This week we hear from our four chefs on station for the Casey summer
From Matt...
The Casey 79th kitchen…what do you get when you put four different people in a remote kitchen that feels 1m by 1m on the edge of Antarctica? Laughter, chaos, and an amazing experience! We have done elaborate canapés, BBQs in the snow and a Christmas feast to feed 1000 - and we wouldn’t have it any other way.
Born in the south coast and never moving too far from home, I’ve spent half my life working in restaurants, starting in the kitchen at the tender age of 14 and working my way up through the ranks. Specialising in seafood, I’ve spent the last 6 years as the executive chef but was looking for a change and anyone that knows me knows ‘you go big or you go home!’
So with a burn for adventure and Antarctica in my sights, here we are. It has been the best decision I’ve ever made. It’s been a great summer season. I have had pleasure to work with amazing chefs and learn new skills - if you ask them but, I’m just a tad bit of a cyclone! As we wrap up the summer season, the others chefs will leave as I head in to winter, and their voices will be there telling me to just slow down and ‘that doesn’t go there!’
From Noora...
I’m Noora, born and raised in the other dark, snow and ice filled corner of the world, Finland. I have always loved travelling, that’s what brought me to Australia in the first place, so when the opportunity to work in Antarctica came up, the decision was easy. Additionally, after more than a decade in the heat of fine dining kitchens and Canberra summers, I thought that a season in Antarctica would give me a decent chance to cool down for a minute.
I haven’t previously worked in a remote context, so there was definitely a learning curve early in the season, but the summer at Casey has been an incredible experience. The team of chefs, everyone on station, and the environment have all exceeded my expectations. And although this is only my first season, hopefully it won’t be the last.
The sun is slowly starting to creep below the horizon as we move towards winter at Casey. We’ve just had a fresh dump of snow a few days ago and I’ve been making the most out of the powder on the ski loop behind the station. The seals and malting Adelie penguins keep us company while we explore the icy continent, embracing the final weeks of summer.
From Brooke...
From the Top End to the Bottom
Most people would be surprised to hear I was born and bred in the west of Melbourne, and I don’t know a thing about AFL.
Brooke’s short life story:
I was always itchy (PMU don’t know, so don’t tell), and I felt that ‘burb life wasn’t for me. As soon as I was broke enough, I absconded overseas to the UK to utilise my working rights (thanks, Mum). That was the beginning of 30 addresses and countless chef gigs all over the east coast of Australia on my return. I was always chasing warmer climates.
After stepping foot in the Top End about 12 years ago — which led me to work on cattle stations, in remote tourist lodges, and in mineral exploration camps — I decided the gypsy life wasn’t for me anymore. So I bought an apartment in Darwin and decided to settle down.
Hahaha. Jokes on you, Brooke! Staying put was never going to work.
In the middle of the wet season build-up, I thought freezing to death had to be better than drowning in humidity. In some ways I was right, and in some ways, I was wrong. Walking in snow was harder than it looks. Survival training in -18°C was not going to make me stronger — it just made me question what I had done in my past life to deserve it.
BUT… meeting the most amazing bunch of humans, working in a team of supportive and highly skilled chefs, and stalking penguins and seals like my life depended on it has been the most rewarding and honourable experience.
I was right about something — finally!
Leaving time is fast approaching, and I’ll depart with a mind full of memories, a heart full of gushy stuff, and a belly full of the biggest laughs (and cake).
Thanks to the special people — you know who you all are. And if you don’t, that’s not my fault.
From Wilber...
Hi! I’m Wilber, and I’m one of the 2025 summer chefs at Casey Station.
I grew up in Mumbai, a city full of chaos, noise, people and incredible food. As a kid, I figured out a very important life hack early on. If I liked eating something, I could learn how to cook it, and then eat heaps of it. That logic has served me well ever since. I spent hours watching cooking shows and experimenting at home, and by the age of ten I was already cooking meals with my mum, mostly so I could eat more of my favourite things. Cooking was always part of my childhood, but becoming a chef was never the plan. After school, I studied physics, chemistry and maths at university, where I quickly learned two important things. Science was not for me, and I was much happier thinking about food. With some career guidance and a healthy dose of honesty, I went to culinary school, and everything changed. For the first time, I loved going to class. Learning from great teachers and mentors helped shape my passion for being a chef and confirmed that this was exactly where I was meant to be.
My career has since taken me through five-star hotels in Mumbai, cruise ships around the world, and fine dining restaurants in Adelaide, which I now call home. No matter where I have worked, one thing has always stayed the same. I love cooking for people and watching them enjoy the food. Even in my free time, I enjoy inviting friends over, cooking for them, and sharing good conversation around a full table, which feels surprisingly similar to cooking at Casey, just with fewer supermarkets nearby.
I love travelling for food, thinking about food and talking about food. I don’t just eat to live, I genuinely live to eat. When I’m not focused on food, I’m usually outdoors. I love wide open spaces and the natural world, which feels slightly ironic given I grew up in a city of over 20 million people. Scuba diving is a newer passion of mine, and the ocean plays a big role in my life. I can’t imagine living anywhere without it, even if the water here is best admired from a distance.
Coming to Antarctica had been a dream of mine ever since I saw an advertisement for a chef vacancy. My love for the unexplored natural world drew me towards it, and it felt like being a chef with real purpose. I still remember the video call from Noel Tennant asking how I felt about heading to Casey as the summer chef. After receiving the offer, I felt both excited and nervous, but those nerves quickly faded once I arrived.
I am naturally a calm person, especially under pressure, which has been useful throughout a demanding career. Being a chef comes with long hours, busy seasons and the risk of burnout, but my love for cooking always brings me back. I have been grateful for the opportunity to contribute to the Casey community, share my love of food, and even run a cooking workshop for other staff.
Now that it’s time to say goodbye, it feels genuinely sad to leave. This place has warmth. It feels like home, made special by the incredible people who live and work here together. I came for the adventure, but I’ll leave missing the people and the shared meals the most.
