In this week’s episode, Geoff is talking to Karmin Poulish who was Finalist in the 2021 7NEWS Young Achiever Awards for SA.
Karmin Poulish is an apprentice at Hentley Farm Restaurant. Karmin experienced mental health issues and bullying that led to her transfer to St. Patrick’s Technical College, where she completed SACE and Certificate II in Cookery. She has completed extra work experience in the hospitality industry, a Beginner’s Cake Decorating Course, and Le Cordon Blue’s French Breakfast Pastry Course and Career Residential Course. She has volunteered in the kitchen of Tasting Australia. Karmin won a place in the Proud To Be A Chef competition and will travel to Melbourne in September 2021 to learn from Australia’s best chefs and compete for an international scholarship. She currently works at Hentley Farm running the pastry section.
In this episode:
- We hear how cooking with her Mum from the age of two, gave Karmin a love of cooking
- We learnt how parsley and tenacity got Karmin her first trial which led to her apprenticeship and now she is running the pastry section at Hentley Farm
- Karmin’s advice to keep pushing through hard times is to have a daily shower, to figuratively wash the worries away and keep to a daily routine
Links
Connect with Karmin on Instagram
Connect with Hentley Farm on Facebook
Connect with Hentley Farm on Instagram
Want to know how to Rate and Review a podcast, see this article
Follow us on our Inspirational.Australians Instagram Page
Want to nominate someone? (It can take as little as 2 minutes to recognise someone making a difference)
Like some more information on Corporate Partnership?
Transcript
Annette
Welcome to the inspirational Australian’s podcast, where we chat with people making a difference in their communities and in the lives of others and here is your host for today, Geoff Griffin.
Geoff
Welcome to the inspirational Australian’s podcast stories of inspiring achievements and community contribution. Every week we will celebrate an award program category, winner or finalists. We hope you’ll be inspired and encouraged to know that Australia is in good hands, together with our corporate partners and not for profit partners, Awards Australia, showcase ordinary people from across Australia doing extraordinary things. If you enjoy hearing the stories of our inspirational Australians, please subscribe, rate us and review us. We really appreciate it. Hi everybody! I really hope you’re all managing to deal with the ever-changing Covid environment we’re faced with, having so much upheaval and day to day fracture in our lives over the past 18 months. I hope you’re all doing okay. We are so delighted to bring positivity to our listeners to this podcast during these really tough times. And I’m really looking forward to chatting with Karmin Poulish today, who is an apprentice at the stunning and well renowned Hentley Farm restaurant. I must say, under the guidance of executive chef Claire Falzon. Karmin was chosen as a finalist in this year Services minister for Innovation and Skills Outstanding Apprentice Award part of 7News Young Achiever Awards SA for her achievements and commitment to her apprenticeship, and as a wonderful role model, young woman for everyone to follow. Even though she’s overcome quite some adversity, she still shine such ability to succeed. Karmin, welcome to the podcast, great to have you on board.
Karmin
Hi Geoff, I thank you for having me today. Hello to everyone that is listening.
Geoff
I’m really excited because I think you epitomize hard work and looking forward to having a chat with you today. And I’m really looking forward to hearing your story now. Coming back in the early days. You were bullied quite a bit, I believe. And your mental health wasn’t terrific at that time. How did you overcome that?
Karmin
Yeah, it was tough and I definitely made some bad decisions hung around with the wrong people, which didn’t help me. But with support from my family, a few teachers. I found a way to cope and to overcome all of those things that were holding me back. I made sure that I looked after myself and my mental health and at times it was really, really hard. But I just made sure that I kept going and kept thinking of like the bigger picture and try not to worry about all of those people that were, you know, saying stuff to me whether it was big, whether it was small. But in saying that if you are getting bullied and it is really affecting you, I do encourage you to speak out because I feel that something I should have done.
Geoff
Yeah, so true. It’s hard, isn’t it at the time? Are you afraid of getting bullied even more, if you speak out or what the repercussions might be? And you said, try not to worry about what people say. But I do remember way back then. And when I was young at the time, you really worry about what people think and it has such a demonstrative effect on you as a young person. It’s just like the whole world is caving in on you. So, it is really hard when you’re young, not to worry about what people say or think about you. So, all power to you for really having a go and being strong about not worrying, then you’re right. Call people out because there is no one deserves that they don’t have the right to bully other people and no one has the right to get away with it. So, I think people should call out that a bullies. We don’t need bullies in our life. And I just think it’s such a tragedy that so many young people are really victimized. It’s interesting. We can do 99 things right but as soon as we made a mistake that’s what people focus in on and they love it.
