Juniper’s Hospitality Team recently hosted Curtin University dietetics students for a hands-on demo session, giving them a close look at how Juniper prepares and serves texture-modified meals.
Juniper Hospitality Coordinator South Jason Low said the workshop was an opportunity to pass on the team’s expertise.
“I always enjoy opportunities to share knowledge and support learning sessions like these, it’s how we help build confidence and shape the future of the dietetics profession,” Jason said.
Juniper prepares texture-modified meals to IDDSI standards, the global framework for safe food and drink preparation for people living with dysphagia or difficulty swallowing.
The session was delivered alongside Juniper’s partner The Pure Food Co, a specialist in texture-modified nutrition products, and covered everything from plating presentation and portion sizing to the difference between traditional texture modification methods and a modern approach.
The session helped students understand why correct texture consistency is so important for aged care customers and what that looks like in practice at Juniper.
Students were also taken through a vegetable pop-up display and a kitchen tour, giving them a clear picture of the fresh produce that goes into every meal at Juniper and pushing back on the idea that texture-modified food had to mean a compromise on quality or ingredients.
To finish the session, the students had a go at texture-modified desserts themselves using cake and custard and tasting their final products. The students nicknamed it their own version of My Kitchen Rules.
The students were also invited to Juniper’s Rowethorpe Catering Centre for their first time inside a large-scale commercial kitchen. The session covered the customer meal ordering process, allergen management, and the identification and application of IDDSI standards in meal ordering.
The workshop and tour is part of an ongoing five-year partnership between Juniper and Curtin University.
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