Cooking Coach Program builds community confidence

Recognising the important role food plays in community wellbeing, we have developed the nom! Cooking Coach Program designed equip local workers, volunteers, and community members with the skills and resources needed to deliver practical cooking sessions within their own communities. 

The training provides the necessary knowledge and skills to deliver cooking only sessions in the community by teaching how to put together a cooking kit and setting up cooking stations. Training also includes essential cooking and food safety skills, and how to cook from nom! recipe books. Through the training, Cooking Coaches gain the confidence to share these cooking skills with others.  

The nom! Cooking Coach model is designed to empower communities by creating local champions who can continue delivering cooking sessions long after the initial training. 

Coaches help their communities build confidence in preparing healthy meals at home, develop practical food preparation skills, increase their vegetable intake, strengthen social connections, and create a greater sense of wellbeing. By investing in local people, the program increases community capacity and creates lasting opportunities for learning and engagement.  

Cooking Coaches receive access to a range of practical resources, including easy-to-use cooking session plans, healthy recipes, food safety guidance, facilitation tips, participant feedback tools, promotional materials, and ongoing support from our Nutrition Education Team. Training is available in both face-to-face and online formats, allowing statewide access to the training. In addition to resources to support delivery of cooking sessions, Cooking Coaches also benefit from peer support through the growing network of Cooking Coaches across the state.  

The Cooking Coach training is suitable for people working across community centres, health and family support services, Aboriginal and culturally diverse communities, volunteers, and community leaders. It can be tailored to be suitable for cooking with children, youth, adults, families, or mixed-age groups, ensuring communities can respond directly to local priorities and interests.  

The successful training of the first Cooking Coach in August marks the beginning of an exciting journey, demonstrating how practical food education can inspire confidence, encourage healthier eating, and bring people together through the shared experience of preparing and enjoying delicious food. 

Published on 16 September 2026.