, contractors and management are kept informed about maintenance works, timeless and priorities, creating trust and confidence across all sites. A strong example of his leadership was during the remodelling of one of RSL Care SA’s satellite kitchens. He carefully coordinated contractors, hospitality staff and maintenance teams while maintaining clear communication with residents and families throughout the project.

When unexpected challenges arose, Justin remained calmed and solutions-focused, adjusting schedules and resources quickly to keep the project on track without compromising resident comfort or safety. His ability to make informed decisions, manage competing priorities and maintain a resident focused approach has had a positive impact on both staff morale and resident satisfaction across the organisation.

WA: Lisa Lebeter & Sara Smith – Food Service Supervisors, Joondalup Health Campus, Ramsay Health Care

The Food Service Supervisor role at Joondalup health Campus played a pivotal role in transitioning to the room service catering model, which required rapid workforce expansion and a complete shift in service delivery. Faced with a high volume of applicants, Supervisors Lisa and Sara developed and implemented a streamlined recruitment and selection process, enabling efficient screening and onboarding without compromising quality.

Rather than relying on existing systems, they implemented new workflows, training approaches and rostering structures, enabling the team to successfully transition to a more complex and dynamic service environment. And recognising the impact of the change on staff, they provided hands-on support on the ground, coaching team members in real time and reinforcing confidence.

Following implementation, they led structured feedback collection and service reviews, ensuring staff insights were captured and used to further refine operations.

PROJECT OF THE YEAR

QLD/NSW: Hospitality Project – LDK Greenway Views

Launched in 2020 after the opening of Greenway Views, the LDK Greenway Views Hospitality Project encompasses all hospitality operations at the site, including café style venues, a full service restaurant, social bar, dining for less independent residents, inhome dining and flexible takeaway options. You can read more about it in this issue’s separate article.

VIC: National Food Safety Project – Regis Aged Care

The national digital transformation project for food safety operations across Regis Aged Care sites was developed to transition from fragmented, paper-based systems to a centralised digital platform that integrates food safety, procurement, menu management, allergen controls, IDDSI compliance, resident meal ordering and operational reporting into one connected ecosystem.

The scope of the project included the implementation of digital catering and food safety systems involving operational teams, chefs, dietitians, procurement, auditors, IT providers and frontline staff. The focus was on improving operational consistency while still allowing sites flexibility to customise menus and services to meet resident preferences and individual home requirements.

Key outcomes achieved include reduction in food safety audit times from full day audits to under three hours through digital records and auditor dashboard access; improved food safety visibility and realtime monitoring across sites nationally; strengthened allergen management and IDDSI compliance; greater consistency in menus, recipes and procurement processes; and improved audit readiness and transparency during third party and council audits.

WA Runner-up: Family and Friends Menu – St John of God Murdoch Catering Department

Initiated by Catering Manager Justin Stubley as a way to provide more options to hospital visitors, the Family and Friends Menu utilises options from the room service menu to give visitors the opportunity to order a meal while staying at a patient’s bedside, making it easier for them to provide comfort and support at vulnerable times without having to seek their own meals within the hospital precinct. This meal service also supports the ward staff by giving them the reassurance that someone is in attendance with the patient, enabling them to focus on clinical priorities.

While increased revenue was not the driving force behind this project, it has generated average revenue of $5K per month, with 30 per cent of proceeds being donated to St John of God’s Charity of the Year – the Djaalinj Waakinj (Listening and Hearing) Program, which provides essential surgery at no cost for Aboriginal children suffering severe ear infections.

The menu was initially trialled on two wards to identify demand and determine what the operational impact would be on the kitchen. In September 2025 it was rolled out to all wards of the hospital, with a further roll out this year to caregivers and managers who can order from their work location with options for delivery or collection.

SA: ACH Nutritional Factsheet Suite – Michael Dobie, Dietitian Lead, ACH

The ACH Nutritional Factsheet project was developed to improve nutrition understanding and support consistent, evidence-based care across ACH communities by translating clinical dietetic knowledge into clear, practical information that could be easily understood and applied by residents, staff and families.

