Our trainers are committed to making sure our students have the best opportunities for employment outcomes. Not adequate. Not so-so. The best.
Here’s a great example. Culinary trainer Kellie Smith links her commercial cookery students with the Gippsland’s top dining establishments while they’re undertaking their commercial cookery apprenticeships, serving up an array of masterclasses with the region’s finest chefs.
Brendan Woodroffe leads a breadmaking masterclass.
Former TAFE Gippsland apprentice Brendan Woodroffe, who studied under Kellie’s experienced eye, is now sous chef at hatted Warragul restaurant @Hogget Kitchen. Brendan, along with Hogget’s head chef and owner Trevor Perkins, is now a part of the amazing pathway package TAFE Gippsland’s serves up its cookery students.
“Hogget Kitchen in Warragul is just one of Gippsland’s local gastronomic enterprises that our students are lucky enough to engage with on a regular basis,” Kellie said.
“Just recently our Certificate III in Commercial Cookery students were treated to a breadmaking masterclass run by Brendan at Hogget, learning how to make sourdough, ciabatta, brioche rolls and potato focaccia.”
Students show off their breadmaking masterclass products.
Hogget Kitchen head chef and owner Trevor Perkins also regularly hosts students onsite at his hatted restaurant in the rolling hills of Gippsland, with a strong focus on the nose to tail philosophy.
Kellie said it’s an amazing, up-close-and-personal opportunity for the students to see sustainable processes in action.
“This kind of sustainable cooking is at the heart of our curriculum at TAFE Gippsland,” Kellie said.
“A recent masterclass hosted by Trevor involved using a whole lamb. Students got to see Trevor prepare some amazing dishes using different parts of the lamb along with some other fabulously fresh Gippsland produce, then sit down to an incredible lunch together.
Students engaged in Trevor Perkins' lamb masterclass at Hogget Kitchen.
“These links to industry are vital to ensure our students here at TAFE Gippsland have every opportunity for employment outcomes. Just like for Brendan, who used to be a student here and is now a member of the Australian Culinary Federation, now runs masterclasses for our current students.
