We’d like to introduce you to Diana Rogers, who has also joined the Catering Team this term, taking on the role of Café Chef Supervisor.

“My daily tasks include preparing and cooking the breakfast, recess and lunch items for the staff and students.

“Before Santa Maria, I was working at Methodist Ladies College preparing the meals for the children in their Early Learning Centre. Previous to that, I was a Chef de Partie at Little Creatures in Fremantle, where you’d find me running a section of the kitchen. The pizza or pans section were probably my favourites as they were often the busiest!

“I enjoy cooking Asian dishes as they are usually fairly quick to cook, yet can have the most interesting flavours. Baking is also another favourite of mine, and I like to bake in my spare time.

“My favourite food is a burger! There are so many different options when making a burger, that it never gets boring! I like to make my own condiments, such as caramelised onion relish.

“Working at Santa Maria, I hope to add a wide variety of dishes to the menu to expose both staff and students to a range of different cuisines. As I am currently studying a degree in Food and Nutrition and have a big interest in dietetics, healthy food options are also something I would like to incorporate more of into the menus.”

Diana has agreed to share one of her favourite recipes with us.

Chicken San Choy Bau – Serves 4

500g chicken mince
1/2 onion, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, crushed
10g ginger, grated
1 small carrot, grated
1 tbsp oil
2tbsp soy sauce
1 tsp rice vinegar
1 tsp sugar
100g beansprouts
Lettuce leaves or rice to serve

Heat the oil in a frying pan on medium heat.

Add the onion, garlic and ginger and fry until softened, stirring frequently.

Add in the chicken mince, stirring to break it up. Cook until all of the mince is browned. Around 5 minutes. Add the grated carrot and cook for a further minute.

Add the soy sauce, vinegar and sugar. Stir to combine. Turn the heat down to low and let simmer for 2-3 minutes. Add the beansprouts and remove from the heat.

Serve the San choy bau on top of the lettuce leaves or rice. Top with fresh coriander and sliced spring onions.