The project involved identifying common nutrition-related challenges within aged care and developing targeted factsheets on key topics such as boosting nutrition, diabetes management and gastrointestinal health. The resources were designed for organisation-wide use and published on the ACH Groups page to ensure broad accessibility.

Dietitian Lead Michael Dobie was tasked with creating the factsheets, which have resulted in improved staff confidence and capability, greater consistency in nutrition messaging, increased resident and family engagement, better interdisciplinary collaboration and improved operational efficiency and sustainability.

WA Winner: Resident MasterChef Project – Vivek Shetty & Stephanie Ellwood, Catholic Homes

The Resident MasterChef Project, led by Vivek Shetty and Stephanie Ellwood, was a multisite, resident-led initiative developed over several months in the lead up to Nutrition and Hydration Week with the goal of ensuring dining was engaging, meaningful and participatory while promoting nutrition, hydration and autonomy in line with the strengthened Aged Care Standard 6.

Over several months, residents across five sites prepared for a MasterChef style event by growing herbs, designing table settings and training alongside chefs. The project empowered residents to showcase their skills and fostered autonomy and community connection across five sites. Families participated as judges, creating opportunities for meaningful engagement not only with their loved ones but with other residents, staff and the broader community.

The initiative also included complementary educational and interactive elements such as dietitian-led nutrition sessions, smoothie demonstrations, quizzes and creative activities, all reinforcing knowledge around healthy ageing.

SUSTAINABILITY

QLD/NSW: Dietetics and Food Services Team, STARS (Metro North Health)

STARS has led a transformative system-wide approach to sustainability within Metro North Health HHS, embedding waste reduction and resource efficiency into everyday healthcare hospitality operations.

The STARS Dietetics and Food Services Team partnered with Environment and Waste Services to design and scale an organic waste recycling initiative now implemented across Metro North Health hospitals. In addition to diverting over 14 tonnes of food waste from landfill every month (more than 150 tonnes  per year), STARS introduced a dedicated prep waste segregation program last year which captures waste at the source during food production, diverting an average of 8kg of organic waste and 4.5kg of recyclable material per day, reducing contamination and improving the quality of all waste streams.

Complementing this, STARS has expanded reusable initiatives across food services including increased use of reusable service ware and containers, bulk storage practices to reduce packaging and improved stock rotation to prevent spoilage. These actions minimise single use items and unnecessary product waste while maintaining high standards of food safety and service.

VIC: Support Services Team, Monash Health Clayton

Victoria’s first food and packaging recycling program in healthcare has set a new benchmark for sustainability across the state’s health system. The initiative reduces landfill waste by separating food organics and recyclable packaging at source, supports circular economy outcomes and lowers carbon emissions.

With the increasing use of portion control items, Monash Health identified around 40 items destined for landfill which, in partnership with Veolia, are now successfully diverted into the combined organics and packaging or commingled waste stream, reducing landfill volumes and supporting more efficient resource use in line with sustainability goals.

A key strength of the program is its simplicity. Designed to fit within existing spaces, it replaces the standard organics bin with a combined bin which takes organics and packaging, removing the need for additional bins in tight environments. This has improved waste segregation compliance and significantly reduced contamination, ensuring improved separation and processing.

SA: Food Service Department, Lyell McEwin Hospital (NALHN)

The WasteMaster onsite food wastage dehydration program has changed the day to day workflow of LMH’s foodservice operation. Under the previous model, food waste was collected as mixed waste in general refuse bags – heavy, odorous and sent directly to landfill. Today food waste is separated at the tray return line, loaded directly into a WasteMaster unit and dehydrated onsite before collection.

This has resulted in a more than 80 per cent reduction in the weight and volume of food waste, making loads easier to handle, safer for staff and requiring fewer collections. As dehydrated food waste is odourless and pathogen-reduced, hygiene in the waste storage area has been improved, reducing the cleaning burden associated with wet food waste.

One hundred per cent of the dehydrated output is collected and converted to compost, supporting local soil health and food production. The WasteMaster systems log weight processed per cycle, giving LMH its first-ever baseline data on food waste volumes, thereby enabling targeted prevention rather than passive disposal.

