Register your interest for free food, nutrition and dining training for aged care chefs, cooks and dining staff

Audience: Aged care workers, Providers (i.e service administrators, owners)

Topic: Residential care

Location: Online

Time: Registration time: 10 minutes. Online modules: 20 and 40 minutes. State and Territory Hubs: 3 weeks. Trainer Mentor Program: 12 months.

Contact name: Ingrid Leonard

Contact email: NutritioninAgedCare@health.gov.au


Further information

The Australian Government has partnered with the Maggie Beer Foundation to deliver education and training programs to improve food, nutrition and dining in aged care.

The programs aim to support:

  • chefs and cooks to source, prepare and serve more nutritious and delicious food
  • staff to improve the dining experience
  • aged care homes to get ready for the new food and nutrition Quality Standard.

Program opportunities include:

Online learning modules

Free online training modules for chefs, cooks and dining staff are available.

Each module is 20 to 40 minutes long. Once completed, participants receive a certificate.

These modules will assist aged care staff to improve the food, nutrition and dining experience for older people.

State and Territory Hubs

These short courses bring aged care cooks and chefs together in online groups to learn practical skills from expert chef trainers.

The hubs are delivered online over 3 weeks. Each class is 2.5 hours long. Register now.

Provider Exclusive -- State and Territory Hubs

Providers can apply for exclusive and tailored online training, so they can train all their staff at the same time.

This training is suitable for:

  • providers with multiple aged care homes
  • providers with 20 or more cooks and chefs.

The hubs are delivered online over 3 weeks. Each class is 2.5 hours long. Express interest now.

Trainer Mentor Program

The program is designed to provide on-site tailored support to individual aged care homes and includes a:

  • 12-month mentorship program with an expert chef trainer
  • menu appraisal and report from an accredited practising dietitian
  • food satisfaction questionnaire and report.

This program is delivered at your aged care facility. Apply now.

Professional community

If you complete any Maggie Beer Foundation training, you get access to the online professional community.

In the online community, chefs and cooks can:

  • share experiences
  • ask questions
  • seek support.

A chef moderates the community and shares:

  • daily mentoring
  • responses to enquiries
  • content on best practice initiatives, case studies, peer-reviewed evidence and recipes.

Programs end in May 2026.

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The Department of Health and Aged Care acknowledges the traditional owners of country throughout Australia, and their continuing connection to land, sea and community. We pay our respects to them and their cultures, and to elders both past and present.