Karmin
And just the one that sticks with everyone.
Geoff
Sad isn’t it?
Karmin
It is.
Geoff
Now you went on completed a certificate in cookery, can you tell us where that was and what were the highlights of that course.
Karmin
So I did it at St. Patrick’s Technical College in Elizabeth and I had to teachers specifically that really helped me and my highlights which was Miss Babic and Miss Cavuoto they always treated me like I was an adult. They always, you know, helped me in my life and supported me which that was my highlight was having coming from a school where the teachers didn’t support me or didn’t want to help me and learn and everything to come to a school where I have all of these people that want me to be a young adult and want me to do the things that I want to do in life as well. And I think that was what was my highlight was just having people to support and really trust and show me that I’m capable because I needed help showing myself that I was capable in the start. So I think that’s what my highlight was.
Geoff
Fantastic and kindness and support are so important in everybody’s lives. That sounds like the two teachers really made a big difference and you made a change for yourself by changing school. So you actually took the lead in trying to make a difference for yourself in that regard. Well done to you. What actually led you to the food industry?
Karmin
My mom, so my mom was a chef. She always had been cooking with me ever since I was little by the time I was two, I could recite food recipes by heart. She is the best role model in a kitchen outside of a kitchen. And she is really what inspired me to want to cook, because I always watched her cook and for Christmas we would make gingerbread cookies for everyone. And watching everyone get happy and excited that myself and my mom made something for them rather than buying them a gift. That’s what really made me want to do it.
Geoff
What’s your mom’s favorite meal? What does she like cooking the most?
Karmin
Oh well I don’t know if it’s her favorite, but that’s my favorite where she gets like a chicken breast wrapped in bacon honey mustard and puff pastry. It is delicious.
Geoff
Sounds cool. So is that your favorite meal to cook as well?
Karmin
I haven’t actually made up for it’s my, it’s my mom’s my mom’s specialty for me.
Geoff
So, so you’re leaving it special for maybe you just don’t want to compete. You’re worried that you might up to her and she might get upset.
Karmin
Yeah, I’m worried that I’ll make it better than her and you know might like it too much
Geoff
Oh, it’s very good of you. I think. There you go mom. There’s a wonderful daughter thinking of you all the time. Karmin you weren’t satisfied with the SACE where you undertook all the training and what was that?
Karmin
Yes, so at the moment I’m doing my certificate three. So there’s that. But in the meantime of doing that and finishing it, I wanted to learn more and find what style of food really suited me. And I wanted to put myself in cooking experiences that would help me with my career. So I did things like Le Cordon Bleu courses tasting Australia events. I did some cake decorating courses, and I really also focused on cooking at home. So that way I could learn myself not just from other people.
Geoff
I hope to go on a cook off again too, having started when you were two, I won’t say what age I am, but I haven’t really started yet. So I do have a long way to go. Have you thought about being on my kitchen rules or Masterchef and something I should should mention Masterchef because that’s the opposition station, but going on to one of those shows?
Karmin
So I can’t go on Masterchef because I will be qualified. So, and you have to not be qualified. With my kitchen rules and things like that. I’m not sure what the requirements are. My little brother and I love watching cake decorating shows or dessert making shows. I have thought about some of those But again, I think it’s a lot of them if you’re not qualified, but I’m sure there’ll be something out there for me.
Geoff
I’m sure there will. So you’re that’s your apprenticeship that you’re studying at the moment.
Karmin
Yes
Geoff
Cool and tell us about your volunteering time in Tasting Australia?
Karmin
So how I got into volunteering for them was my one of the teachers I mentioned Miss Cavuoto, she was like hey, you want to do this and I was like, yeah of course I do and there was myself and about 15 to 13 others. And we were all very excited, very keen, but there was nothing for us to do. No one was giving us jobs because all of the chefs were so well organized and knew exactly what they were doing. That they had everything and so I asked one of them, can I have a job like I’m bored right now. And he was like, yeah pick some parsley and then I got everyone else to help me help me pick some parsley that was a much parsley for all of us did something. And then a little bit later he was like, OK, can I get you number and I will give you a call about a trial. And I was like, yeah but will you call me because a lot of chefs say they will and they don’t. And he was like, and he he laughed and he was like, yeah, no, I will. And then back and forth between the two of us because we kept missing each other and then eventually got in contact did my trial. And then two weeks later offered me my apprenticeship and that was all from tasting Australia experience.
