This week, we are introducing you to the four chefs of the Casey Station 78th ANARE who will be cooking up an absolute storm.
So, withourt further ado, let us introduce the dream team…
I’m Nick, the Casey winter chef. This will be my 7th winter, one at each of the four Australian stations. Every winter has been totally different, which is really weird as nothing ever changes. On my weekly playlist you’ll find a wide range of everything from Slipknot to Stone Sour and Audioslave to Chris Cornell, but very little else. On my days off, you’ll often find me in the sickbay, helping myself to the goodies. This inevitably means on my work days you’ll often find me in my room.
People often ask why I come to Antarctica so often. I guess in simple terms it’s because my mum bribes Noel Tennant into sending me here. One day there’ll be a base on Titan or Io, and she’ll be happy at last.
Here’s a pic of me at work. No wonder everyone’s appetite is so huge on station.
Anyway, mi casa es su casa (or igloo). Churr.
From Navy Galley to Antarctic icebox.
Ahoy there, I'm Ash, a summer chef at Casey Station. After 15 years of sailing the seven seas on Royal Australian Navy ships and most recently on STS Young Endeavour, I'm now swapping my florals and sandals for thermals and beanies. This transition from the Navy to the Antarctic, from the familiar sea to the remote icebox, is truly a once-in-a-lifetime adventure.
Cooking in the Casey kitchen is like being at sea, without the sea – which for me means no sea sickness or cooking on a 20-degree heel and having to say goodbye to the marine life often spotted outside my porthole. Instead, I see icebergs on the horizon and enjoy evenings watching the Adele penguins gather pebbles for their nest and lazy seals napping on the sea ice.
Feeding the expeditioners is not all that different from feeding sailors. One thing I learnt from my time in the Navy is that a happy crew is a well-fed crew, and that's just as true here as it was on ships.
Over the coming weeks, we will be scraping the bottom of the barrel while we wait for resupply, but we are on the right track to ensure that the kitchen is shipshape and serving first-rate meals.
Wish me luck while I learn the ropes and navigate the language of the landlubber or that everyone turns a blind eye to my nautical slang.
Fair winds and following seas – Chef Ash.
Hi, I’m Chef John.
I live in the lovely Adelaide Hills on a couple of acres with my wife, Marissa, and two children Thomas and Emily, two cats, and a dog, whom I all left to be here.
This is my first trip to the icy desert but embarking on this adventure means I have now stepped foot on all seven continents. I was inspired to come to Antarctica as a young boy by a Professor of Geology at Adelaide Uni, whom I use to do gardening and odd jobs for. His professor at Adelaide Uni was the man, Douglas Mawson himself. He had visited Antarctica when he was a younger man and despite coming home with a few less fingers and toes, had many interesting stories to tell. I like to travel.
Before I came to Antarctica, I had been running the Adelaide Hills and Victor Harbour Convention Centres, catering for wedding, cooperate events and that sort of stuff. Before that I ran my own little café and pizzeria in Lobethal with my wife for a few years after deciding to slow down after working many years in some of the best hotels around the world including Hayman Island Resort in the Whitsundays, The Dorchester Hotel, London and Palazzo Versace hotel on the Gold Coast, to name a few. I have been privileged enough to cook for many celebrities and royalty over my years, but now I’ll be cooking for the penguins.
Well, that’s me … Chef John.
Slainte, (Irish for Hello!)
Ultan Kiely, Irish by birth, from the County of Cork by the grace of God! First time in the seventh continent!
I have lived in Perth Western Australia since 2008 so I’m not even nearly a local!
I have worked in the UK and France. In France, I worked on board a 57-metre motor yacht for two years even though I suffered from motion sickness but getting to see new and exciting parts of the world while getting paid was a good trade off. Especially for a 20-something-year-old out exploring the world!
On board we sailed up and down the Mediterranean. The next season we headed westward and found ourselves in the Caribbean. We headed back for the third season and it was this point I gave up my sailing career.
Next was The Royal Cork Yacht Club, a fantastic experience filled with white knuckle rides and doldrums too!
So that brought me to 2008 where I decided to hit the road again. I ended up working for Crown Casino in Perth and that was a huge eye opener to a non-gambler like me!
When the opportunity to work here came up I applied, then I applied again and then, once more. Third time’s a charm!
There's a whole life packed in between the lines here but that’s big boring not waiting to be written.
Ultan.
Hi my name is Jacqui,
I am a mystery Denman Terrestrial Campaign chef, who came in and out of Casey from Bunger Hills like a ninja for three seasons in a row.
I’m Taiwan-born, Perth-bred with partial Japanese heritage from my dad’s side.
Never in my wildest dreams did I think I’d turn my passions of nutrition, diet and exercise into a cheffing career but here I am. I originally came from an environmental background as I studied conservation and land management at uni.
I am very fortunate and blessed to be heading south four times in two years to work with a bunch of incredible people that make my life so fulfilled.
Bye for now … Chef Jacqui
We hope you enjoyed meeting our new chefs. We are loving the food they are plating up so far!
