The Family Cook
More than a meal delivery service
Campbelltown City Council’s fresh helper
'What should I make for dinner?' It is the age-old question that can haunt individuals daily. Except for Victoria Braithwaite, it's the notion that planted the seed for a business idea.
Starting as a one-woman operation, The Family Cook originally consisted of Victoria bringing meals into her kids' schoolyard each afternoon so that parents and children alike could choose what was on the menu for dinner that night.
After a year of waving goodbye to the kids at school drop off each morning, grocery shopping, hiring kitchen space, unpacking both ingredients and equipment, cooking up a storm, packing everything up and then delivering the meals to school and homes, Victoria found Louise Del Vecchio.
With a wealth of experience, former restaurant owner Louise soon joined The Family Cook as Head Chef. 'It has been a pleasure to grow the business with her,' Victoria said. 'Initially, having the support of someone to share recipes with was so lovely. She has real integrity and shares my unwavering commitment to the quality of what we are trying to produce,' she added.
At the heart of The Family Cook is food that tastes like someone who loves you has made it. In the ready-to-eat food market, this is undoubtedly a change in attitude. In fact, many people think that you need to sacrifice quality and taste in order to enjoy convenience. With food playing a large role in Victoria's upbringing, she is changing attitudes and expectations around fresh and frozen ready-to-eat food.
'I want our food to taste like a warm hug so people can feel nurtured or restored, no matter if they've had a long day or they're struggling at the moment,' Victoria explained. Part of achieving this objective means that ingredients used by The Family Cook are only the best local produce on offer. This means free-range chicken and eggs, grass-fed beef, Australian fish and fresh vegetables and herbs.
Victoria is so intent on her mission that even at the height of the pandemic, external suggestions to cut corners simply weren't considered. In the face of rising costs, The Family Cook's team of 12 worked hard to ensure that processes and ingredients remained the same. 'I was never going to cut corners; our quality ingredients are what makes our meals special,' Victoria said.
While The Family Cook began as a vessel to help busy families put quality, tasty and nutritious meals on the dinner table each night, the business is now a registered NDIS provider helping people living with a disability and older South Australians on a Home Care Package. 'To be perfectly honest, I wasn't happy with what was being offered to people with a disability and to those in the aged care sector,' Victoria said. 'We need to be doing more to help vulnerable people eat well; that's why it was a true privilege when three years ago we became an NDIS provider,' she added.
At its core, The Family Cook is a heart-based business. Whether infusing meals with love and care or taking the time to have meaningful chats with community members and customers alike, 'connecting with people is what we do,' Victoria said. It's this commitment to care and connection that has seen a new element added to the delivery portion of the business.
Under an agreement with home care providers, as part of the delivery service, the team can instigate welfare checks. This means that if a doorbell goes unanswered or something just doesn't seem right, the individual can be flagged through their Home Care Package Coordinator or family member for a welfare check. 'That is what's special about us; we aren't just an online service; we are a face and point of connection for individuals who may be alone or going through a hard time,' Victoria explained.
Using food as a point of connection is deeply engrained in Victoria's background. Coming from both Lithuanian and Italian heritage, food has been central to family gatherings and, therefore, connection. Whether helping her paternal nanna cook for fundraisers or learning recipes from her maternal grandmother, food has always been a presence in her life.
Guided by the philosophy that food is an expression of love, The Family Cook is firmly committed to changing perceptions around fresh and frozen ready-to-eat meals. Victoria has always had an undeniable passion for food, helping people and creating change, and this is evident throughout every layer of her business.
As a parent returning to the workforce, she understands the associated pressures but also the fact that women's skills are largely undervalued. 'Mothers deal with people and emotions on a daily basis; plus, we are hard workers because we have to constantly prove that we can do this,' Victoria explained.
Drawing from this experience, The Family Cook has a flexible nature to working and proudly employs mature women in the workplace. 'I want everyone to come to a workplace where they are happy, and I want to support their lifestyle as well. When you have the right team, all working together, you can achieve beautiful things,' Victoria said.
It's this spirit that has buoyed the team through the tough times, whether that be a personnel shortage, equipment breaking down or a global pandemic. 'Owning a business is a really hard slog; there have been challenges, but I've always stayed true to my vision; we aren't just food producers; we are pushing to make change socially,' Victoria explained.
Whilst having a firm focus on the future, in the short term, Victoria and the team are working towards really solidifying The Family Cook as the leading meal delivery service in South Australia for people wanting quality food infused with love and care.
Part of bringing this vision to life has been aided by the Campbelltown City Council. The Family Cook has been the recipient of two grants over the last two years, which have helped expand both the cool room and freeze room.
'Council really invests in local businesses and provides ongoing support. They are always trying to communicate with businesses to see what they can do better and how they might be able to help,' Victoria said. ‘It is their commitment to all aspects of our amazing Campbelltown community that really makes it an outstanding place to operate a business,’ she added.
Business tips
Victoria's tips for others in business:
- Having a personal mantra is incredibly motivating.
- Don't be afraid to ask for expert help in key areas like bookkeeping.
- Get together once a month with people you trust and vent. They will provide a different perspective for tackling a problem or finding growth areas.
Speak to us today about the benefits of living and working in the Campbelltown City Council area.