WA: Fiona Stanley Fremantle Hospitals Group

The portion control unit reutilisation initiative is an innovative, collaborative and measurable sustainability collaboration between the patient support services catering, dietitians, infection prevention and control, hospitality teams and ward stakeholders at Fiona Stanley Fremantle Hospitals Group. It focuses on creating smarter systems for stock utilisation, ordering accountability and waste reduction.

The initiative reduced average monthly food donations and wastage from approximately 601 kg to between 3-11 kg per month, representing a reduction of more than 98 per cent in avoidable food wastage and generating sustained savings of approximately $7000 per month. It also created broader operational improvements by strengthening inventory control, improving staff awareness around sustainability and embedding waste reduction practices into everyday operations.

VALUES IN ACTION Customer Service

QLD/NSW: Marjorie Barty, Housekeeping Assistant, Pindara Private Hospital

A dedicated member of the housekeeping team at Pindarra Private for more than 28 years, Marjorie is known for her compassion, warmth and unwavering professionalism. She consistently goes beyond her role to create comfort and dignity for patients, particularly those undergoing cancer treatment.

Through exceptional customer service, empathy and strong collaboration with staff across all departments, Marjorie has had a profound impacts on patients and the hospital. Patients frequently describe her as one of the most comforting and reassuring people they encounter during their hospital stay.

She takes the time to acknowledge people personally, remembering familiar faces, offering words of encouragement and creating meaningful human connections through even the simplest interactions. Many longterm oncology patients look forward to seeing her each day because she brings positivity, familiarity and emotional reassurance into their environment.

VIC: Petria Falconer, Help Desk Manager, Compass Group Australia, New Footscray Hospital

Petria has played a pivotal role in establishing the New Footscray Hospital Help Desk as the facility’s operational central nervous system. Through strong system implementation, visible leadership and unwavering customer focus, she has ensured seamless task coordination across all support services.

Over the past 12 months Petria has established the Help Desk systems and workflows that underpin task allocation, service requests and operational communication across the hospital, ensuring processes were clear, responsive and aligned to clinical needs.

She has worked extended hours during the commissioning and early operations to provide onsite leadership and realtime problem solving, ensuring continuity of service and helping to build stakeholder confidence in the Help Desk systems.

SA: Rona Salvacion, Catering Manager, RSL Care SA

Rona stepped into the Catering Manager role at RSL Care SA’s War Veterans Home with limited experience but strong enthusiasm and has built a cohesive and motivated team. Rona is focused on residents, ensuring meals are enjoyable, nutritious and meet dietary needs while emphasising high presentation standards.

She takes the time to understand individual resident preferences, dietary requirements and personal histories. Her willingness to engage directly with residents, welcoming feedback, acting on suggestions and involving them in menu ideas has fostered a strong sense of inclusion and respect.

Residents feel comfortable sharing their thoughts with Rona, knowing they will be listened to and taken seriously. This is reflected in the overwhelmingly positive feedback she receives and the notable absence of food-related complaints, which is a remarkable achievement.

WA: Susan Graham, Team Leader, Fremantle Hospital

Susan’s proactive approach as team leader has reduced meal service errors, improved patient satisfaction and strengthened staff capability, ensuring high standards of food safety and care are consistently supported within the catering department. She communicates with dietitians and meal assistants to clarify dietary requirements, resolve meal-related issues and ensure correct procedures are followed, while also providing guidance and on the job training to menu assistants to improve their knowledge and confidence.

Through her inclusive leadership style, Susan fosters a culture of respect and collaboration, strengthening team morale and promoting a sense of belonging. Her work practices deliver positive outcomes for both staff and patients by supporting efficient and effective kitchen operations, encouraging open communication and teamwork and promoting a consistent, high quality patient experience.

Susan played a key role in the development of the Kitchen Workplace Charter. Her drive and commitment to improving workplace culture were instrumental in setting up clear expectations around teamwork, safety, communication and continuous improvement. This initiative has strengthened collaboration and built a stronger, more unified team.