Student chef wins crown and golden ticket

A Charles Darwin University student has been crowned Champion First Year Apprentice at the Fonterra Foodservice National Apprentice Competition final in Perth.

Certificate III in Commercial Cookery student Maria Hoad was named the stand-out apprentice at the national competition and also was presented with a golden ticket to compete at the 2016 Fonterra Proud to be a Chef event early next year.

Maria said the week-long event had been an incredible experience, and had included workshops and master classes with renowned chefs, visits to markets and tours.

“Along with competing there was also a lot to learn from the places we visited such as the Swan Valley, learning from professional chefs and meeting other apprentices,” she said.

“Winning the competition was overwhelming and I am very excited to have received a golden ticket from the Fonterra representative.”

CDU commercial cookery lecturer Jason Wilkes said the competition required Maria to use her budgeting, mise en place, preparation and organisational skills to create her dish in the 90-minute time limit and present to the judges.

Maria, who was inspired to become a chef growing up helping her grandmother cook in the Philippines, was the first of 32 participants who will receive a golden ticket to compete at the national 2016 Fonterra Proud to be a Chef.

Maria will compete at the Fonterra competition in February 2016 for the opportunity to win an International Culinary Scholarship.