Victorian apprentice chef Kate Ager is set to head to Singapore to work under the guidance of respected chef Eric Teo at the Mandarin Oriental Hotel after being named the winner of the Fonterra Foodservices Proud to be a Chef competition.
Ager, who works at Coldstream Brewery, Coldstream stood out to the judges from the group of 34 third and fourth year apprentices from Australia and New Zealand who were selected to take part two days of master classes hosted by Teo along with top Australian chefs, Shane Delia, co-owner of Melbourne’s iconic Maha Bar and Grill; and John Lanzafame, expert pizza maker, and wine and food expert Peter Howard.
Also recognised for their aptitude were Kah-wai Lo from Melbourne, who was awarded silver, and Adi James from Sydney, who was awarded bronze.
At 31 years old, Ager was one of the program’s more mature apprentices. “I didn’t come into this expecting to win,” Ager said. “I just wanted to put everything I am into each dish I prepared and get as much out of the experience as possible.”
“This has been the most awesome experience and the master class with Eric Teo was my absolute highlight – I can’t believe I get to spend two weeks with him in Singapore.
Troy Hudgson, Fonterra Foodservices Channel Development Manager, said Fonterra Foodservices Proud to be a Chef is about finding up-and-coming chefs who will one day be the leaders of the food industry and future ambassadors.
“Kate was an absolute standout, a leader who will represent apprentice chefs and our Australian food industry well when she travels to Singapore,” he said.
“Kate is a very passionate and humble young woman who displayed the focus, efficiency and attention-to-detail of a seasoned professional.
“She’s very clear about what she wants and where she’s going and we are very proud to offer her the chance to see a little more of what the world’s food industry has to offer when she visits Singapore.”
“Our Fonterra Foodservices Proud to be a Chef program is very close to our hearts at Fonterra and we are very pleased to invest in apprentice chefs who are the future of our industry,” said Mr Hudgson.