KC cooks for the Food Co-op two days a week and also runs her own bakery business. Photo: Canberra Food Co-op/Instagram.
Who are you?
I’m KC. I’m a cook at the Food Co-op, and I also have a small bakery business, KC’s Bakery Workshop, at the Old Bus Depot Markets.
Tell me about KC’s Bakery Workshop.
I make sourdough bread using long fermentation. I find that fermented products help the gut; they’re easier to digest, and I am not as tired as before.
My products do not have any added chemicals, colouring or unnatural flavouring. For example, in my Earl Grey Cookies, I use organic Earl Grey tea from The Food Co-op. I blend it into a powder and add it to the cookie dough, so you can really taste it.
When I cook at The Food Co-op, I use the ingredients available. It’s always vegan, and we are using produce from organic farmers.
I like to bring back the flavour and make it more tasty because I want to break the stereotypes that vegan food is bland or not as flavoursome as dishes that include meat. I hope more people can get to know the Co-op and pay us a visit. It’s a cooperative, but it’s also a community.
How did you get involved in the hospitality industry?
I started when I was eight: my Grandma took care of me, and she needed her nana naps! So I started with instant noodles, and then I slowly became more confident. I studied at a culinary school and worked for about eight years in Singapore before moving to Australia to study pastry. When I came to Australia, I realised this was a place of abundance, and there’s always space for more cooks to showcase their skills.
You can find KC’s bakery products at the Old Bus Depot Markets. Photo: Supplied.
Did you have a dream job as a kid?
Not really! I love food, and I have always been fascinated by how raw food becomes cooked food through different methods. And I love beautiful things: when I see something plated beautifully, it makes me happy.
What is your food philosophy?
We are made of the food that we eat, so it is worth my time, energy, care and concern to deliver good food for myself and for others. I want to share my memories and love from food. I think the food I cook for my customers tells the story of who I am.
What is your favourite or must-use ingredient when cooking?
I must have my chilli! Everybody knows me by my sambal chilli sauce.
What’s an underrated Canberra venue that you love?
Fox & Bow. I like that cafe because it feels very homely; the people are friendly, and the food is tasty.
Who is someone in the food industry you admire?
Chef Otto Weibel. He is one of the chefs I worked under in Singapore, and he’s also one of the judges for international chef competitions. I have learned a lot from him, and I admire the way he shows up.
Who is your dream dinner party guest, and what would you make them?
Rather than one person, I would like to have a group of people who are critical of food because I love to get feedback. I’d invite people who are curious about food so we can exchange pointers.
I would make a dish from back home called Fried Hokkien prawn noodle. We make it with shrimp and cuttlefish with some pork belly, fried with yellow noodles, thick rice noodles and served with a thick gravy. There is a bit of garlic and chives and some fish sauce to lift the whole taste.
You can add the sambal chilli sauce, and some people like to squeeze some calamansi juice on top as well.
What is your current food obsession?
I’m trying to make laksa from scratch. I grew up eating a lot of laksa; it’s very suited to Singapore’s weather.
What’s the best thing you ate this week?
A turmeric lentil curry from the Ethiopian stall at the Old Bus Depot Markets. I really like the sweetness. I think they caramelise the onions. It makes me feel comforted: it feels like food from home, even though we don’t have a lot of Ethiopian food in Singapore.
That’s something I enjoy about living in Australia – getting to know all the different cuisines from around the world is fascinating.
What’s a food that reminds you of your childhood?
Kaya Toast. We toast the bread, then add a thick slice of butter and a generous spread of kaya, which is pandan custard. You have it with tea or coffee and a soft-boiled egg. That’s how we do it in Singapore.
What’s a normal breakfast for you?
Very simple: my own homemade bread, toasted with a thick spread of Nutella. Or sometimes, if I have leftover curry, I will heat that up and have it on toast.
Where do you shop for groceries?
I shop at the food co-op and from the farmers markets because I love to support the local businesses and producers.
KC is a big fan of Ginseng’s egg tarts. Photo: Ginseng/Instagram.
When you can’t be bothered to cook for yourself, where do you go and what do you eat?
I go to Tak Kee Roast Inn in Dickson. I love their rice vermicelli with preserved vegetables and duck meat. I love the dry duck noodles, and their fried rice is nice as well!
I also like to go for Yum Cha: Ginseng at Hellenic Club is my yum cha place. If you’re going on a Sunday, there’s no space, so it’s best to go on a Monday or Saturday. I like their prawn dumpling and siu mai, and the mango pudding and egg tart.
Do you have any travel plans?
I would like to go back to Darwin. I enjoy the markets there and the sunsets: it’s gorgeous.
Tell me something you love about living in Canberra?
It’s not too busy. It’s good because I think it gives you that time and moment for yourself. Back home, 24/7 you always have noises and people. You never feel like you have a moment for yourself. In Canberra, you have peace and quiet, which helps me organise my thoughts after working all day.
What podcasts are you enjoying? And TV shows?
I like to listen to Andrew Huberman’s podcast; he’s a neuroscientist and talks a lot about health. I also like Chris Williamson, who is more general and talks to a lot of people.
I also enjoy Chinese and Korean dramas.
An easy one to finish – what’s your go-to coffee order?
A strong Cappuccino. Sometimes you need that early morning pick me up! And it’s nice to have the luxury to be served.
Find KC’s Bakery Workshop at the Old Bus Depot Markets, and follow her on Instagram. KC cooks lunch on Mondays and Tuesdays at The Canberra Food Co-op.
