Year 10 students from across the Sunshine Coast will come together this Friday 20th June, to showcase their Culinary skills at the Queensland Junior Secondary Schools Culinary Challenge.
The event provides an opportunity for hospitality students to get a taste of the pleasures, excitement and the professionalism that can accompany a career as a future chef while being coached by an industry professional.
The Culinary Challenge is being coordinated in the Sunshine Coast and Moreton Bay regions by Sustainable Partnerships Australia (SPA) in association with the Australian Culinary Federation (ACF).
SPA Partnership Broker Lee Shea said the purpose of the Culinary Challenge was to establish and develop links between schools and industry in an effort to encourage more students to enter the commercial cookery industry.
“It creates an opportunity for the students to not only learn new skills but to also have direct discussions and work placements with local employers.
“SPA has seen students from previous Culinary Challenge competitions go on to gain employment and further their career in the industry with traineeships and apprenticeships,” Lee said.
Each team of two has been working alongside local chefs in creating a competition dish. The Master Class involves hands on cooking, gaining some tips straight from competition judges on how to maximize their chances to score highly in the regional and state cookery competition.
Queensland President of Australian Culinary Federation, David Tupper said the competition would see students from schools within the region compete for the opportunity to represent the Sunshine Coast at the grand final cook-off at the Brisbane Ekka in August this year.
“With over $4000 in cash prize money, medals and a trophy from Australian Culinary Federation, the competition grand final at the Ekka is set to be intense and satisfying for all students involved,” David said.
The event will be held at the Coastal Cookery Trade Training Centre in Maroochydore. With the winning team from the Sunshine Coast going on to compete against the winners of the other regions (Redcliffe, Caboolture, the Gold Coast, Toowoomba, Cairns, Brisbane North and Brisbane South) in August this year.
SPA, formerly known as QYIL (Queensland Youth Industry Links Inc.), is contracted by the Australian Government Department of Education to deliver the School Business Community Partnership Brokers Program across the Sunshine Coast and Moreton Bay regions. SPA’s aim is to broker strategic and sustainable community partnerships between education and training, business and industry, parents and family, and the wider community. (The Partnership Brokers program is managed by Geoff Timm, Regional Engagement Manager, SPA)