Geoff
So that was Hentley Farm?
Karmin
Yes, that was Hentley farm, so it was, yes Lauchlan was the executive chef at family farm at the time.
Geoff
Yeah. Awesome. Wow! Just because you showed some initiative.
Karmin
Yeah. So he even said once that that was the reason why I got it because I was straight up and was like are you going to call me? So because so many chefs are like, yeah I’ll call you and then they’ll forget about 30 seconds later, you know, they got other things to do. So I used to have to be on top of them sometimes if you want something.
Geoff
Thanks to your tenacity, the parsley and your hope.
Karmin
That garden and parsley and we picked so much parsley that we had too much. And Lauchlan jerking around, grabbed a whole handful of it and put it into his mouth. And then 30 seconds later to people that, that wanted to show to him like not like tapped on his shoulder and said this showed his mouth and look. And he was just like, I don’t know what to do. So that was, that was pretty funny.
Geoff
It sounds like a bit of It sounds like a bit of a character.
Karmin
He definitely is.
Geoff
Yes. You also were part of proud to be a chef. Tell us about the competition.
Karmin
So that is in September. So it’s myself and 31 others were picked out of most apprenticeships in Australia. We have to compete with our own dishes and there had to be seasonal ingredients So I had to come up with a dish and I came up with this dish because there was this there’s this group of people, they come and dine at the restaurant every day for a month or something like that. So we had to find new things to give them and pasty section, myself and my executive chefs. We came up with a dessert and it came with my seasonal ingredients. It was tasty. It was everything they wanted, found that dessert and I would get to cook that in September.
Geoff
Fantastic. So they came and dined every day for a whole month?
Karmin
Yep. Pretty much. I think it was about about a month. Yeah.
Geoff
Yeah. Wow. That would be nice. Wouldn’t want to do that myself and maybe money might be a problem. That sounds good.
Karmin
Yeah, they were all driving Ferraris.
Geoff
Yeah. Well, that explains it. Hey, you’re heading to Melbourne in September as you said, and is for a competition with an international scholarship, isn’t it? So it’s pretty, sought after award I imagine with the best chefs there. Can you imagine what that would be like to win an international scholarship and what does the competition involve, besides cooking a meal and how many people are going to be involved etc?
Karmin
So I think it’s all kind of been changed from what I exactly know because of Covid this was supposed to happen in February and then it got pushed back and pushed back again. So I’m not 100 percent sure about how many people are going to be there. But I definitely know some of the chefs that are going to be there, those chefs doing some pretty amazing things even during this time of Covid. So it’ll be pretty exciting to meet them and just see what they’re about. And I’m a big believer in, you can never meet too many people and you can never have too many contacts because that’s, that’s what will get you places is, you know, having those contacts and building relationships with people is how you end up in better places and moving forward in your career. And International scholarship, you know, same kind of thing. I could, I could go anywhere I wanted to if I was to win that competition. But when I first found out I was going to be competing, I said that I didn’t want the scholarship because I didn’t want to have to move away because I was not very independent. And now that I have become more independent and everything, I have really started to think about it and think about, I could, if it’s an international scholarship I could go anywhere I wanted to go. I could find the best restaurant in France and go there and everything. So I think this is a really big opportunity for me is now that I am looking at the fact that I can build more contacts from this. And I can have fun and I can experience new things and you know, if I come out of it and I don’t win, that’s not, that’s not a huge loss to me, that’s like I had that experience. I’ll try again next year.
Geoff
Yeah, 100 percent definitely have a go. It doesn’t matter if you lose, it is all about learning. I mean I guess it does matter if you win because it would be pretty nice to head off overseas at some stage when we’re allowed to again.
Karmin
Yeah, exactly that’s the thing, isn’t it?
Geoff
So where would you go if you had a choice? What country, if you didn’t have to worry, what country would you choose?
Karmin
I think Italy or France, I don’t know. I’m not sure of what restaurants or whatever but they’re both two cultures and two styles of cooking that I would really really want to experience and learn from. You know, I did the French Catisserie course at Le Cordon Bleu and things like that. So, you know, getting to further the knowledge I have of croissants and pastry and all the delicious things in France would be pretty amazing.
Geoff
We would happily volunteer to come and taste your food when you come back from whichever country you choose. Remember that. Great. What that does to me too. All right, so what’s your main role in Hentley Farm? What do you do there?
