As a qualified Chef with an Advanced Diploma in Hospitality, a Certificate 4 in Front Line Management, a Queens Scout Award and Adult Training and Development with Scouts Victoria under his belt, Darren is a co-founder and the driving force behind TCF with over 40 years of experience in the hospitality, catering and aged care industries.
Darren started his journey in aged care with a vision – to bring dignity back to people’s dining experience. He wanted to transform food quality for people living with dysphagia.
TCF has come a long way, realising that vision through hard work, determination and a relentless pursuit to see standards change in the aged care industry and beyond. His tenacity and innovative approach help deliver customer-focussed solutions.
Out of work mode, Darren enjoys growing roses and gardening and demonstrates he’s a true boy scout by exploring the great outdoors.
Dr Lisa Sossen APD, PhD
Dietitian, Research & Development & Co-owner
With nearly 25 years as an Accredited Practicing Dietitian (APD) and Accredited Nutritionist, Lisa has extensive aged care clinician and consultant experience. She co-founded TCF after being Awarded The Dietitians Association of Australia (DAA) Small Grant for Novice Research Dietitians in 2010 and a finalist for the ACCV Industry Support Awards (gaining her an adjunct lecturer position at Monash University) highlighted gaps in aged care.
Committed to improving nutrition in the industry, Lisa enrolled in a PhD exploring aged care food-first approaches. Her paper Does a high energy high protein diet reduce unintentional weight loss in residential aged care residents? was published in the Journal of Nutrition in Gerontology and Geriatrics in 2019, and subsequent publication An investigation of recommended serve food portions and attaining energy and protein requirements in older adults living in residential care was published in the Journal of Human Nutrition and Dietetics in 2020 and Can fortified, nutrient-dense and enriched foods and drink-based nutrition interventions increase energy and protein intake in residential aged care residents?
A systematic review with meta-analyses was published in 2021 in the International Journal of Nursing Studies. Her Thesis offers recommendations to improve the aged care industry on all levels.
As a thought leader, Lisa’s comprehensive understanding of texture modified foods, diets and nutrition has seen her sit on the Menu Audit Tool Steering Committee in 2016 and 2020, the Victorian Nutrition Standards for Public Hospitals and Residential Age Care Homes 2021 as well as presenting on menus at a DAA workshop.
Outside of her work, Lisa enjoys being with her three children and husband and looking after their very cute dog.
Gary Jenkins
National Sales Manager
Gary boasts a distinguished 44-year tenure in funds management and financial advice distribution, having held senior positions across Australia and New Zealand. Since 2003, he has operated his consultancy, providing invaluable guidance to numerous financial service entities. Gary arrives at TCF with a profound interest in the aged care sector.
Beyond his professional pursuits, he finds solace and inspiration in Australia’s breathtaking landscapes, often immersing himself in outdoor explorations to revel in its natural beauty and tranquillity.
Lyn Dunkley
Client Relationship Manager - QLD
Lyn’s career journey started in hospitality as an apprentice chef before progressing to front-of-house roles. With 23 years of experience in sales, sales management, and training at Yellow Pages Australia, she transitioned to a new chapter, studying dietetics and becoming a dietitian specialising in lifestyle behaviour management and health issue resolution.
Now at TCF, Lyn aims to leverage her diverse skills as a client relationship manager while focusing on helping the elderly and individuals living with dysphagia.
Outside of work, Lyn enjoys entertaining family and friends with delicious meals and indulging in leisure activities like jet skiing, travel, fitness, live entertainment, reading, movies, and adventurous pursuits.
Mikayla Cooper
Client Relationship Manager - TAS
With 15 years of experience in hospitality, including kitchen and restaurant management, Mikayla has a deep-rooted passion for enhancing dining experiences. Transitioning into account management and marketing for a hospitality software and procurement company, she brings the team a unique blend of industry insight and marketing acumen.
Driven by a genuine desire to make a difference in the lives of individuals with limited food choices, Mikayla combines her culinary background with a commitment to improving dining experiences. She thrives on creating solutions that bring joy to those who don’t often have the luxury of choice in their meals.
Mikayla stays active with CrossFit, running, hiking, or chasing after her three children. Time away from TCF is a mix of adventure and family time, reflecting her energetic and balanced approach to life.
Leslie Roberts
Client Relationship Manager - Regional VIC
Commencing his career in Mechanical Engineering with BP Australia, and later with Corinthian Industries, Les also helped found the Make-A-Wish Foundation of Australia. With a Diploma of Financial Services and a Certificate in Estate Planning, Les is also the Principal of ERM Advisory, a consulting business in Melbourne.
Appointed as TCF Director in 2019, Les’ mandate is to transition the business into a corporate model, streamlining structures, processes and procedures, at the same time guaranteeing compliance with general director responsibilities, and ensuring executive and leading hand staff receive training and mentoring and live our core values.
Les’ family of three daughters, seven grandchildren and one great-grandchild – keep him and partner Jenny contentedly entertained alongside his desire to improve his golf game and continue singing and conducting the traditional Welsh Tarrengower Men’s Choir in the Central Goldfields region of Victoria, that he is helping to build.
Jo Brown
Operations Manager
Jo brings her office management experience from diverse roles and industries allowing her to support our manufacturing processes. Managing the operations process, planning, control, performance improvement and operations strategy, Jo’s positive approach to resolving production issues ensures our daily operations run efficiently.
She’s an integral part of our team living and positively enforcing our core values across the broader team while managing essential functions such as human resources, recruitment, staff training and appraisals.
When she’s away from the factory, Jo enjoys spending time with her family, friends and two Jack Russell dogs.
