Two young Melbourne apprentice chefs are about to head to New York to cook at two major culinary events with high profile chef Adrian Richardson after winning a culinary award from Spotless.

First and second year apprentices Rosemary Utteridge and Tony Kulafi were required to write their own recipes and design menu for a three course meal under $80 as part of the Spotless Apprentice Culinary Awards.

Seventeen year old Kulafi, is a second year apprentice chef at Zinc, Federation Square, while Utteridge, 18, is a first year apprentice at the Melbourne Football Ground.

After some extra culinary coaching with Richardson at his North Carlton La Luna restaurant they will fly to New York with him to assist him in his appearances at two charity events, a Taste of Tennis and the James Beard Foundation Dinner.

Utteridge urged other young apprentice to stick out their apprentices and become qualified chefs.

“After the first year of training about half of the apprentice chefs drop out because the hours can be tough and some of the restaurants aren’t as supportive as they need to be,” Utteridge said.

“It’s a shame because people don’t finish their training and the industry suffers as a result. It would be good if TV celebrity judges came to TAFE and found a way to encourage students to stick it out. We have students on work experience at the Melbourne Cricket Ground who want to be on MasterChef, but some expect you to clean up after them.”

Now in their 34th year, the Spotless Apprentice Culinary Awards have helped many young people to find work in some of Australia’s best restaurants and venues. Since 1976 Spotless has seen well in excess of 1,000 apprentice chefs go on to work in the Australian hospitality industry.

Richardson said apprenticeship awards are an incentive for TAFE students and unemployed young people to get into the hospitality sector.

“Awards send a strong signal that employers are prepared to invest in training at a time when some young people are struggling to find work or are uncertain about their careers,” Richardson said. “I started out as an apprentice chef more than 20 years ago and have seen many young people launch cooking careers and secure jobs that pay off over time with the right work ethic.”

Here are the pair’s award winning menus:

Rosemary Utteridge

Entrée: Lightly roasted Tasmanian salmon in a white wine risotto with a delicate avocado cream and tangy lemon bubbles.

Main: Grain fed Gippsland porterhouse beef on celeriac silk with roasted potato pearls, a cabbage, carrot, turnip and parsnip galette and merlot jus

Dessert: Kennedy and Wilson chocolate mousse encased in chocolate with a petite citrus salad and rich chocolate sauce

Tony Kulafi

Entrée: A barrel of salmon seared and rolled in bay shiso and baby chard served with a bonito and kombu jelly, diced salmon and Yarra Valley salmon roe, and brioche cube filled with dashi veloute.

Main: Beef fillet cooked sous-vide style, seared and coated with cauliflower, parsley and lemon crumb served with deep fried braised ox cheek tortellino, spring pea puree and baby carrot with a small pot of sauce.

Dessert: Sesame coated majoun with chocolate panna cotta on top of blood orange sabayon and classic crisp tuile.