FOR the third year running a pair of chefs working at an RSL Club on New South Wales Far North Coast have come out the victors in a culinary award run by the clubs to find the best and most creative chefs.
Gerhard Spatz and Nathan Sherwood of Ballina RSL have again taken the top spot in the Chef’s Table, in a culinary competition that pitted them more than 2000 chef pairings, including those from some of the largest clubs in NSW.
As well as creativity and the skill of the chefs the Chef’s Table award also puts a strong emphasis on economics, requiring the chefs to construct a three course meal using foods costing no more than $20 per person. With two judges in the kitchen and another on the restaurant floor, the pair then prepared their personally designed meal for 20 people.
Spatz and Sherwood winning meal included an entrée of Baked Blue Eye Cod with Capsicum Piperade and Truffled Pea Mash, Fish Jus, a main course of Beef in Pastry, Spinach, Eshallot and Mushroom Farce, Asparagus, Madeira Jus, accompanied by a salad of Wild Rocket, Traviso Radichio, Truss Cherry Tomato, and a Roquefort dressing, and a dessert of Baked Zabaglione Ice Cream, Cherry, Walnut and Chocolate Brownie, Malt Anglaise, Candied Banana and Italian Meringue.
With the complete smoking ban in clubs and pubs approaching and expected to hit clubs heavily, ClubsNSW chairman Peter Newell said clubs today are focusing on food like never before. “Club dining is today very much at the high end of the restaurant industry,” Newell said. “Clubs have always offered excellent service which is of course a very important part of the overall dining experience. The difference now is that clubs are out there recruiting chefs, even employing directly from overseas.”
Newell said Spatz and Sherwood’s win was a great achievement. “To win three years running when competing against chefs from some of the most successful clubs in Australia is testament to their skill and creativity. By purchasing local produce and using their significant buying power, clubs have been able to lift the quality of their menus but without charging exorbitant prices."
