Junior Chef´s eyes opened and senses assaulted

FOLLOWING AWARD WIN, TWO TALENTED BRISBANE CHEFS EMBARK ON A THAI CULINARY TRIP OF A LIFETIME

To enter the 2006 Nestlé Golden Chefs Hat Award and experience the same rewards and recognition as Richard and Benjamin, click here and read the terms and conditions 

2005 proved to be an eye-opening year for two young Brisbane chefs, who took top honours in the Nestlé GOLDEN CHEF’S HAT AWARD in Melbourne last October.

One month later, Queenslanders Benjamin Devlin and Richard Ousby packed their bags for a fully funded trip to Thailand where they discovered new spices, culinary delights, received instruction at a Thai cooking school and toured the kitchens of major resorts and hotels.

Accompanied by past president of the Australian Culinary Federation, Mr Glen Austin, the young chefs were shown around Thailand by World Association of Cooks Society representative, Marco Bruschweiler.

Team Assistant of the 2005 Nestlé GOLDEN CHEF’S HAT AWARD winning team, Richard Ousby, 22 , said the trip opened his eyes to possibilities in both his career and cuisine experimentation.

“I didn’t have any experience with Thai food before and the complexities of the flavours were amazing,” said Richard.

“Meeting well connected Thai Chefs, seeing the resorts and restaurants they worked in and just tasting the different types of food, opened me up to a whole different culinary world.”

Team Leader, Benjamin Devlin, also 22 , agrees: “The trip to Thailand gave us an opportunity to see something we wouldn’t have otherwise seen; different ways of cooking, different customer demands and different ingredients sourced from that environment.”

Benjamin and Richard travelled to Jatjat, Bangnar and Bangkok visiting local wet markets, learning cultural preparation techniques and the history of various regional dishes. The winners also met with Food and Beverage Managers or Head Chefs in Bangkok , at the Imperial Queens Park Hotel, Chao Phraya Park Hotel, and The Oriental Hotel.

“The trip expanded my confidence and knowledge and added to my overall cooking experience,” said Benjamin.

The Nestlé GOLDEN CHEF’S HAT AWARD is an annual culinary competition for junior and apprentice chefs, which offers a $12,000 culinary training prize to the overall winning team. Previous winners have received prize to various countries such as Japan to learn about Sushi and to Canada , acquiring the finer points in pastry making.

Since the inaugural heats in 1966, the Nestlé GOLDEN CHEF’S HAT AWARD is regarded as the longest running chef’s competition in Australia . The competition is Nestlé’s contribution to the development of Australia ‘s up and coming chefs and is managed annually by the Australian Culinary Federation.

Both Richard, who works at Brent’s Fine Dining at Toowong under owner/chef Brent Farrell and Benjamin, now at Restaurant 2 in Brisbane under o wner/chef David Pugh, said their award win earned them the respect of their professional peers and had given their confidence a boost.

“Winning a medal like this stands out in your resume, showing your employers you’ve been recognised as a talented and responsible chef,” said Benjamin.

The 2005 award winners encourage other young chefs to take part in the competition.

“Overall, I think winning the award and gaining all the cook-off experiences at State and National levels made me a better chef in the end,’ said Benjamin. “And of course there is a great prize to be won.”

To participate in the Nestlé GOLDEN CHEF’S HAT AWARD this year, chefs must be Australian residents aged 23 years and under on December 31, 2006.

Entrants must pair up, nominating a team leader and a team assistant, and send in an original recipe each, using a minimum of two Nestlé products. This must be accompanied by a written brief on each team member’s career aspirations for the next five years.

Up for grabs is a once in a lifetime culinary educational prize trip worth $12,000 from Nestlé FoodServices.

For further entry details please visit www.austculinary.com.au

Please contact Kimberley Chin Poy on (02) 8394 8603 or 0403 808 438
or email [email protected] for jpegs, more information or interviews