Your exclusive Christmas Cook Along!
We've partnered with our friend, Melbourne-based celebrity chef Shannon Martinez, to bring you exclusive on-demand access to our 'Canteen Christmas Cook Along,' highlighting three of Canteen’s incredible young people as Shannon's sous chefs.
The Cook Along was filmed at the Lona Misa restaurant within the Ovolo hotel in South Yarra and features Shannon’s inspired menu. Together, they'll be teaching you how to make vegan Christmas Party Pies, a recipe by Shannon that will be available only to Canteen supporters.
We hope you have some fun cooking along with Shannon and her sous chefs this holiday season while you learn more about Canteen, the services we offer, how your support makes such a difference to the lives of so many young people impacted by cancer and of course, an amazing new vegan recipe by Shannon.
Download the recipe to follow along at home.
Post to win!
Make sure to snap a picture of yourself cooking along with Shannon and use the hashtag #CookingWithCanteen, and you could be one of 15 to win one of Shannon's three cookbooks: Vegan with Bite, Smith & Daughters or Smith & Deli-cious.*
*Submissions must be shared with Canteen via social media by 11:59PM AEDT on 3 January. We will contact all winners on 5 January to arrange delivery.
Meet the team
Shannon Martinez, Celebrity Melbourne-based Chef
Shannon joined forces with Canteen for Bandanna Day this year after being inspired by the work we do to support young people living with cancer.
Just over 18 months ago, Shannon was diagnosed with triple negative breast cancer which is an uncommon diagnosis, and for that reason, was asked to join a trial treatment of combined immunotherapy and double chemotherapy by the Cancer Clinical Trial Team through the Peter Mac Foundation. For days on end, she had next to no sleep and very little energy, and had difficulty preparing and tasting the foods she wanted to make.
After the initial shock of her diagnosis and 20 rounds of chemo, she is now doing much better and hopes, one day, to be living cancer free.
Emily Williams, Canteen youth leader
Hi, my name is Emily Williams and I’m from Melbourne, Victoria. Cancer came into my world in January 2017 when my dad was diagnosed with Stage 4 Bowel Cancer. I was 18 and just starting my first year of university. I was now the carer for my dad at home and had to prioritise taking him to his appointments before my studies.
It wasn’t long before everything became too much. Fortunately, the oncology nurses at the hospital pointed me in Canteen’s direction and I reached out for help in June 2017. I didn’t know what to expect, but from the moment I walked into a Canteen office I knew that now I wasn’t going to go through this journey alone.
When I felt alone and lost, Canteen stepped in and showed me the way. When my dad passed away in 2019, again, they were there. Now that I’m navigating what life is like as a bereaved young person, Canteen is still in my corner.
Canteen became the glue when it felt like everything was going to fall apart. They provided me with the individual support, the friendship, and the tools that I needed to help me get through the toughest of days. Canteen also provided me with opportunities to make happy and lifelong memories, both with my dad and with other young people who truly get it. I now carry these memories with me and a day doesn’t go past where I’m not grateful.
Chloe Karis, Canteen youth ambassador
Hi, my name is Chloe Karis and I’m from Melbourne.
I’m in my final year of journalism and hope to pursue anything to do with music or writing for a magazine.
In 2009 my dad was diagnosed with chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL). We were told less than 1% of people were diagnosed under 50. We were lucky they had found a cure and life continued as normal as it could be.
But four years later, while I was 13, my dad was diagnosed for the second time. He had an aggressive form of CLL and it was no surprise there had no cure and they could only trial treatments on him. Seven months later from when he was diagnosed, he died and my life had changed instantly.
It was tough going back to school knowing no one who had lost a parent and I was the only one who had. But almost eight years on, I’ve found myself helping others in similar situations and to have a positive outcome on life.
My Canteen family are people who I can be completely open and honest with at all times. Being a leader and youth ambassador at Canteen, I want to share as much as I can about my story and what it can be like, the good and the bad, about losing a parent and having to step up at an early age.
Lena Mishra, Canteen youth ambassador
Hey I'm Lena! I’m 23. Cancer has been a part of me for more than half my life. I was diagnosed in 2005 with Medulla Blastoma (brain cancer) at the age of 7.
I’ve been a member of Canteen since 2010 when I was 12 years old. Joining Canteen and leadership has been the best decisions that I have made.
In the time I’ve been involved with Canteen, I have made so many friends and along with the support of staff and volunteers. I have grown so much as a leader in the Victorian Leadership Team, as a Youth Ambassador and in the Youth Advisory Team. I have been able to help other young people living with cancer experiences and raising money.
In 2019 cancer hit again, but this time resulting as thyroid cancer – later this year (2021) in July with skin cancer. In the week of this year’s cancer diagnosis I also got the news that I now have a chronic lung disease, which was quite upsetting to hear.
It’s been a difficult year, but throughout these hard times with my health and COVID-19, Canteen has been extremely supportive, and I couldn't be more grateful to be involved and have them as a resource to lean on. I have grown to learn so many new and different skills, meet so many people across Australia and New Zealand and allowed myself to become more comfortable sharing my cancer journey to help other young people out there living with cancer which is something I would never have been able to do without Canteen.