Karmin
So although I am only a third year apprentice I currently run the pastry section. It’s, it is a big role and sometimes I think I can’t do it, but I always push and show that I’m capable and that I can do the tasks and I always figure stuff out and that way, my executive chef can say that I want to be doing what I’m doing and you know, she, she’s very understanding. So I make I make mistakes. And she is always talk to me about the mistakes and helps me fix them. Although I’m running a section are never alone on the section. You know, there’s always someone that I can ask for help or tips or ideas and everything. And so that is my main role is running the pastry section.
Geoff
Sounds pretty exciting. My lips are smacking as I sit here and dribbling. So I bet that pastry, it’s pretty, pretty cool. Now what’s the biggest mistake you make there? So you said you make mistakes. We all do. Of course, like you burn the pastry, what’s? What’s a mistake that you would make that would be obvious to clients or customers?
Karmin
To obvious to a customer? To me that would be if I didn’t make an ice cream or a cake, the correct texture because there’s definitely a lot of the people that are coming to eat, enjoy food like they’re there for the experience and for the food. So they know what good food is, they know how to eat food. So if I was to give them an ice cream that was I, I say grainy or something like that. Then I feel like that would be something noticeable, something that I have made mistakes of before that isn’t noticeable to customers, but affects my da very much is when I mess up my bread dough, that one because it takes a basically five hours to prove the dough. And then once that’s happened, once I make the bread, it takes like two hours to move from in the tins and then 40 minutes to bake. When that gets messed up, that definitely messes up a big chunk of the day.
Geoff
Not good. We all like our yummy tasty bread
Karmin
Yes but it’s lucky because I have learnt all of the tricks to fix it when mistakes happen. So it’s just so fun
Geoff
I guess it’s not as easy as just typing over a mistake on a page when you’re writing an email to be more complicated than that. I’m sure.
Karmin
Yeah it’s, it’s about like feeling feeling this, those specifically it’s about feeling the dough. So if you like all the doors to where you can’t just go throw in a bunch of flour because then you change the structure of the dough. So, you know, it’s about feeling and working out and really knowing the thing that you’re doing because I feel like you already know everything you’re doing. If you make the mistakes, once you’ve made the mistakes that’s when you know all of the things that can go wrong, how to fix it, you know every in and out of that thing.
Geoff
Yeah. So as we learn from our mistakes we’ve become better people because without mistakes or failure, it’s that we don’t learn at the same right. Exactly. Mistakes are opportunities to be better at what we are doing. Is pastry your food passion?
Karmin
Yes. So there was a time when I was being offered many apprenticeships at once. I didn’t know if I wanted to be a pastry chef or I wanted to be near the normal commercial chef. I didn’t know what I wanted to do. The only thing I knew was that I wanted to work in a good restaurant. Somewhere with a good name, I didn’t want to end up in a pub. Not there’s anything wrong with being in pubs and it’s a great starting point. But I had worked in a food van for five years of my life before then. And I really knew what I wanted to do. So once I actually was going to get an apprenticeship, I then had to make the decision of pastry or normal. , I want to do pastry, like every single thing that I had done before then was that I had chose pastry. So my teacher would be like, pick something and make it. And I would take a cheesecake, except when it came to the time I was like I don’t know what I want to do. And then I was like oh pastry. And once I had told everybody else, they were not surprised. They had already worked it out for themselves because that’s the, that’s my go to thing was, was desserts, pastry.
Geoff
So, what’s favorite?
Karmin
My favorite. I think my favorite at the moment would be pistachio ice cream. So executive chef, she was like, this is the dessert that I want. These are the things that I want. Can you work out how to make the pistachio recipe? Yeah, I can. It was very hard. That’s the one thing where I was actually having to work out how to change basically an entire recipe. I had to add and take away things and I know I had to do that so many times and with ice cream you can’t just make the ice cream and then know if it’s ready or not you have to make it and then let it freeze. And churn it and then then you know if it’s ready or not. So I spent about three weeks practicing changing the recipe and all it took was adding one egg.
Geoff
Is that your specialty on the menu?
Karmin
At the moment? Yes, that would be the, the specialty is the pistachio dessert with the pistachio ice cream.
Geoff
Works for me and yum all morning, pistachio ice cream. Now I’ll be there. So I believe it’s, it’s pretty tough work?
Karmin
It is, it can be, I know that I haven’t seen the level of hard work that it can be. Everyone has stories. Everyone sees cooking shows, everyone has an idea but none of us really know. Even if it is hard, I think as long as you maintain a healthy balance in all areas, and if you love what you’re doing, then it isn’t really hard work if you know what I mean, like it’s hard work but it’s not like, I don’t really know how to explain it?
