WIS Junior Chef Finals 2017

With over 70 applications to be part of the WIS Junior Chef Pairs Competition, we finally had our WIS Junior Chef Finals on Tuesday 9th May.  The five pairs were ready for action; after much planning, practising and reviewing, they all came ready and rearing to go.

A two course meal made to restaurant standard, to be prepared (everything from scratch) within two hours was the brief.  We witnessed incredible creative thinking and skills; the results were truly spectacular!

It was a difficult time judging and we were fortunate to have Brett Carter, who was a Quarter Finalist of the Australian Masterchef series and his lovely wife, Lisa and adorable daughter Jamie helping with the judging.

The final results were as follows, with only a few points separating the positions:

In joint fourth place were James Liang and Nicholas Jojo with their incredible pork belly hot pot with pancakes followed by apple fritters and cream.  With them Ella Brown and Izzy Mellor with a chicken mash potato pie and honeyed vegetables with a delicious meringue and homemade ice cream.

3rd Place: Ambika Nevreka and Aemelia Altmeyer with their prawn pad thai with Anchan tea, followed by gorgeous mango sticky rice.

2nd Place: Juicy steak strips with potato disks topped with home made pesto, followed by a raspberry souffle.

The WIS Junior Chef Champions 2017 and who will now go on to represent WIS at the ESF Chef Finals on 26 May 2017: Alicia Tran and Dorothy Tang.  This dynamic duo created crab cakes with mango salsa with the main pan fried chicken which had been stuffed with mushroom and spinach, wrapped in ham and the chicken’s skin.  Simply outstanding.

The five finalists, and all entrants must be commended for their energies and great support for this programme.

Their passion for food has been infectious.

Well done to all!