What’s happening?
At Carinity Brownesholme aged care in Highfields, chef Nicolas Harth is bringing world-class culinary experience to the dining table, ensuring residents enjoy meals that are both comforting and nourishing. With nearly four years in the role, Nick and his kitchen team prioritise fresh, made-from-scratch food and personalised menus for each of the home’s 96 residents.
Why it matters
Food is more than sustenance, it is a source of comfort, joy and connection. For seniors, especially those with specific dietary needs, having access to nutritious, appealing meals is essential for both physical health and quality of life. Nick’s approach blends professional skill with personal care, ensuring each resident feels valued and catered for.
Local impact
Carinity Brownesholme residents benefit from a varied, flexible menu and a chef who adapts meals to meet individual needs. Nick refuses to use packet foods, including soups, and is committed to fresh, from-scratch cooking, a value he learned from his mother who also worked in aged care kitchens.
By the numbers
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96 residents at Carinity Brownesholme enjoy daily menu choices tailored to their needs.
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Four years of dedicated service from chef Nicolas Harth at the Highfields aged care home.
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Three-rosette restaurant experience overseas, the equivalent of a Michelin star, before returning to Australia.
Zoom in
Hailing from a family of chefs, donning the apron to follow his mother and older brother seemed like the natural choice for Nick. His career began as an apprentice chef in kitchens across Toowoomba. After completing his four-year apprenticeship, Nick headed overseas where he gained the bulk of his experience.
“I worked in three-rosette restaurants – which are the equivalent of a Michelin star – with a brigade of chefs, before moving across to hotels, including boutique hotels in the beautiful Cotswolds in England,” he said.
When he returned to Australia with his young family, Nick found himself facing a different kind of challenge – working in a Highfields aged care home. “Mum worked as a chef in aged care for a long time. I often used to help her out in the kitchen when I was an apprentice, so I had a good understanding of the differences in serving older diners,” he said.
“Mum used to always make things from scratch, so that was one of my prerequisites of coming to work at Brownesholme, that there would be no packet foods – not even soups.”
Adapting to the dietary requirements of 96 individual aged care residents gave Nick the opportunity to put his creative mind to work. Every afternoon, residents are invited to choose what they would like to eat the following day. “We’re not a restaurant, but we try to have as many options as we can, so residents can usually find something they enjoy,” Nick said.
With many residents experiencing new dietary requirements, Nick always has a solution. “We’ll try and personalise it as much as possible – I’ll always make the time to sit with them and understand what they need, to make sure they’re happy,” he said.
“It’s on us to maintain residents’ nutrition, so we’ve got to make it interesting, with good flavours and textures and all those elements that we take for granted. Making food as exciting as possible is really important.”
Nick understands that presentation matters. “As the saying goes, we ‘eat with our eyes’, and it’s no different as we get older.” This is especially important for seniors on a texture-modified or soft diet. “I want to make sure that all the residents are enjoying the same food. The flavours should be there – this is just a different shape,” Nick explains.
From food moulds to creative experiments, the team is always looking for ways to make soft food look as good as it tastes.
Zoom out
Nick’s background in fine dining and boutique hotels has shaped his approach to aged care dining, blending high-end presentation and flavour with practical nutritional needs. His work reflects a broader movement to raise standards in aged care kitchens by focusing on fresh, locally sourced ingredients and personalised service.
What to look for next?
After nearly four years serving residents at Carinity Brownesholme, Nick says there is still more he wants to do. “Introducing a seasonal menu, increasing how much food we’re sourcing locally and staying focused on giving residents the best possible dining experience keeps me motivated.”
The happy chatter of residents as they share their meal together is, for Nick, one of the greatest rewards.