Geoff
Yeah, no that’s, that’s fair enough. If you love what you do to say, it’s a lot easier than if you don’t enjoy your work. What’s the coolest thing about Hentley Farm?
Karmin
The coolest thing about Hentley Farm is my executive chef Clare. She is the best role model that anyone can have in the kitchen and in life. She helps me and pushes me to be the best thing that I can be in, in all areas of my life. You know, she really helped me grow and be more confident in myself. And as a chef, and I really enjoy making experiences with people and having good relationships so things like that are pretty cool to me.
Geoff
Shout out, Clare, thank you. I think that is something that’s really important with food, you have the ability to really please people. And I don’t know from the kitchen whether you can see the diners or whatever that would be really cool to be able to see the expressions on people’s face when they taste your food. That would be really cool.
Karmin
Shout out, Clare, thank you. I think that is something that’s really important with food, you have the ability to really please people. And I don’t know from the kitchen whether you can see the diners or whatever that would be really cool to be able to see the expressions on people’s face when they taste your food. That would be really cool.
Geoff
Brilliant, I love that. I’m gonna put you on the spot here, what’s Clare’s favorite dish? What does she love making? What’s her specialty?
Karmin
Clare’s favorite ….. I’m not sure what Clare’s favorite is but Claire is good at everything. It’s like she can make a salad and it’ll be the best salad you ever ate in your life. Like she makes me ice chocolate, it’s the best ones I’ve ever had in my whole life. Like, I’m not sure what her favorite thing personally is to cook but my favorite thing that she cooks is this sweet and sour eggplant that she makes and it is delicious.
Geoff
Sounds awesome. That’s pretty big. Who are some of the coolest or best known people to have dined in the restaurant or that you’ve met?
Karmin
So there’s definitely been some cool people that have come into the restaurant. We had Hilltop Hoods come in there once and I embarrassed myself. I don’t know why but for some reason I forgot how to say the word pickles and couldn’t tell them anything about pickles and I got nervous but that’s OK. But for myself, I actually just really enjoy getting to engage and meet the people that really want to be the customers that love food like us talking about before getting to make the experiences with them is what I like. My parents dined a few weeks ago and that was probably one of the best experiences that I’ve had at work, was having them there and getting to experience everything from.
Geoff
So you know, most of you would have been very proud to have mom and dad. Get your food from the restaurant.
Karmin
So you know, most of you would have been very proud to have mom and dad. Get your food from the restaurant.
Geoff
And Hilltop Hoods and it’s our producer will be very jealous of the moment because she’s a massive Hilltop Hoods fan. Just loves them. Me. I go. Let’s put it this way.
Karmin
And Hilltop Hoods and it’s our producer will be very jealous of the moment because she’s a massive Hilltop Hoods fan. Just loves them. Me. I go. Let’s put it this way. That’s why I got so nervous. Going out to the table because I was like, I know these people and I like them and it was, it was scary. Everyone else just thought it was funny that I was embarrassing myself, so they kept letting me go out there, but that’s okay.
Geoff
Very very cool. That’s awesome. So how has the restaurant been affected by Covid-19?
Karmin
You know, I think Covid affected everyone, especially in the workplace but I think I was lucky enough to be in a workplace where, you know, the people didn’t just care about their business. They also really cared about stuff, you know, they still made sure that everybody was looked after and everything like that. The restaurant did closed for a period of time and myself and a few others worked in the vineyard. So that’s when we really got to learn more about the wine from the stock. You know we got to learn about everything that happens in the vineyard, and I know I had no idea about everything that happens in a vineyard. And I know there’s still more that I don’t know, but you know, we really got a sense of appreciation about the wine and the people that are doing the one we visited renovations. We got to make a pastry kitchen out of a storeroom at the back. It was, I mean, it still is ever changing in the restaurant I’m sure is always thinking about everything, but I think that we learned, well I managed Covid pretty well and still continue to as soon as I restriction comes in or a change comes in straight away on it, like as soon as it’s announced 30 seconds later, we have a message or an email telling us what’s going to be happening. So I think they handled it very well.
Geoff
Oh, that’s good, that’s good. It is all about adapting, managing. Exactly. And I imagine with food and being a chef for an apprentice chef, we need to be constantly tasting the food, which is sounds pretty cool to me, but helping in the vineyards, did you have to taste the wines Because I would have thought that would be really important if you’re going to be picking or involved in cutting or trimming whatever it is. You need to know my opinion, very humble. What the end result is I would have been pushing really hard to sample Every one of them did you get to sample it?
