VOLUME 3, 2014
Message from the CEO Congratulations to HTN apprentice chefs Bridgette Thompson (currently hosted by Campbelltown Catholic Club) and Chris Foster (currently hosted by Rooty Hill RSL Club) who have been selected as finalists for the “Fonterra Proud to be a Chef” program. Designed to publicly recognise and reward the dedication and commitment of apprentice chefs, Bridgette and Chris along with other the finalists, will attend three days of master classes delivered by world-leading chefs and industry experts in Melbourne next year. The apprentice deemed to be the most outstanding, will receive the major prize of an international culinary placement, tailored to their aspirations as a professional chef. Wishing the best of luck to both Bridgette and Chris in Melbourne! Numerous HTN apprentices have been recognised for their excellence throughout 2014 – congratulations to you all. I would also take this opportunity to congratulate all of the host businesses that HTN works with that were recognised throughout the year at the various awards events coordinated by their respective Industry Associations. The NSW Governments’ reform of Vocational Education and Training known as “Smart and Skilled” commences on the 1st January 2015. This major reform will see the training market become “hyper competitive” with the introduction of an “entitlement” to Government subsidised training for eligible individuals up to Certificate III level. The reform will however see an increase in fees for apprentices with an annual enrolment fee replaced with a $2,000 fee for the cost of the entire qualification. HTN will provide further information to our Host clients and Apprentice employees once finalised.
Finally, on behalf of the team at HTN, I would take this opportunity to extend compliments of the season to you and your family and to convey our very best wishes for a happy and prosperous 2015. Yours sincerely,
Michael Bennett CEO
A message from HTN’s Official Patron Peter Howard
Just because I am officially retired, it does not mean I do not take an active involvement in the business of cooking and hospitality – the business I loved for over 4 decades. I now travel a lot and I observe what is happening in our business – funny now that I am not working, observation is more fun and strangely enough, more educational as well. Amongst the many things I noticed in the UK in September, is the rise and rise of the Gastro pubs – they are so good and generally cost effective for travellers like me. The rise and rise of many mobile eating businesses and many more ethnic cuisines are available as well; they have a profound influence in the eating out culture. Mind you, that is in London...and some selected parts of the UK. However, a classic example of not knowing where you end up in this business of cooking is a mate of mine whom I have known for over 3 decades – both here in Australia and in the UK. Ken Hunt started as a cook – apprentice that is and he came originally from Kenya. After completing his apprenticeship and hotel management diplomas, he took the usual route of many different experiences, including cooking in Antarctica for 20 months...an amazing life changing experience. Ken and wife, Ruth, now run a successful and beautiful country house Hotel and restaurant in Devon...the stunning rolling verdant hills of Devon in the beautiful world heritage listed South West Coast of the UK.
Combe House Hotel is a superb example of what you can do if you work hard and know what you are doing. Ken and I discussed the fact that the discipline you learn in the kitchen puts you in good stead for the business of management and ownership of such a place as Combe House – that and
some very good experience in Hotel and Resorts around Australia and the South Pacific. And as you all know, it is the long hours the constant demands of customers that is also another advantage to becoming an owner/manager of a luxury country Hotel. It is an easy place to love as the Chefs get to use a lot of their own produce from their restored Victorian kitchen gardens and they create their dishes and menus around local produce...how they love these facts to say nothing of the freshness. The indigenous local hens (Barford Browns) roam free in their compound – stunning eggs. It is a culinary Heaven this place called Combe House Hotel Devon at Honiton near Exeter. Like me, this business of Chefing and hospitality is all the Hunts have known and to his day, still love. Ken is like so many Chefs who have found different avenues from being in the kitchen – but he never lost his technique of super pan work and excellent menu construction; his passion is still there and will be forever...so he says....and I firmly believe him.
Visit www.combehousedevon.com for more Information. Happy Christmas!