Michelle Psalia
Logistics & Office Manager
Michelle delivers outstanding customer service and doesn’t shy away from a challenge which is why she’s gained a wealth of experience in diverse roles including car parts manufacturing quality control, wiring lights experience and cooking for restaurants.
When Michelle started at TCF, she assisted with packing food bags but as time progressed, she discovered her natural talents were in the logistics side of our growing business. Michelle’s role is an important cog in the day-to-day activities from overseeing shipping and warehousing operations, ensuring processes run smoothly and deliveries are made on time. As the glue that binds our business together, Michelle manages our busy warehouse and logistics team while liaising with suppliers, distributors and customers.
Away from logistics, Michelle spends her time cooking traditional Italian recipes and quality time with her daughters at the beach.
Anne Moloney
Commercial Manager
As a Certified Practicing Accountant, Anne has worked for a range of companies in diverse industries including manufacturing, finance, print media, not-for-profit and logistics. With such a broad career spanning company operations, she knows a thing or two about what makes a business tick well.
Anne has accumulated a wealth of financial expertise and is grateful for the many talented people and teams she’s had the opportunity of working alongside that has contributed to achieving business goals and success.
Away from the numbers, Anne is interested in history and architecture – touring museums and European Castles online. She enjoys attending events such as open Melbourne, Ballarat, Bendigo and Hobart and whenever possible is in the front rows of an Elton John concert. She enjoys walking and listening to podcasts while appreciating her local neighbourhood’s architecture.
Lisa J Cole
Marketing & Communications Manager
With over 20 years as a marketing professional and more recent experience as a digital marketing freelancer, Lisa loves exploring marketing solutions to diverse business problems.
Using her marketing experience and expertise, Lisa employs her copywriting, communications and coaching skills in business environments to create, implement and deliver marketing and communications strategies to achieve business objectives.
In her spare time, Lisa loves being in the wilderness – trekking, camping, exploring the unknown and enjoys the benefits of yoga and meditation.
Estee North
HACCP Coordinator
With food safety being paramount in our food manufacturing facility, Estee leads our effort in maintaining the HACCP system for food safety and quality for all the products we produce. She coordinates HACCP documentation and IDDSI food testing and safeguards good manufacturing practices ensuring our products comply with IDDSI standards.
Working with our team in a dynamic food environment, Estee has a strong sense of personal ownership evaluating information quickly, identifying any issues and formulating conclusions based on sound, practical judgement.
Liz Benfell
Reception & Administration Coordinator
Liz has been with TCF from the beginning and makes the successful team she and Darren have created together. They live and work alongside each other where Liz is our welcoming TCF HQ ambassador. If you visit us, Liz will greet and assist you with her warm, friendly smile.
Since 2012, Liz has performed diverse roles at TCF from moulding food in the kitchen, packing boxes for delivery to helping grow the business to where it is today. She’s adaptable in her approach and brings calm to a high-energy team.
Wearing many hats outside of work, Liz is a mum to two children – her youngest with special needs. In her spare time, she can be found on the yoga mat, riding a bike or travelling around Australia.
John Coulson
Chair
Holding a Master in Business Administration, John is a qualified accountant and has occupied senior management roles including Group Manager – Finance of the Metropolitan Transit Authority of Victoria as well as a number of company director positions.
John is an experienced management consultant and has led management consulting divisions in mid-tier chartered accounting firms including Touche Ross and KPMG Management Consultants and most recently a ten-year period at HLB Mann Judd.
John is drawn to business improvement projects for both private and public sector organisations that focus on manufacturing, food, IT and professional services. He is a dynamic strategic planner and thinker assisting many businesses to access Federal and State Government grants.
John has a keen interest in films, exercise playing tennis regularly and walking daily walker and passionately and is a devoted supporter of the Melbourne Demons.
Tim Jarman
Board Member
With a dynamic career spanning three decades in FMCG, both on local and international fronts, Tim has worked for global giants as well as actively contributing to smaller to medium-sized enterprises. His expertise has traversed grocery, P&C, export, and, for the past five years, the health and aged care sector.
Now, as a TCF Board Member, he embarks on an exciting journey to leverage his experience and best practice approaches.
Beyond work, Tim’s love for car detailing shines through. He also takes great joy in being a part of his grown children’s journeys while he and his wife share a deep love for travel, accompanied by the delightful presence of their lively 10-month-old Golden Retriever, Daryl.
Textured Food Innovations
TCF sister company located in USA
Through a collaborative partnership between Australia and the United States, TCF has paved the way for its sister company, Textured Food Innovations (TFI), based in New York, USA. Situated in New York and led by TFI co-founders Dr Carol Letzter and Dr John Amato, both accomplished speech pathologists, TFI is dedicated to offering the same exceptional range of moulded textured modified food products and meals in the United States.
Driven by a shared passion for restoring the pleasure of dining to thousands of individuals with dysphagia, the co-founders of Textured Concept Foods (TCF), Darren Benfell and Dr Lisa Sossen, have diligently crafted value-added textured modified food products that align with the IDDSI standards for Pureed Level 4 and Minced & Moist Level 5 since 2012, proudly originating in Australia.
We are delighted to announce that Textured Food Innovations has received official approval from both the USDA and the NYS Department of Agriculture to introduce our comprehensive product line, which encompasses IDDSI Level 4 Smooth Puree products. Our menu will encompass a diverse selection of meats, poultry, vegetables, pasta, and our delectable French Toast. Initially, these products will be available to residents of Long Island and the boroughs of New York City, with convenient delivery options to hospitals, nursing homes, assisted living facilities, and private residences.
We will soon be accepting orders through Textured Food Innovations, either by contacting us at 516-731-3663 or by sending an email via our website at www.texturedfood.com. Your satisfaction and wellbeing remain our top priorities, and we look forward to serving you soon.