Karmin
We didn’t get to sample any when we were doing the vineyard work, but quite often we’ll have mornings when new ones will be coming out and everyone in the whole place, including the vineyard the restaurant cellar door will get together and we’ll try the different wines that way we know what’s getting paired with the guests food and you know what’s going to be on sale and it’s will we all engage in trying the wines and you know, I’m only 19, so sometimes I don’t exactly enjoy drinking wine but that’s okay.
Geoff
You’re learning too are you?.
Karmin
Exactly! We’re learning slowly, slowly learning but learning.
Geoff
It is an acquired taste. One generally not acquired yet at your age I have to say. Do you ever get asked by customers for your wine pairing ideas?
Karmin
Yeah, so actually the other week I had a customer ask me about what the best wine was to go with the dish that he was eating and I was like, I’m not the person to ask I, I am not the person to ask, I’m Sorry. In those situations, I’m just like, sorry, it’s not me not me. You should be asking and I will often find the one of the front of house staff that so I think about the wines.
Geoff
Well at least your’e honest with them. Because otherwise, just given the most expensive one then to possibly have. What are some of the advantages of being an apprentice and what are some of the disadvantages as well?
Karmin
So some of the advantages would be definitely getting to show everyone else your progress. There is a lot of people along the way that told me that I was not going to be in a, in fine dining restaurant to start off with. And I wasn’t going to be a chef. It’s really hard work and I wasn’t ready for it. But, you know, look at me now in a fine dining restaurant, Hentley Farm of all places. So I get to show everyone else that I can do it and show everyone else my progress. And also being an apprentice is a really great starting point because that helps you learn and know what you want to do. But most importantly, you get to see yourself. You know, I can look back now from when I first started and think about what I was doing when I first started to now running the pastry section and everything like that is an advantage. To me, the only real disadvantage is not having a huge say, or you know some people think you’re younger and you’re an apprentice. So you don’t, you don’t know, but it’s like all but some, sometimes I do know. Sometimes that’s the disadvantage is when you find the people that just want to treat you as a, as an apprentice not as someone who’s trying to learn and grow and grow. But I haven’t encountered too many of those people, thankfully.
Geoff
I think it’s a common denominator for many people, about young people. They feel that young people don’t know. That’s a sad mistake to make because the forefront of innovation, knowledge with technology. Knowledge is very accessible. Young people know so much these days. In fact, often I think grow up too fast in some cases. Definitely. Too fast to their own good In terms of what they are trying to do with all that I know must be difficult sometimes, but also fantastic at the same time. And we see that of course, with the 7News Young Achiever Award and our Community Achievement Awards Programs that we run with knowledge, innovation, the success and achievement of people is inspiring beyond belief, which we are so excited to be part of. Would you recommend an apprenticeship to someone?
Karmin
Yes I definitely would recommend it to someone. It’s the whole reason that I am where I am today, and it’s not, it’s not just a way of learning. It’s freedom to work out what you want to do within your career You get to make all of your own choices and such about what you want for you and it’s, it’s really, it’s really a time for independence growth and learning. And having an apprenticeship is not, it’s not just about the end goal is not just about being qualified at the end. It’s about all the steps that you take to get you there. Because you do that, you know, you take all of the steps of getting the apprenticeship, what to do in the apprenticeship, the learning, and in the end, I think it’s just a reward that you know, you can show yourself that you can do it.
Geoff
Now I guess that more initiative you show, the more you learn the better you become.
Karmin
Yes exactly.
Geoff
I also imagine that being a chef would allow you to travel across the world and get a job quite easily, more easily than a lot of other job vocations. Because everybody needs to eat and there are a lot of restaurants around the world to be really cool job to have when you’re looking for work on a traveling holiday.
Karmin
It is, it would be if, if I, if I could travel. But due to Covid, I cannot but one day when I can. Yeah, that’s definitely a really, really cool part about the job is that you know, you can be a chef. And even as an apprentice I could go overseas and do the last year of my apprenticeship somewhere if I, if I wanted to and you know, it just gives you the chance to travel and do whatever, whatever you want. Like working holidays. You know, you can work and have a holiday the exact same time. And if it’s, if you someone like me, I love what I’m doing so much that it would still just be a holiday. It wouldn’t be a working holiday. I would just be getting to experience new chefs and new places.
