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From homemade favourites to beautifully presented high teas, Kitchen Manager Tayla is showing how aged care dining can bring people together at Sundale Coolum Waters.
Long before residents gather for lunch at Sundale Coolum Waters Care Centre, the kitchen is already busy. Some mornings, the aroma of Tayla’s homemade lemon slice fills the air.
As residents arrive, familiar faces find their places around the tables, conversations begin and attention turns to what’s on the menu.
“It’s a really intimate dining experience,” says Kitchen Manager Tayla. “Most of our residents come out and sit together for lunch. As they’re walking through, they’ll see the food in the bain-marie and it becomes a talking point.”
For Tayla, those conversations are as important as the meals themselves.
Making aged care dining something to look forward to
Food plays an important role in everyday life, and a positive dining experience is about much more than what appears on the plate.
At Coolum Waters Care Centre, freshly prepared meals, homemade desserts and familiar favourites help make mealtimes enjoyable. Residents can share lunch with friends, welcome family members to the table and enjoy the pleasure of a meal prepared with care.
Tayla’s favourites include homemade lemon slice, sticky date pudding and beef and Guinness pie.
“It’s just making the residents happy,” she says. “Food is a big part of everyone’s life, and if they can have a nice meal, then that’s all that matters.”
For families who may be wondering what food in aged care is really like, Tayla is happy for them to experience it firsthand.
“We’re always happy for families to stay,” she says. “I love that they can come in, sit with their loved one and see exactly what Mum or Dad is eating.”
Celebrating life’s special occasions through food
Some of the kitchen team’s most memorable moments happen when the everyday dining room becomes a place for celebration.
Throughout the year, special high teas mark occasions such as Mother’s Day and Valentine’s Day. Tiered stands of delicate sandwiches, handmade slices and decorated cakes bring something different to the table, while flowers and familiar faces help create a festive atmosphere.
“There is something really special about seeing people’s reactions,” Tayla says. “When people are still talking about one of our high teas weeks later, it makes all the effort worthwhile.”
These celebrations give residents another reason to gather, enjoy familiar traditions and share time with the people around them.
Connections that continue beyond the dining room
The kitchen team’s work also reaches residents living independently in the Coolum Waters Retirement Village, where meals are delivered each day.
Over time, those regular visits have become opportunities for conversation and friendship.
One husband and wife have grown so close to Tayla and her colleague Santosh that they affectionately call them their daughter and son.
“They’ve kind of adopted us,” Tayla says with a smile.
It’s one of the relationships that makes her work particularly rewarding. A meal delivery can also mean a familiar greeting, a chance to catch up and the pleasure of seeing someone you know.
Tayla’s journey to Kitchen Manager
Tayla’s career at Sundale began when she was 20.
Starting as a cleaner, she went on to become a kitchen hand and then a cook, completing her chef’s qualification while working.
With encouragement from colleagues, including Hospitality Services Manager Rachel, Tayla later stepped into the Kitchen Manager role at Coolum Waters.
Her love of hospitality began much earlier, inspired by her mother’s enthusiasm for food. She still enjoys learning new baking techniques with her sister and bringing those ideas into the kitchen.
Today, the most rewarding part of her role remains the same: seeing people enjoy what she and her team prepare.
At Sundale Coolum Waters, aged care dining is about good food, familiar faces and opportunities to connect. For Tayla, that’s what makes every day in the kitchen worthwhile.
Recognising Tayla’s creativity
Tayla’s dedication to making mealtimes special was recognised at Sundale’s 2026 Sunny Awards, where she received the Creativity Award.
The award celebrates her initiative and thoughtful approach to creating memorable experiences for residents, from beautifully presented meals to special celebrations that bring people together.
It’s a fitting recognition of the care and creativity Tayla brings to Coolum Waters every day.
Photo Credit: Leah Desborough
