The competition was frantic but the aromas heavenly at the annual Nestlé’s Golden Chef’s Hat regional finals held at the Palmerston Campus this week.
Charles Darwin University’s (CDU) School of Tourism and Hospitality, along with Nestlé and the Australian Culinary Federation, hosted the Nestlé’s Golden Chef’s Hat regional finals on 5 July.
Nine teams from across the Northern Territory competed for the top prize, with Evoo Restaurant chefs Kim Wilson, 22, and Leah Rossis, 22, claiming top honors for their culinary expertise.
The two produced a variety of mouth watering dishes which found favor with the judging panel. Their culinary creativity included creations such as macadamia and wattleseed meringues with tropical mango mousse, dragon heart sorbet and coconut syrup.
Along with the watchful eye of judges, several representatives from prominent hospitality bodies NT wide watched keenly looking for the next big talent.
Coordinator and lecturer in commercial and Asian cookery, Ty Lee, said that the winning pair displayed great coordination and above all ingenuity and skill in their cooking.
“It is through competition cooking such as this that students will develop the skills needed for a successful career as a chef,” he said.
“Competition cooking and its hectic nature always brings out the best in young chefs and is a great revealer of character. It is a very big stepping stone for the two and they now have a solid foundation from which to launch their careers.”
Kim and Leah will represent the NT at the three-day all expenses paid national finals in Melbourne in September at the end of which the winning team will be awarded $12,000 to be used for culinary education.
The Nestlé Golden Chef's Hat Award is dedicated to the development of junior and apprentice chefs in Australia. The competition contributes to Australia's reputation for cuisine innovation and excellence and opens doors for our next great chefs.