SUMMER BAY’S REAL LIFE CHEF!

Home and Away’s much-loved props caterer Carol Toohey tells us what’s involved in preparing the food we see on our favourite show.

How long have you been working on the show?

Since the very beginning, more than 30 years ago, and before that I was here working on A Country Practice and Sons and Daughters.

How is different preparing a meal for a TV show to making a real-life one?

There’s not much time to do things in television, and you may be providing a main meal at 7am or a roast dinner at 8am. Often, I have to cook more than one of something to allow for three or four takes. And if I’m serving a fruit salad, I always include blueberries as they only take a short time for the actors to eat between lines.

What are some of the more unusual things you’ve had to prepare?

If someone is a bad cook on the show, I get to burn things, which is a bit of fun. You just have to watch the smoke alarms! Recently, I made a grilled watermelon for location with brown sugar, lime and a bit of cumin, and a seafood gumbo. But everything you see is real food and made fresh.

Over the past 30 years, you’ve cooked for everyone from Chris Hemsworth to Isla Fisher. Any special requests?

I always get special requests [ laughs], but they were, honestly, all just lovely and easy to cook for. Most of the cast are healthy eaters.

We hear you’re very popular among the cast and crew…

I do try to look after them and make toasties for them when I can. I think they love the toasties more than me! But I’ve always cooked with my heart.