"I miss my darling wife's cooking," says 94-year-old Reg Wall. "I even miss my own cooking."
Reg doesn't seem 94. He's a tall, broad-shouldered man who, despite the usual sight and hearing problems of someone his age, has an immense and thoughtful presence.
He sits at the dining table and embraces Julie Vagg. They live in the same aged care facility, and the two greet each other with the enthusiasm of long-lost friends.
"A meal is much more important to us less active, elderly people," Mr Wall says.
"It can be a social function, particularly if you're sitting together in company... To enjoy food is one of the primary pleasures we have at our age."
Recent revelations about the horrible food being given to some aged care residents has sparked anger among those who entrust the organisations to care for their loved ones.
But pictures of "awful" tri-coloured slop and dry-as-sand scrambled eggs are a far stretch from what's being served at one Canberra aged care facility.
George Sautelle House in Farrer boasts a seasonal menu, made by qualified chefs from 95 per cent local ingredients. Residents' taste testing sessions guide and inform the menu and affect which dishes are offered and which are scrapped.
It's Friday, which of course means fish and chips, though it's not your usual, greasy takeaway affair.
The fish is crumbed and crispy, the chips are light and well-seasoned and the salad is bright and fresh. Not to mention there's your choice of dessert - a vanilla teacake with strawberries and cream or a peach crumble with custard - all made onsite.
For the residents, it's the collaboration which is most important.
"We have regular meetings and it's up to the residents to say what they want," Mr Wall says.
"For example at one of the last meetings, several of the ladies got up and said they wanted improved salads and within a couple of days I was offered outstanding salads."
"Quite often, the chefs will come up when you're having your meal," Ms Vagg says.
"They'll go around and talk to us all and say 'how did you like yesterday's menu, is there something that you'd like different?'"
According to Ms Vagg, it's this environment of cooperative participation that allows residents to feel comfortable and happy - not just with the food, but with their community.
"There's a lot of people who come into nursing homes who really didn't want to," she says.
"It's important to make them feel that they are getting what they want."
Head of nursing at the centre, Alex Thomas says the facility doesn't compare to others he's worked at.
"I've worked in nursing for 20 years and I've never seen anywhere like this," he says.
"It starts with the food. They do everything so freshly."
Both Julie and Reg acknowledged the economic and practical realities of making food for an aged care facility, saying an a-la-carte menu would be nice but "you've got to be realistic" when making food for 80 people with an extreme diversity of needs.
But it's clear to both of them that good food and happiness go hand-in-hand, and a collaborative approach has worked wonders for the place they now call home.
