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A VERY GOOD COOK
WechatwithJaneStrodetofind
outhowshe’sbalancingcooking
withcaringinTwoGood’skitchen.Asa cateringbusiness,fooddeliveryservice
andsocialenterprisethatsupportsand
trainswomenwhohaveescapedfrom
domesticviolence,TwoGoodmanages
crisesbigandsmallona dailybasis.Like
manybusinesses,Covid-19hasn’tbeeneasy
tonavigate– butasa serviceproviding
mealstodomesticviolenceshelters,their
workis morevitalthanever.Recently
appointedheadchef,JaneStrodestepped
intoherroleinJanuary– anddespitenavigatingsplitshiftsandever-moving
goalposts,shehaswholeheartedly
embracedtherole.
“I cannotexpressmygratitude.I ama chef
witha jobandit’sa reallyamazingjob,”
saysStrode.
Alongwithhavingcreativecontrolover
thefoodTwoGoodputsout,Strodealso
mentorswomeninthekitchen,whoare
theretolearnnewskills,regaintheir
confidenceandworkasa team.“It’svery
case-by-caseand[about]reallyhoningin
onthesupportforeachindividualworking
withus,”shesays.“There’smorethanone
waytogetthebestoutofsomeone,and
it’saboutfindingthoseways.”
Tothatend,Strodeis atthehelmof
developingnewin-depthtrainingmanuals,
tooutlineclearprocessestoreducestress
andanxietyinthekitchen.Theteamalso
checksinwitha clinicalpsychologistto
developstrategiesandplans.“If[people]
aretoldtodosomethingthreedifferent
ways,it’sgoingtobetoughfora woman
that’ssufferedtrauma,ormayhavebeen
outoftheworkforcefora while.Sowe’re
workingonvisualaids,”shesays.“It’sall
aboutcommunicationandconsistency.”
Strode– wholostherhusbandJeremy
Strodetosuicidein 2017 – bringsa deep
senseofempathyandpatiencetotherole.
“I feellikethetraumaI’vesufferedmakes
mesosuitedtothejob– youcanreally
relate,”shesays.“I canhaveconversationsaboutgrief.Orhowlongit takestomake
senseofthings...It helps.”Strodesaysthe
roleis alsohelpingherownjourney.“One
ofthemostpowerfulwaystorecoverfrom
traumais togiveback.If somethingreally
badhappenstoyou,andit’sjustunfairand
awful– sometimesyoucanstarttothinklike
you’rea victim– that’sself-perpetuating.
A waytochangethatis tobegratefuland
giveback,andI trytoimpartthat.”
Food-wiseStrodeis bringingfresh
flavoursinneatpackagestoTwoGood’s
jarredlunchesandtake-homedinners.
“I lovebigboldflavours– I trainedat
Rockpoolandthatjustdoesn’treallyever
leaveyou.We’refocusedongettinglots
oftexturesandcolourinthere.Thenalso
tostriketherightbalanceofsuperhealthy
anda littlebitofrichnesstoo.”Whilethe
foodis essential,it’sthepeoplebehind
it andtheethosofpayingit forwardthat
trulydrivesTwoGood.“Thefocusis on
rehabilitatingwomen,whohavehada
reallyshitcardsdealttothem.Thefood
is a by-product– whichis alsoexcellent
andsendslovetopeople,”saysStrode.
OverallStrodeembodieswhatTwo
Gooddoesasanorganisation,cooking
nourishingmealsandempoweringwomen
recoveringfromtraumaandgrief.“Forme
whatcomesoutofit is reallythewillofthe
humanspirit,toturnthingsaroundandnot
justsurvive,butbehappy.”
twogood.com.auAfter a short break, Lankan
Filling Station in Sydney’s
Darlinghurst has opened
back up with its very own
mini grocery store. In
addition to takeaway
curries,youcanpickup
handmade currypowders,
frozenlamprais,sambols,
organicheirloomriceand
traditionalteas.
lankanfillingstation.com.auGet ready to enjoy some cinematic escapism through We Are One:
A Global Film Festival. The 10-day digital film festival is programmed
by the brains behind Sydney Film Festival, alongside the Berlin
International Film Festival, Sundance, Cannes Film Festival, Venice
Film Festival and more. May 29 - June 7, youtube.com/weareoneGOURMET TRAVELLER 25PHOTOGRAPHY JESSICA LINDSAY (STRODE).