TAFE NSW chefs cook up a storm

3 July 2008

TAFE NSW-trained chefs are scooping up industry awards and accolades – and achieving outstanding success in their skill shortage career.

Apprentice chef Natalie Watkins won both the Minister’s tourism award for 2008 – and the coveted 2008 Thierry Marx Award, which means a scholarship to France. Natalie is a second year apprentice training at TAFE NSW – Riverina Institute’s Albury Campus.

Natalie Watkins

Geneviere Rossouw with Marie Persson, Deputy Director-General, TAFE and Community Education

Shwu Ling (Christine) Yong

Meanwhile in Sydney two chefs have been awarded honours in the TAFE NSW – Sydney Institute Excellence Awards for 2008 – Geneviere Rossouw and Shwu Ling (Christine) Yong. Christine was named International Student of the Year and Geneviere received the TAFE NSW State Medal for achieving the highest mark in the state for her course.

To top off the girls’ success Geneviere has just opened her own restaurant, together with three other TAFE NSW graduates.

Natalie has achieved above and beyond expectations for a second year apprentice. TAFE Teacher David O’Dea says she has "the capacity to become one of Australia’s leading chefs, and confidence and skills beyond her years of experience.

"Natalie is also a team player who helps others if they are struggling."

Natalie’s passion for her industry has earnt her the highly contested NSW Minister’s Student Achievement Award in Tourism, a Bronze medal at the Riverina Region WorldSkills Competition, a place in the ‘Chefs in the City’ project which gives rural students the opportunity to work in first class city establishment with renowned chefs; and the 2008 Thierry Marx Award. This award means Natalie will travel to Bordeaux, France, to work for one month under Thierry Marx, the 2006 Relais Gourmands French Chef of the Year at his two Michelin star restaurant at Chateau Cordeillan Bages in Bordeaux.

Natalie’s employer and Head Chef, Jan Waddington of Waddington’s at Kergunyah, says Natalie is "passionate and devoted to her chosen profession. She is constantly challenging herself with new ideas that not only benefit her personally, but our restaurant as well."

Natalie aspires to be to be Head Chef and Manager of the team at Waddingtons.

"I absolutely loved TAFE," says Geneviere. "It was real – the teachers are in the industry and their knowledge is current. I love cooking and learned so many new techniques from them. I got first hand experience and access to all the best ingredients.

"I’ve now opened my own restaurant, specialising in modern Australian food – Melange Restaurant in Gordon. I wouldn’t be doing this without such great training and experience at TAFE!"

"I enrolled at Ultimo for their new hospitality training centre," says Christine. "We trained in a working restaurant, which taught me to think on my feet. The teachers wanted us to become the best in the industry.

"This course gave me the opportunity to go from being kitchenhand right through to chef where I work. Now I’m writing a Malaysian cookery book with my employer. We are also creating a Malaysian food website to grow Malaysian food in Australia until it becomes as popular as Thai!"