On Saturday members of your Committee and some generous friends of the NSW Chaîne congregated at the North Ryde campus of TAFE to run the NSW section of the international Young Chefs Competition.

The Chaîne in NSW and Australia supports this and a Young Sommeliers competition as part of our commitment to emerging chefs and sommeliers in the hospitality industry.

Four competitors arrived at 730 am to be faced by a black box of food items. While examining the black box, competitors had 30 minutes to write out a three-course menu. The menu was then prepared for four persons within 3.5 hours. The total time for the menu and preparation was 4.0 hours.

The Kitchen Judges were Karen Doyle, Maître Rôtisseur, Program Manager Le Cordon Bleu Sydney [Head Kitchen Judge], Venessa Barnes, Foodservice Business Development Manager, Australian Pork Limited and John Daly, Chef Lecturer Le Cordon Bleu Sydney.

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The tasting judges were guided by Dane Richards Vice-Conseiller Gastronomique. Thanks to Dane and  to the other Tasting Judges.  A special thanks to Mate Herceg, Vice-Conseiller Culinaire  who has worked tirelessly to set up this competition. Mate’s new restaurant, Blackheath Bar and Grill, opened la few days before the competition and we wish him well with this venture. Thanks also to a very generous donation of book prizes for the competitors by Fritz Gubler of Arbon Publishing, and also Vice-Conseiller Gastronomique Honoraire.

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Rebecca Merhi from The Star emerged as the winner on the day. Rebecca will now attend the National finals in Adelaide and, should she win the National competition, she will be on her way to the international completion in Calgary in September.

An exhausting but rewarding day.