Sohail (Sam) Akhter loves his role as Senior Chef at Uniting AgeWell Strathdon Community for a smorgasbord of reasons.
He relishes learning new and exciting ways of cooking, enjoys chatting to the residents and best of all he’s got his nights and his weekends back, so he’s a hands-on dad again.
For many Chefs, working in Aged Care is a welcome change to the grind of being a restaurant chef. It also brings the feel good factor, as food takes on a whole new meaning as we get older.
Sam has been at Strathdon Community for the past seven years and says the work-life balance is “absolutely fantastic.” He takes his 12-year-old son and 14-year-old daughter to gym with him after work and spends his weekends watching them play sport, ferrying them to friends and parties, spending time with his wife … Generally being a family man and doing a million and one ‘dad-things’.
“It may be glamorous working in hotels and in top-end restaurants, but it can get very lonely,” explains Sam. “You work nights and weekends – the time that you could be spending with family. The kids are only young for a short while, I don’t want to miss out on these important years.”
Sam, pictured with ABC Broadcaster Alice Zaslavasky, is also exploring cooking the Maggie Beer way. The ABC recently launched a new TV series called Maggie Beer’s Big Mission. Sam made his media debut when the ABC recently broadcast from Strathdon, interviewing him about his work as a Chef in aged care.
Strathdon is one of four residential sites to start the first round of the Maggie Beer Trainer Mentor Programs earlier in April – the others are Kingsville Community in Victoria and Newnham Community, Aldersgate Village and Sorell Community, Ningana in Tasmania. Another three sites – Manor Lakes, Preston and Box Hill started the training in July.
The Maggie Beer Foundation, funded by the Australian Federal Government’s Department of Health and Aged Care, is delivering education and training to improve the dining, food, and nutritional outcomes for Australian elders in Aged Care.
“There are obviously a lot of things we already do, but this way of cooking brings new things into the mix,” says Sam. “I enjoy using lots of fresh herbs, garlic, olive oil and loads of butter in preparing meals. We make our own chicken stock, and always cook fresh custards and fresh desserts.”
Pakistan-born Sam has packed an impressive CV into his 43 years. He did his apprenticeship at the Mariott Hotel in Karachi and worked there for three years before taking up the post of Pastry Chef at the Continental Hotel in Bahrain. Then he moved to the US where he worked in different restaurants and steak houses in Texas.
“We decided to move to Australia for a peaceful and safe future,” says Sam. “Two members of our wider family died from gunshot wounds, we did not want that for our children.”
They arrived in Australia in 2007 and Sam worked in two high-end cafes and in a hotel, before settling down with his wife, who is doing her PhD in health care, and reassessing his life. It is a decision he has never regretted.
“Uniting AgeWell is a great company to work for, the management are receptive and always listen,” he explains. “I lead a team of ten, and I find great enjoyment not only in what I do, but in chatting to the residents.”
Find out more about a career with Uniting AgeWellIn honour of Aged Care Employee Day we invite you to get to know our team a little better. Read their individual experiences to discover what drove them to build their career in aged care and learn what fulfils them most each day at work.
Uniting AgeWell staff bring diverse experiences through varied and interesting journeys into aged care. They work in our residences, in people’s homes, and remotely, creating a tightly woven and trusted network of professional care and support. They share a passion for making a difference in people’s lives.
Please read some of their stories below and acknowledge the contribution of all our staff by saying #ThanksforCaring.
