South Regional TAFE trained cookery students took home gold, silver and bronze medals at a recent WA Apprentice of the Year competition.
The TAFE students competed in the Australian Culinary Federation (ACF) Apprentice of the Year competition held at North Metropolitan TAFE Joondalup.
Cara Viljoen who trained at Margaret River Education campus won a gold medal as a first year apprentice and was runner up silver medallist for the overall 2018 Apprentice of the Year. Cara will now compete at the national ACF competition in Canberra in October.
The other South Regional TAFE students who received medals were:
Stephanie Humphries - second year apprentice trained at Bunbury campus - Silver medal
Emily Turner – second year apprentice trained at Albany campus - Silver medal
Megan Liston - commercial cookery student, trained at Bunbury Campus - Bronze medal.
South Regional TAFE Managing Director Duncan Anderson congratulated the cookery students on their outstanding results.
“I know the students work extremely hard to prepare for these types of competitions and learn how to remain calm and focused under pressure. “It is a credit to them that they have performed so well in a state contest,” Mr Anderson said.
“I’d also like to thank the cookery lecturers and staff who train and support the students in the lead up to the competition,” he said.
South Regional TAFE commercial cookery lecturer Amanda Smith said the ACF competition was a wonderful opportunity for the students to compete against fellow cookery students which was great for their development.
“The students really dug deep for this contest and showed a high level of skills and maturity in tackling each stage of the competition.
“I was privileged to be part of the team working with the students, alongside my fellow lecturers, in preparing and mentoring them for this event,” Ms Smith said.
The students were selected from the Regional Heats held in the kitchens of Epicure Training Restaurant, Bunbury campus in August.
Earlier this week, apprentices from some of the region’s most respected restaurants stepped into the kitchen for a special Gather & Feast luncheon held on Monday.
Attendee Ian Parmenter said the event, hosted by the Certificate II Kitchen Operations students and Stage 1 Apprentices, was a delightful display of the skills of local Aussie cooks.
“Everyone was impressed by the exceptional food that emerged from the kitchen, and it showed that there is real talent with a focus on our quality local produce right here in our own backyard,” he said.