Each year the Australian Culinary Federation (ACF) conducts a cooking competition for Secondary School Students in each Australian state. This competition is a great opportunity for students with an interest in becoming a chef to gain invaluable contacts within the hospitality industry. It is also a lot of fun, and a great learning experience for staff and students alike. The aim of this competition is to give students an insight into the hospitality industry and to identify and encourage students who demonstrate a talent and a passion for cooking.
This year Mueller entered two teams into the competition. To be eligible, the students had to be enrolled in a hospitality course. Both teams are enrolled in a back-of-house Hospitality traineeship that is offered in Year 10, which has them finish by the middle of Year 12, setting them up to be able to get a job once they leave school.
The teams were allowed 1 hour to complete their chosen dish, with 30 mins for setup and 30 mins for pack down. Teams had to break down a whole chicken, use 2 precision cuts demonstrating knife skills and use 4 cookery methods.
Students, Layla and Esther, came 3rd, achieving a bronze medal, and Lachlan and Jessi came 1st, achieving a gold medal. Lachlan and Jessi will now go to nationals in Toowoomba late August to compete with teams from across the country. As a bonus to the competition, all teams met great industry contacts and received employment opportunities based on how well they did.
Well done, team Mueller!
