General News
13 September, 2024
Rupanyup Living's The Kitchen brings people together in the heart of town
Rupanyup Living creates local gathering place with The Kitchen.
Claire Morgan is bringing people together in the farming township with Rupanyup Living's 'The Kitchen'.
Mrs Morgan and her husband Dave moved to Rupanyup 15 years ago 'to start a life' on a broad acre cropping farm growing chickpeas, lentils, canola, wheat, barley and other grains.
"A few years into living here, I realised there wasn't a lot for people to gather in town, so I decided to start a little boutique store called Rupanyup Living," Mrs Morgan said.
Creating that meeting place in the heart of the small town was something that Mrs Morgan said is important to her.
"Being a farmer's daughter, and married to a farmer, I know farms can be an isolating place," she said.
"You get busy working on your own business, on the farm, on the land, and sometimes you need a place to get off the farm, and a place to gather.
"I'm a real people person and love connecting with people.
"I just wanted to create that place. That's what Rupanyup Living is about."
In 13 years of operation, Rupanyup Living has changed from time to time, and now leans into its cooking.
"When people were coming into our boutique store to enjoy some retail shopping in town, people were wanting coffee and cake and things like that, and there wasn't anything in town to offer [that]."
Mrs Morgan decided it was a service she could provide to those stopping in Rupanyup.
"I wanted to package something that was sweet and decedent, and we started cooking our brownie for people to enjoy," she said.
"Then we started packaging it, so when tourists come to Rupanyup to do the silo art trail and visit our region, they could take a beautiful decadent brownie mix home and enjoy it long after leaving the region."
"I wanted to share that food, that produce that we grow, and the power of food to bring people together is something that I'm really passionate about."
Looking to the future, Mrs Morgan would like to grow Rupanyup Living's connection with people in the food industry.
"I'd love to cook with a celebrity chef ... we are welcoming people that love cooking and love to know where their food comes from," she said.
"We're also very busy wholesaling our brownies to cafes, wineries and other food outlets, that's a really important direction we're heading."
Rupanyup Living has also recently taken steps into holding regular events, with its first being a gin blending masterclass with Mrs Baker's Still House.
Upcoming events include a creative writing workshop with Marnoo writer Miriam Zolin on Sunday, September 22.
A watercolour workshop by artist Julie Kent will be held at Rupanyup Living's The Kitchen on Saturday, October 12.
And On Sunday, November 10, Rupanyup Living is hosting a high tea with Quince Gin made with locally grown quinces.