I work full-time as a chef in a commercial kitchen in Ulverstone. I joined the Army Reserve in the same role to meet new people, travel around the world, learn new skills and experience cooking in different environments around Australia and overseas.

Working as a Chef in the Army is very different to cooking in the civilian world. You learn new ways of cooking every time you go away with the Reserve and it’s full of adventure.

One day I might be cooking in a commercial kitchen busy organising rations and the next I could be working in a field environment. I also cater for special events, like celebrating a Reservist’s birthday by providing the cake or organising the farewell for mates who have achieved their 40 years of service.

A rewarding moment in the Reserve was being called up to support the bushfire assist on Kangaroo Island. It was a great experience to be able to help the community rebuild their properties and help farmers clear trees from their fence lines.

I also got to help out in my own community during Covid-19 by assisting the Tasmanian police run checks along the Northwest Coast.

Being given the opportunity to deploy to PNG in 2015 as a cook for the 3CSSB in Townsville was a real Reserve highlight. It was an awesome experience to see how the engineers set up a base.

My job was to provide three cooked meals a day to forces from Australia, New Zealand, the UK and the USA.