Meet Our Head Chef: Kate Strang
The Dining Hall is at the heart of College life. It's where busy mornings begin, friends catch up between classes and milestone moments are celebrated over great food.
Residents enjoy fresh, seasonal meals in the St Catherine's College Dining Hall.
Leading this experience is our Head Chef, Kate Strang, whose team prepares meals across our UWA and Curtin campuses. From breakfast before an early lecture to elegant Formal Hall celebrations, Kate and her team create memorable dining experiences using fresh Western Australian produce, seasonal ingredients and herbs from the College's Urban Food Forest. We caught up with Kate to learn more about the philosophy behind our dining experience.
Head Chef Kate Strang leads the kitchen team across the College's UWA and Curtin campuses.
What is your food philosophy?
All food is good. For me, it's about tradition, culture and a passion for great ingredients. We use local produce, respect what we cook with and always do our best to create meals that are full of flavour and made with care.
How does dining shape College life?
I believe dining connects people. Food brings our residents together to enjoy their meals, catch up after classes and celebrate special occasions. The Dining Hall is where friendships are formed and many of the memories of College life begin.
““Food brings our residents together. The Dining Hall is where friendships are formed and many of the memories of College life begin.”
How do you design meals for such a diverse community?
It takes care, collaboration and listening.
Our residents come from across Australia and around the world, and we love celebrating that diversity through food. We regularly invite residents to share their favourite meals, treasured family recipes and cultural dishes, and many of those ideas make their way onto the menu throughout the year.
If you're missing a taste of home, we'd love you to share your recipe. Our chefs always enjoy discovering new dishes and will do their best to recreate resident favourites for everyone to enjoy.
We also co-design menus for special occasions and make sure every dish is clearly labelled, creating a dining experience that is welcoming, inclusive and full of variety.
What types of dining do you provide at the College?
We cater for every occasion, from daily buffet-style breakfasts, lunches and dinners to elegant three-course meals for Formal Halls, Commencement, Valedictory and other special celebrations.
Each setting has its own rhythm. Everyday dining is about choice, balance and consistency, while formal dinners focus on presentation, attention to detail and celebrating important milestones. Whatever the occasion, our goal is to create meals that residents genuinely look forward to.
How do you balance nutrition, health and comfort in your meals?
Comfort food isn't unhealthy; it's cultural. I use lighter ingredients to keep the flavour and the feeling. Fresh produce, colour and balance are key.
How do you use produce from the College's Urban Food Forest?
We use it every day, even if it's just a handful of herbs or greens. It brings freshness to the plate and reminds us where food begins.
The garden connects us to the seasons and adds variety. Whether it's rosemary with a roast, citrus in a salad dressing or mint picked fresh for dessert, those ingredients add something special. Residents also love seeing what's growing and knowing it has found its way onto their plate.
How does sustainability guide kitchen operations?
Sustainability is part of everything we do. We source produce from local Western Australian suppliers wherever possible, create seasonally driven menus and incorporate ingredients from our Urban Food Forest throughout the year.
Behind the scenes, we compost organic waste, carefully use surplus ingredients and repurpose suitable bakery and produce items to minimise waste. By making the most of every ingredient, we can reduce our environmental footprint while continuing to serve fresh, flavourful meals.
Share Your Favourite Recipe
One of the things that makes dining at St Catherine's special is that our menu is shaped by our community.
If there's a family favourite, a cultural dish or a comfort meal you're missing from home, we'd love you to share it with our chefs. We always enjoy discovering new recipes and will do our best to feature resident favourites on the menu.
Curious about what's on the menu?
Visit our Dining page to view a sample menu.
Thinking about joining our community? Learn more about living at St Catherine's College or book a campus tour.