Stephanie Alexander showing children joy of growing and cooking food Stephanie Alexander - AO Australia's favourite home cook: Stephanie Alexander. Photo: Blake Storey Bestowed exactly a decade apart, Stephanie Alexander's two orders of Australia book-end an organic career. The first, an OAM, was awarded in 1994 when she was up to her neck in chefs' hats and assorted accolades at Stephanie's, and celebrated her services to the restaurant industry - in particular her encouragement of apprentices. The second has arrived, naturally enough, for her second life as an author of 14 books - her Cook's Companion has sold more than half a million copies in Australia alone - and, most importantly to her, the Kitchen Garden Foundation. Started in 2001 as an experiment in teaching disadvantaged children at Collingwood College how to grow, harvest and cook their own food, the Stephanie Alexander Kitchen Garden Foundation has rolled out to 456 schools nationwide, reaching 35,000 children and employing 27 people. The aim is to reach more than 700 schools - 10 per cent of Australia's primary schools - by the end of next year. "I think it's all part of the same continuum," says Alexander of her life after restaurants Stephanie's and Richmond Hill Café' and Larder. Once I wasn't buried deep in the daily grind of the restaurants and worrying about the apprentices, the same drive is still there to reach young people. The foundation's premise is simple. Alexander wants as many schoolchildren as possible to experience the joy of growing and cooking their own food. Students spend time each week tending their organic fruit and vegetable garden, then cook and share the food with teachers and the foundation's volunteers and workers. "That's what I really want to emphasise - that this award wouldn't be possible without the work of a mighty team behind me," says Alexander. It's just amazing, we see children changing their whole understanding of food. It's been a big week for Alexander, who was also enshrined in Australia Post's Legends of Cooking stamp series. "Strange!" says Alexander of her face being on a 60¢ stamp. But very good, very humbling.