Geoff
And cultures!
Karmin
Exactly.
Geoff
What’s something that we might not know about you?
Karmin
I really enjoy working with older people. I occasionally volunteer at Rembrandt Living where my mom works. I do work there sometimes as well And a part of that is because I love hearing all of their stories and everything like that. But the other thing at the moment, the probably the main one is there is these two lovely women. They are called the Barossa Girls, they’re making a difference in the world. Myself and others are helping bring back to life old recipes and I’ve asked them if it was OK for me to talk about it and they sent me some information.
And I just wanted to read this little bit to explain it. The original recipes have no method and they assume you are cooking on a wood stove. There’s no oven temperatures, all of which is fine. If you are a confident cook and have time to experiment, but not everyone is a confident cook and many people don’t have time to experiment. So the current project, I’m a part of is where they selected approximately 80 recipes from the original book. And they are being updated to meet modern cooking techniques or recipes from one of the Australia’s oldest community cookbooks. There are also stories of the women who put it all together in the first place. And I think that’s, that’s really cool because a lot of them were actually under their husbands names, originally the recipes and we now get to bring those recipes and bring the stories of the women who actually did that back to life. Know, some of them are over one hundred years old, some of the recipes you know, and you can find them and more about this on those Barossa Girls on Instagram. That’s probably the most interesting thing about me at the moment.
Geoff
Well, it sounds pretty interesting, the Barossa Girls.
Karmin
Yes
Geoff
Very cool! Are they on Facebook or Instagram? So how do people connect with the Barossa Girls?
Karmin
So they are on Instagram they’re under ThoseBarossaGirls and then from the Instagram page you can access their website and find more about them and everything they do because they are about a lot more than just this cookbook.
Geoff
Cool, sounds good. As an apprentice, you might be interested to know that the Minister for Innovation and Skills SA was actually a finalist in the young achiever going back in his apprenticeship days. He was a finalist in the very first awards in fact and when he became minister and knowing the value of what the awards did for his future, he wanted to give young people like you Karmin the opportunity to shine and to be acknowledge for the good work you’re doing. I think, that’s a really cool story. Is a person that was involved, I won’t tell us how long ago that was because it probably starts to age. But him and me because I was there for that very first awards going way back when and now he is giving back to young people like yourself through an award that he won.
Karmin
Yes, I think that is a very, a very cool story. I did know about that actually when I was first doing the awards thing because he was the that my category sponsor. And so I think that is that is very cool. And it’s very inspiring that you know that that’s, that’s where you can end up. If you really pushing me trying to I, I think that’s I think it’s pretty cool and well done to him.
Geoff
And you must be doing something right because at 19, in your third year to become a finalist is pretty impressive stuff. So congratulations to you, for everything you’re doing the hard work you’re putting in also the volunteer time and other work that you’re doing as well. Awesome.
Karmin
Thank you!
Geoff
You talked earlier about some bullying and tough times. How do you deal with the hard times and the difficult times when they arise?
Karmin
Personally, I shower and keep pushing and making sure the people around me know that I might be having a hard time. So if I need help, they can help. Showering might seem silly or small. But I know for a fact that it can be one of the hardest things for someone to do when they’re struggling or in a hard time. If you just if you shower it’s like it washes some things away. It doesn’t wash everything away but it’s a starting point for you to then get back out there and you know, keep, keep working. So maybe about a month ago, I had a week or two where I was really really down. There was no reason just because so I really made sure that I showered every day made sure that I went to work every day and that I was eating and drinking enough and trying to do all of the other things that impact your mental health. So it would be easier for me to deal with the actual mental health thing. That’s how I how I do with it is to shower and keep pushing.
Geoff
It’s interesting because we all have different methods of dealing with a lot of times and I think the analogy of a shower is actually really cool because it is a cleansing and generally when we get in the shower, there are many of a time where it’s time when we think we feel refreshed and certainly in the winter you don’t take it out.
Karmin
Exactly!
Geoff
It’s, it’s cooling in a hot day, but it’s lovely and warming on a cold day. And when you’re feeling even when you’re feeling sick, you have got a cold. You have a nice hot shower. You always feel better than royal house. So yeah!
Karmin
It’s also a space for you to think about everything you because you can why, you have a shower, is the space for you to clear your mind and say OK, this is what’s happening. This is what I need to do to fix this and this is what I’m going to do for the rest of my day. And, you know, sometimes sometimes people got to take it day by day. So, you know, if you’re having a hard time in the shower and you think about just what you’re going to do that day, sometimes that’s what helps get people get people through time as being sick. Like you said, you know, you sick and you have a warm shower, you know, you feel so much better when you get out.
