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NORMA WILLIS - 1994
Norma Willis began catering by popular demand. After re-training as a chef at the Ryde Food School and becoming the first female chef at the Australia Club, she set up her own catering business “Juste Nous” in 1976 and bringing not only a love of food but great organizing ability and a strong creative urge combined with an excellence in cooking skills.
Always the businesswoman Norma made the corporate sector her niche market and fine food her benchmark beginning where she intended to be, at the top of the market. Several years of living abroad gave her a head start in presenting innovative food without compromise in catering’s often difficult settings. Her attention to detail finds her liaising directly with primary producers for custom grown produce and her concern for the environment has seen “Juste Nous” become the first Australian catering company with a total recycling program. As an indication of its owner’s ongoing professionalism, “Juste Nous” was the first catering company to apply for R&CA Gold Licence Accreditation.
A former teacher, Norma was generous with her time, working both with T.A.F.E. and the University of Western Sydney Hospitality Programs and inspiring countless work experience students with a healthy respect for the catering industry. She gave ongoing professional support to catering through the following industry associations:
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Restaurant & Catering Association
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Associate Fellow – Catering Institute of Australia
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Sydney Convention & Visitors Bureau
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ISES – International Incentive Association
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IACP – Industry Association of Culinary Professionals
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MIAA – Meetings Industry Association of Australia
Norma’s client list is both impressive and loyal. She has catered for most of the crowned heads of Europe, launched the best cars and most successful perfumes, yet many of her most glittering events are private functions for very special clients. Among her proudest moments are the major Bicentennial events for the NSW Government and as a former sportswoman, the recent “Juste Nous” catered events for the Olympic 2000 Bid.
Not confined to Australia, “Juste Nous” presented the finest of Australian food to great applause at the Consul Generals cocktail party in Chicago and was honoured by the Dwight Eisenhower Foundation with an invitation to join a food oriented Citizen Ambassador Program in China.
Norma moved the company strongly into total event management, won the contract to cater for the Sydney Town Hall and been honoured for her professionalism in the following areas:
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1992 - NSW Tourism Award for Excellence
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1992 – Hayman Award for Excellence
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1993 – Hayman Award for Excellence
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1994 – Restaurant & Catering Association, Caterer of the Year
Her ongoing enthusiasm for catering and fine food was demonstrated by her ‘hands on’ professionalism and involvement in the industry. Norma will be remembered as the caterer that other caterers aspire to emulate, an inspiration to her industry.
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