South Regional TAFE students wrapped up another successful year supporting Margaret River Gourmet Escape 2018, demonstrating their skills are valued at the highest levels of industry.
Rubbing shoulders with renowned international chefs, including Nigella Lawson, Rick Stein, Ashley Palmer-Watts from Dinner by Heston Blumenthal and former WA chef Matt Stone, while supporting a massive food and wine event is not something regional based students get to do every day.
Commercial Cookery lecturer Amanda Smith said it was an amazing opportunity for the students to see chefs of this calibre in action.
“Not only is Gourmet Escape an international event which attracts people from across the globe but it is unique to our region so this also makes it a fantastic opportunity for our students,” she said.
“They are preparing food in a different sort of environment which can definitely make it more challenging. They need to make sure the prepared food looks right for the demonstration as it will be filmed and seen on the big screen behind the chefs.
“This type of production work is good experience for the students,” Ms Smith said.
“We had a number of students who worked at satellite events during the Gourmet Escape which we are also very excited about.
First year apprentice chef Cara Viljoen was inspired after volunteering at Gourmet Escape for the first time this year.
Miss Viljoen, who is training at South Regional TAFE Margaret River, helped out preparing food at the Gourmet Village for the celebrity chef demonstrations.
“It was definitely a gourmet experience - I got to work with such high quality ingredients and see some extremely creative and really different dishes,” Ms Viljoen said.
“The event was really motivational. When I came back from it I thought, ‘This is what I want to do!’
“I’ve never done anything on that scale before and I’m looking forward to being involved again in future years.”
Miss Viljoen, who is employed by the Esplanade Hotel in Busselton, decided to get into Commercial Cookery because she loved cooking and after being offered an apprenticeship she found she really enjoyed the work and the training.
The apprentice was also recognised for her skills in the State division of the Australian Culinary Federation (ACF) Apprentice of the Year competition in September. Miss Viljoen received a gold medal as a first year apprentice and was runner up silver medallist for the overall 2018 Apprentice of the Year.
