The Private Chef couple open Garden Cafe

Local foodie Luke Whiddett and partner Corinne Mathews have opened a new cafe behind the Woonona Bulli School of Arts. The couple’s other venture, The Private Chef, which they developed through financial necessity during Covid, is as strong as ever.

Luke, an Albion Park Rail local, began a chef apprenticeship straight after school and headed to Queensland to find experience in busy kitchens. He moved back to the Illawarra in 2005 and cheffed in establishments such as Master Builders, Wests Illawarra and Ciao Mediterranean. Working long, hard hours and with a growing family, Luke found himself developing unhealthy habits and fell ill, suffering from a fatty liver and high blood pressure. This triggered an interest in healthy eating. Luke then took matters into his own hands, studying nutrition and making the health changes required.

The knowledge that Luke gained through his Diploma in Nutrition not only changed his own health but was incorporated into a business plan. When Covid brought eating out to a screaming halt, he and Corinne began The Illawarra Private Chef Service. Juggling their blended family of five children and Corinne’s full-time job as an assistant nurse, the couple managed to build a following with The Private Chef, a mobile catering service.

As the business grew, they outgrew their preparation space and began looking for larger premises. They happened upon the area behind the Woonona Bulli School of Arts and saw its potential. The site behind the community hall and The Yoga Hive has a kitchen space, separate dining area, as well as potential for a kitchen garden.

The Garden Cafe opened early in January and soon became popular with locals. Everything is handmade and preservative-free, down to the sourdough. Luke is mindful of the benefits of healthy food made from scratch with known quality ingredients, though he has introduced a Cake of the Day, in response to local demand.

In his spare time, Luke has a plot at Dapto Community Gardens and harvests herbs and vegetables for use in the cafe and The Private Chef catering business. Whatever is going well is used to advantage.

Luke and Corinne are now offering the cafe space for private dining and events outside of cafe hours. They are also looking at special offerings, such as taco and BBQ nights.

Visit the Garden Cafe six days a week. And you can bring your doggos!

Check out The Illawarra Private Chef Service