Geoff
So Karmin, what motivates you what’s your main motivators?
Karmin
My life and everything that I have going for me, the people I love, you know, sometimes I can be unmotivated to whether it’s I going to work which might seem something small when it’s only a day to day thing, but you know, I like to think about where I started and where I am now and how I’m still continuing to grow. That’s what really motivates me, is that myself as a person, is forever changing. And I’m just going to keep going and keep pushing and making myself better and trying to make a difference in the world if I can. So yeah.
Geoff
Sounds very good to me. What’s your passion and what’s next for Karmin?
Karmin
So I think completing my apprenticeship first. But in the end, I really want to open up a desert degustation restaurant and I want it to be mostly sourced from my own gardens at the restaurant or it is local.
Geoff
Make sure you let us know when you open the restaurant. We’ll be there.
Karmin
Yes, I will save you a seat.
Geoff
Yeah. Please do. You’re based in the Barossa at the moment, aren’t you?
Karmin
Yes!
Geoff
And what town, where is it found?
Karmin
It’s in Barossa, it is close to Secludes field in that possible field of principle to go to farms or Gulbis, maybe try the once and then exactly go everywhere. You have to have dinner at Hentley Farm and try the pastry for sure. Field response that they provide our wines one year so we do love them. Yeah, I’ve got lovely ones come.
Geoff
Karmin, how can you have any words of wisdom or encouragement for our listeners?
Karmin
Don’t give up, even if it’s hard and I promise that it will be hard, but it will be so worth it in the end. You don’t listen to others. If I did, I wouldn’t be here I here where I’m doing everything I’m doing now. I’m tired. lot of people told me I was, I’m too high and to lower my expectations and I told them they’re wrong. But ultimately, if there is anything that I’d really want people to remember, listen is always be kind to yourself. Always look after yourself because at the end of the day you need you and you’ll thank yourself for it.
Geoff
I think that’s good advice. I always finish the podcast with be kind, but be kind to yourself first I think to yourself you can more easily be kind to others.
Karmin
Exactly!
Geoff
And that’s very, very wise words. Karmin, how can our listeners connect with you personally and Hentley Farm?
Karmin
So they can connect with myself personally on Instagram, I have a Instagram page called karmin_food and Hentley Farm is on Facebook, the website, Instagram, you just put in Hentley Farm and it will come up.
Geoff
And we encourage the listeners in South Australia to get out Hentley Farm, taste some of Karmin’s food you of course. And I can’t wait because my family come from Adelaide. I can’t wait to do next time I come here I can get out. Come to Hentley Farm and try your pastries.
Karmin
Definitely and mention that I know who I am and I know you’re coming and I’ll make it extra special.
Geoff
Beautiful sounds perfect. Karmin, it’s been an absolute pleasure to have you on the podcast today. Thanks so much for sharing some of your story with us and your inspiring words. We really had a little fun so thank you. Thank you.
Karmin
Thank you for having me on this podcast. And you know, sorry for the mix up with trying to get onto the Zoom call when we first started but that’s OK. But thank you for having me.
Geoff
My pleasure. We got there in the end and the listeners got to hear your story which is the most important thing. Thanks so much Karmin.
Karmin
Thank you.
Geoff
I hope everybody listening enjoyed hearing Karmin’s story too and until next week, please remember to be kind and pat yourself as Karmin told us and remember, together we make a difference.
I hope you enjoyed today’s interview as much as I have. We would love you to subscribe to our podcast that you won’t miss an episode. Join us each week as we talk with ordinary Australian achieving extraordinary things. Did you know that Awards Australia is a family owned business that proudly makes a difference in the lives of those who make a difference for others. And we thank our corporate not for profit partners to making award programs possible. Do you know someone that’s making a difference or maybe your business might like to sponsor an award. Contact us through our Instagram page, inspirational.Australians will head to our website, awardsaustralia.com, it would be great if you could share this episode with your network because who doesn’t like a good news story, and please rate and review us. We would really love to hear your thoughts until next week. Stay safe and remember, together we make a difference.
Annette
Thanks for joining us today from the inspirational Australian’s podcast. We hope you enjoyed listening and have been inspired by ordinary Australians achieving extraordinary things. So it’s goodbye for another week. Remember, together we make a difference.
