Letizia's Story | Journey of Passion , Perseverance, and Purpose in Training

Letizia's Story

Letizia's Story . . .

Without turning this into a novel

(because, let’s face it, time is precious) here’s a quick snapshot of my journey:

1985 - At 16 years old, I started my cooking apprenticeship, eager to learn and grow. I was always willing to move across Australia for the right opportunity.

1996 - Met Mr. Mosimann in Brisbane, Australia

1997 - Attended a Mosimann's Cooking Academy in Battersea, London

1997 - Worked as a Chef Tournant at Mosimann's London

1998 - Embarked on a culinary adventure across Europe, working as a Stagier at various prestigious hotels.

2002 - Letizia's Café Bar Restaurant established - A multi-story restaurant with a 100-year-old cellar and a blues bar in the attic. Thanks to our dedicated team, we achieved so much.
- 2005 Powercor Winner Business Excellence Award
- 2006 - 2007 - 2008 - 2009 Recommended The Age Good Food Guide
- Won Numerous Wine Club Awards

2017 - COOKING 4 LIFE Hospitality Training & Development established - Realizing I couldn’t run a restaurant forever, I began planning my exit strategy. I went back to night school for a year to earn my Trainer’s Qualification.

2018 - COOKING 4 LIFE Hospitality Training & Development partners with Quality Service Skills After meeting CEO Jackie Moriarty at an RSA Training day in Melbourne, we formed a partnership. With hospitality qualifications on scope, COOKING 4 LIFE was officially underway.

2018 - 2023 - COOKING 4 LIFE & CVGT Through a partnership with CVGT Shepparton, we launched the Indigenous Hospitality course. From those humble beginnings, we now deliver courses across various sites and serve other job providers.

2023 - COOKING 4 LIFE PARTNERS with Allens Training Pty Ltd To diversify our range of offerings, we partnered with Allens Training to add White Card and First Aid to our qualifications.

2024 - COOKING 4 LIFE IS NOW "Letizia's Training & Development" With our expanded range of courses, we decided it was time to rebrand to reflect our growth beyond hospitality and cooking.

2024 - "Finalists in the Greater Shepparton Business Network SPC Business Excellence Awards " We were honored to be finalists celebrating our commitment to excellence in training &community support.

2025 - "With new trainers joining our team, Letizia’s Training & Development continued to grow stronger together. " This year also marked the launch of our Essential Series - a collection of practical, easy-to-follow training workshops designed to empower students with the confidence and skills to succeed.

"Believe. Achieve. Succeed." At Letizia’s, it’s more than a motto - it’s a journey. We help students Believe in themselves, Achieve real skills and qualifications, and Succeed with confidence in work and life. Because when you know your potential, anything is possible.

TO BE CONTINUED . . .

Where Did the "Relax, You're at Letizia’s Now" Slogan Come From?
The slogan was born from a memorable moment when a customer called our restaurant at 11 PM, asking if they could still get a meal while passing through Shepparton. I replied, “Relax, you’re at Letizia’s now,” and it instantly resonated. From that moment, it became part of who we are and has stuck ever since.