Meet the Lunch Lady

Kate Berry, AKA the Lunch Lady, has been dishing up the delights of home cooking on her blog for years. Over a year ago, she made the jump from digital to print with the launch of Lunch Lady, a quarterly magazine that beautifully packages her passion for food and family into a delightful, personality-packed read.

We caught up with Kate to find out what the transition has been like, along with a few foodie-focused questions as we all revel in the culinary joys of spring.

This winter you celebrated one year since launching Lunch Lady. What has the journey been like?

It’s pretty crazy that one year has been and gone. It’s been quite an intense learning experience. Before the magazine, I was working as a photographer and designer, both jobs I’d been doing for the last 20 years. To then take a whole new direction and learn a whole new job was quite overwhelming.

I’ve not only learnt new work skills but I’ve also learnt a lot about myself. I’m a very stubborn and extremely independent person, so to have to ask questions was confronting for me. But, luckily, I had two awesome teachers in Lou Bannister and Lara Burke.

"I make a heap of frittatas and veggie slices in spring, as it’s when the chooks start laying again and they’re an easy thing to pop in the kids’ lunch boxes."

What’s your favourite part of producing a magazine?

Pulling together amazing people from all over the world to create a beautiful thing for people all over the world to enjoy! It really is a pleasure to work with the people who are part of each Lunch Lady. And to know there are so many supportive and beautiful people out there spreading the word. I’m also a big fan of the beautiful emails sent in from lovely readers. Thanks guys.

How different is creating the magazine to your blog?

I slept a lot more when I just had the blog. My blog life was way more ad hoc – post something, not post something – but the magazine is a full time baby. There are more people to organise, more involved photo shoots, way more writing and thinking! But it’s amazing to see it all come together once it arrives fresh from the printer. That smell, you can’t beat it.

Current favourite dishes to cook with kids?

Recently I was diagnosed with coeliac disease so gluten free things have been popping up in our kitchen lately. We’ve been hoeing down buckwheat pancakes with banana ice cream, just made by whizzing a frozen banana. If you haven’t tried it, you should!

What’s on the menu this spring?

Spring is the season of promise and excitement for things to come, like summer! I make a heap of frittatas and veggie slices in spring, as it’s when the chooks start laying again and they’re an easy thing to pop in the kids’ lunch boxes. I’m also currently obsessed with rice. I make fried rice with the odds and ends in the fridge, then I wrap it in my sourdough flatbreads to make rice burritos for the kids.

Find out more about Lunch Lady or buy a copy of the latest magazine.