From Humble Beginnings to the Heart of the Kingaroy Community

As Endeavour Foundation celebrates 75 years, Kingaroy Kitchen reflects on more than four decades of creating employment opportunities, building community connections, and giving back to the people who have supported it.

When Kingaroy Kitchen first opened in 1983, its beginnings were simple.

A group of parents began selling homemade biscuits to raise money for new equipment for their sons and daughters working at Endeavour Foundation Kingaroy.

The biscuits quickly became popular, eventually leading to the opening of a commercial kitchen to keep up with demand.

More than 40 years later, Kingaroy Kitchen has grown into a café, catering kitchen and workplace for people with disability, while maintaining a strong connection with the community that supported it from the beginning.

Site Manager Nicole Yorston has watched much of that growth firsthand since joining the team 19 years ago.

“When I first started, it was only biscuits and cutting up cloth,” Nicole said.

“Now we have the biscuit kitchen, catering kitchen and a growing café.”

Growing Alongside the Kingaroy Community

Nicole says one of the biggest turning points came when the catering kitchen was built, allowing Kingaroy Kitchen to expand into catering and produce jams, chutneys and fruit cakes.

A few years later, the café followed, becoming a place where regular customers are known by name and employees build relationships with people from across the community.

“I think people just love the great customer service they receive when they come in for a coffee or a meal,” Nicole said.

“They are always greeted with a smiling face. We have regular customers who come in every week and are always up for a chat.”

For Andrew ‘Andy’ Simmons, those conversations have become one of his favourite parts of the job.

Andy has worked at Kingaroy Kitchen for 15 years and has become a familiar face behind the café counter.

“Chatting with the regulars brightens up my day. I love seeing them,” Andy said.

Some customers have become friends who Andy now sees outside of work, and Nicole says it is easy to see why.

“Andy has such a great rapport with all of the customers. They love him,” she said.

“He has really become the face of the café.”

For Andy, their decision to keep coming back means just as much.

“It means a lot to me. They must love the food and the service if they keep coming back,” he said.

Building Skills and Independence

Across his 15 years at Kingaroy Kitchen, Andy has continued developing skills that have carried into other parts of his life.

He has learned to use the café’s Square system and new coffee machine, while his growing confidence in the kitchen has helped him become more independent at home.

“I have learnt lots of new skills over the years, and now I am cooking my own meals at home,” Andy said.

Nicole has seen similar growth among other employees, as people build confidence and take on more responsibility at work.

Some have been part of Endeavour Foundation Kingaroy for decades, including Davey Simmons, who has been with the service since it opened in 1983.

“He loves working here and he is a great worker,” Nicole said.

“He gets along with everyone here.”

Families and volunteers have also been an integral part of Kingaroy Kitchen throughout its history.

Long-time volunteer Darryl Dove continues to help the team with deliveries, often travelling across South East Queensland to drop off the goods.

“Whenever we need help, Darryl is always there,” Nicole said.

Giving Back to a Community That Has Given So Much

After more than four decades of support from the Kingaroy community, the team has found another way to say thank you.

Since January 2026, Kingaroy Kitchen has been working with the South Burnett Support Alliance to help provide meals for people experiencing homelessness in the local community.

Every Wednesday night, local organisations come together to provide food, with Kingaroy Kitchen doing much of the cooking for the businesses and groups involved.

“It is our way of giving back to the community that has supported us for so many years,” Nicole said.

For employees, it is another opportunity to use the skills they have developed at work to contribute to their own community.

That connection can also be seen inside the café each week, where customers return to see familiar faces and catch up with people like Andy.

Looking to the Future

For Nicole, the growth of Kingaroy Kitchen has been one of the things she is most proud of during her 19 years with the team.

“I have really enjoyed working here all these years with the supported employees and staff,” Nicole said.

“Since becoming Site Manager, one of the biggest things for me has been seeing the café grow, and I am looking forward to seeing it grow even further.”

What began with parents selling homemade biscuits in 1983 has become an important part of the Kingaroy community, shaped by generations of employees, families, volunteers and customers.

More than 40 years later, Nicole hopes its next chapter stays true to what has always made Kingaroy Kitchen special.

“I want it to be a safe and happy place to work. As much as it is a workplace, I like it to be fun as well,” she said.

You can support the Kingaroy Kitchen team this Christmas by ordering from their range of handmade biscuits, fruit cakes and other festive treats.

To learn more about Endeavour Foundation’s 75-year history and the people and communities who have shaped it, explore more stories from our 75th anniversary celebrations.