Jake McKenzie from Sale in South East Victoria has been named the winner of the 17th annual Fonterra Proud to be a Chef mentoring program.
Held in Melbourne over the past four days, the program saw McKenzie battle it out in the kitchen against 32 fellow apprentice chefs, before plating up a dish of pork loin with mustard panna cotta, foamed honey peas and potato crisp, and ultimately claiming the top prize of $7,500 to spend on an international culinary placement exclusively tailored to his aspirations as a professional chef.
The announcement was made on 24 February at the Fonterra Proud to be a Chef concluding Gala dinner event at No35 Sofitel Melbourne, attended by some of Australia’s top chefs, leaders of the culinary industry, and past and current finalists of the program.
McKenzie studies at The Gordon Institute of TAFE in Victoria and working at Tinamba Hotel in Gippsland, Victoria and said he was looking forward to the upcoming international culinary placement.
“To be presented with the finalist opportunity and then receive the international culinary placement is such an amazing experience. I work in a small country town, so to have the opportunity to go overseas and develop as a chef is really exciting,” he said.
This year’s program saw the finalist group presented with the opportunity to be mentored by Australian culinary leaders Anna Polyviou, executive pastry chef at Shangri-La Hotel in Sydney, Josh Pelham, head chef at ESP and Estelle in Melbourne, and Peter Wright, Foodservice Expert and Global Event Specialist.
The finalists were evaluated on their participation in masterclasses, the creativity and technical skill demonstrated in their original recipe, in addition to their passion and commitment to the foodservice industry.
Fonterra Proud to be a Chef program coordinator Carolyn Plummer said there was fierce competition in the kitchen with the calibre and enthusiasm of finalists exceptionally high.
“We’re excited to announce Jake as the 2016 winner of the Fonterra Proud to be a Chef mentoring program and are looking forward to supporting his bright future in the foodservice industry,” said Plummer.
All 33 of the participating apprentice chefs will have their recipe published in a special Fonterra Proud to be a Chef 2016 yearbook.
Applications for the 2017 Fonterra Proud to be a Chef mentoring program will open in the second half of 2016. Stay up-to-date here.