Noelene Marchwicki’s Cook Book Launch

Noelene has lived in this area all her life. She has five children Mark, Sean, Paul Dale and Nicole. Noelene decided she would be a stay at home Mum. Talking with a neighbour and friend who also had young children, she said we are going to start a catering business. The friend was horrified saying we cannot cook, but Noelene was enthusiastic saying we will learn as we go along. Noelene went to the print shop in Morwell and had two jumpers printed with their business and names. She advertised in the local paper. They did a story on her and it went on from there.

Noelene applied to My Kitchen Rules, was accepted but needed to pull out as she explained it was less about cooking and more about your back story.

Noelene began to manage Thrifty Specs.

Noelene’s youngest son Dale, reached the age of moving out of home. To give Noelene something else to concentrate on he gave her the paperwork to Master Chef. Noelene was accepted and so began the twenty journeys to Melbourne. She resigned from Thrifty Specs to pursue this goal.

Making it to Australia’s Top 10 cooks changed her life. She resigned from her position as an optical dispenser and was able to start up and run catering events using the Neighbourhood Centre kitchen, and cooking classes in her home town of Churchill. Some years ago, we welcomed Noelene to share recipes in Churchill & District News.

We are glad Noelene asked us if we would like recipes to publish. Noelene knows they are read as she has lots of feedback from those she sees while out shopping for ingredients. Thank you Noelene.

Allan introduced our guest speakers.

1. Paul Mersey. Paul is a visual merchandising Manager, Divisions, Country Road and Trenery.

Paul is Noelene’s son. Not only is he involved with business, he is also an excellent cook. Noelene says he follows the recipes whereas she will add her own touches and use what is available in her fridge, garden and cupboards.

These are his words

‘Thank you all for being here to celebrate the launch of A Selection of Delicious Recipes and Cooking Hints from the Kitchen of Noelene Marchwicki.

For those of you who know my mum, you will know this book is much more than just a collection of recipes. It is a reflection of her love, creativity, and generosity—values she has always poured into every meal she has ever made.

The kitchen has always been her heart and her haven, a place where she has not just created dishes but also memories, laughter, and moments that have brought family and friends together. Whether it is her perfectly balanced flavours, her clever cooking hacks, or her ability to turn a simple ingredient into something magical, Noelene’s passion for food is evident in everything she does.

This book is her gift to all of us—a way to share her knowledge, her warmth, and her undeniable talent. It is not just about cooking; it is about connection, joy, and celebrating the art of sharing food with those we love.

Mum, we are so proud of you. You have poured your heart and soul into this book, and today, we celebrate not just your recipes, but also you—an incredible woman who has inspired so many of us, both in and out of the kitchen.

To everyone here, I encourage you to dive into these recipes and let them bring the same happiness to your lives as they have brought to ours.

Here’s to Noelene and to the beautiful journey this book will inspire. Cheers!’

2. Sharon Gibson. Sharon has gained a lot of respect for Noelene and her community involvement over a long time. Sharon was honoured to be asked to speak about Noelene with whom she has worked over the years. Sharon wishes more people would take a leaf out of Noelene’s book.

Sharon met Noelene on Gippsland FM 104.7 where she shared her love of cooking. Noelene is a kind soul, a lovely lady who will always help someone. Sharon has looked at recipes and thought maybe not, but trying them has found them lovely with lots of flavor. Sharon loved meeting Noelene and working with her. Churchill is so lucky to have Noelene in our community. Sharon wished Noelene all the best for the future.

3. Martin Cameron. Our local member who has taken some time out from his busy schedule to be present with us today. Martin happily accepted this invitation to be part of a community event.

Martin’s first words to Noelene were, “I love your glasses”. Martin says the younger generation does not do much cooking. They need to put their trust in people like Noelene to read and use her recipes and share them. Martin acknowledged Noelene’s journey. He emphasised that both genders have cooking skills. He was buying three books to give his boys to encouraging them to cook. He hoped there would be more books in the series to come.

Ruth continued – ‘Noelene, as you have heard, is a wonderful example of working for the community. Noelene herself says it is all about community. Noelene has graciously allowed the paper to use her recipes as a fundraiser with no proceeds going to her. This is another way she has agreed to support our community through supporting Churchill & District News.

Noelene we express our humble thanks for your amazing support; each month with new recipes and tips for the paper and for this means of financial support for our community newspaper.

To show our gratitude we would like you accept these gifts as a token of our appreciation of your generosity’.

Noelene responded by thanking C&DN. She has always lived in the area before Churchill was a town. She remembers catching the bus from the farm in to Hazelwood South School. People need to cook. You do not need to spend as much money, but you can add the flavours you like. Sharing food with family and friends is a special time, especially if you have cooked the food yourself. Noelene thanked everyone for coming to make the launch a special time.