Our Team
Our passionate team are working hard to bring Kitchen Farm to life and create an amazing space for the community to enjoy.
Olivia Burke
Founder
Olivia Burke is our blue-eyed, blonde-haired, super happy, energetic and ‘Fabulous Farm Founder’.
When Olivia isn’t busy dreaming up big plans for Kitchen Farm, she is busy being the Marketing and Sales Director for the Burke Urban Group; the family owned and operated property development company delivering Newenham Estate, where Kitchen Farm is located.
Olivia and her families passion for creating resilient and thriving communities, and the guiding principle that “doing good is good for business”, has underpinned her vision for Kitchen Farm. They hope that Newenham will one day be one of the most resilient and ‘well’ communities in Australia (if not the world), and fundamentally believe that connecting people to healthy soil, fresh air, and the production of food and natural paddock-to-plate dining and experiences will underpin this wellness.
Whilst Olivia is an entrepreneur and rich in experience in community development, she has no background in farming or food production to speak of, so draws on the findings from national case studies, the experience and expertise of collaborators and the support and innovation from her amazing farm team.
Caity Betteridge
Marketing & Brand Executive
If you don’t know Caity, she is our dynamic and super passionate brand and marketing executive. She has an eye for detail, and a keen interest in values based marketing that makes people feel truly connected to the story and spirit of a business.
Under the leadership of Olivia Burke, Caity is entrusted with guiding the Kitchen Farm brand across all of its touch points. From taking the perfect photo, to delivering online content, assistance with merchandising, event management, signage, packaging and brand development, Caity is across all facets of this new and emerging business and is an integral part of this team.
Caity has big plans for Kitchen Farm to grow and connect with people’s hearts and minds.
Matt Hemming
Head Chef
Matt brings warmth, leadership and a deep love of produce to the Kitchen Farm team.
Known for his generous, wholesome cooking style, Matt is driven by values of simplicity, seasonality, and strong local connections - from growers and suppliers through to the guests he cooks for.
Matt’s approach to food was shaped early, cooking alongside his dad, and continues today with a love for farm-to-table dining, thoughtful storytelling through food, and a strong sense of community. Matt is leading our gentle evolution from beloved café to true lunch destination - refining and enriching our offering while working closely with Maony to honour the spirit of what makes us special.
When he’s not in the kitchen, you’ll find Matt making gnocchi with his son Henry, collecting cookbooks, or firing up the wood oven with friends… ideally with a Guinness in hand.
Maony Belleau
Sous Chef
Our former head chef who has been at the heart of Kitchen Farm. Maony has shaped our menu with her bold flavours, creative flair and deep respect for seasonal, local produce.
Now stepping into a new role as Sous Chef, Maony continues to lead the way with her food - working side by side with Matt to evolve Kitchen Farm while staying true to its roots. Her love for ferments, pickles, spice and freshness will continue to shine on the plate and beyond it.
With this shift, Maony is embracing new creative spaces across the Kitchen Farm experience - from intimate private dinners and cooking demonstrations to markets and special projects (including more of her signature ferments and fiery chilli creations).
Emilie-Jade Wartemann
Head Barista
Meet Emilie, our Head Barista!
Born and raised in the Adelaide Hills, Emilie has 15 years of experience in the hospitality world from working in kitchens, to attending the floor and now specialising in coffee.
When she's not brewing our caffeinated favourites, she's hiking with her dog, selling vintage clothes at one of the local markets or ordering her own favourite coffee; an oat piccolo!
Dom Sergeant
Market Gardener/Farm Coordinator
Dom Sergeant recently joined the Kitchen Farm team with over 10 years of hands-on experience cultivating thriving market gardens in centralVictoria. His extensive background brings valuable expertise in sustainable practices that align perfectly with Kitchen Farm’s ethos.
Dom’s responsibilities encompass verge design and planting, resident garden design, market garden
planning, landscaping, nursery production oversight, and collaboration with the Green Team. His wealth of knowledge will significantly contribute to the ongoing development and enhancement of Kitchen Farm’s.
Kate Gibson
Farm Systems/Nursery Attendant
Kate has a deep interest in sustainability, food, and permaculture which align perfectly with everything we do and are trying to achieve at Kitchen Farm.
Kate has been helping with all sorts of tasks including developing the farm, planting, building chicken tractors, plant management and sales.
We are extremely grateful for Kates contribution and love having her (and her beautiful dog Baxter…) around.
Kelly Hall
Hospitality & Events Support
Kelly is our all-rounder firecracker. With a love for all things produce and people, she supports the team across kitchen prep, front of house service, event setup and workshop hosting.
Whether behind the scenes or on the floor, Kelly brings heart, hustle, and a whole lot of good vibes to the Kitchen Farm experience.