Interview with Brendan Edwards, HTN Graduate HTN: Tell me a bit about the Today’s Skills: Tomorrow’s Leaders program and what you did during your time in Canberra? Brendan: After arriving in Canberra we were transported to the Australian Institute of Sport (AIS). As most of us had not yet met we began with some ice breaking activities after which we completed another activity that provided us with our personality profile. This, surprisingly, determined our personalities / qualities well. Following this we jumped straight into the program called Life by Design that is run by Ian Hutchinson. This program helps you to realise your goals, make your life clearer and enables us as individuals to be better leaders for the future. This program continued across all 5 days and is the base of the Today’s Skills: Tomorrow’s Leaders (TSTL) program. Throughout the course of the 5 days there were other activities that we were able to experience including a tour of the AIS, activities with some of the athletes, use of the AIS sporting facilities, guest speakers such as His Excellency General The Hon. Sir Peter Cosgrove AK MC (Ret), Brennon Dowrick, and also some of the athletes staying and training at the AIS. While in Canberra we also spent one of the days visiting Parliament house and the Australian War Memorial, which was a moving day for many.
HTN: Tell me a bit about the people you met during your time in Canberra and what you learnt? Brendan: The first people I met were Leonie Stanfield and Jason Sultana who work for Group Training Australia and were the organisers of the TSTL program 2014. They were both very helpful throughout the entire program with many insights into being leaders and ways to better communicate our ideas. Then there was Ian Hutchinson who is the creator of the Life by Design program which is the main component of the TSTL program. He provided us with many tools and techniques for ways in which we can make our lives clearer and better set our goals as a result of this which will only help us in becoming better leaders in the future. I then met the other participants of the TSTL 14 program who I had not travelled to Canberra with. This was a great time as we all met people from different parts of Australia and also from different trades from electricians to mechanical engineers and information technology. Meeting and learning about all of the other participants stories provided greater insight into being a leader based on each individuals different ideas and contributions that they brought to the program. After meeting the other participants and having time to connect with each other we then met some of the athletes that are currently staying at the AIS. We were able to hear their stories of how they made it to the AIS and the level of commitment that they have given to get to where they are now as athletes, the experiences that they had encountered along the way both the good and the bad that have made them who they are now.
We then had the opportunity to meet Brennon Dowrick who is a former Australian Olympic Gymnast and is now an internationally known motivational speaker. When speaking to Brennon he spoke of the importance of taking the time to build the foundations even if it takes longer than anticipated as once you get the base things perfectly right the other things will fall into place. It showed that if we take the time now to learn our basic skills properly without any shortcuts how being a leader will come easily. The final person we met in the week was His Excellency General The Hon. Sir Peter Cosgrove AK MC (Ret) who provided great insight into what leadership is and how there are different types of leadership, based upon the experiences that he has had. HTN: What did you enjoy most about the program and your time in Canberra? Brendan: The ability to meet 20 other participants that I could share the experience with and learn from throughout the week. However one other thing that I did thoroughly enjoy was the guest speakers that we had, as they gave us some great insights into the topic of leadership and what it takes to be a good leader from many different perspectives. HTN: What made you decide to do this program? Brendan: My strong desire to better plan my future as a chef and also the ability to connect with others that may have similar goals in their various trades that could help me and I help them with those shared visions.
HTN: Would you recommend this program to others? Brendan: Yes. As it is an unforgettable experience that not only provides insight into better organising your life with goals and determining where you want your life to go not just within the working environment but in a social sense too. It also provides a great experience in enlightening your views on life with help from guest speakers and also through the experiences of the other apprentices, while also providing the great experience of seeing the Australian War Memorial, the Australian Institute of sport and parliament house.
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HTN: What piece of advice would you give an apprentice who is thinking about participating in the Today’s Skills: Tomorrow’s Leaders program? Brendan: To go into the program with no expectations and an open mind as you do some weird things especially on the first day but all of the things build up into the break through moment of the week.
HTN Host Employer Profile: Interview with Jonathan Heath, Executive Chef at Bimbadgen HTN: Tell me a bit about Bimbadgen and what it has to offer Jonathan: Bimbadgen is known for providing a complete tourism experience - as well as the vineyards, the Bimbadgen Estate features an open-plan winemaking facility, allowing visitors to experience the winery in action; a contemporary Cellar Door, enabling guests to build their wine knowledge while sampling Bimbadgen’s full collection of wines; our awardwinning Modern Australian restaurant Esca Bimbadgen, whose menu focuses on culinary innovation using local and seasonal ingredients; a natural outdoor amphitheatre, home to A Day On The Green concert series; and picturesque accommodation overlooking the winery. HTN: What are the biggest achievements and awards that Bimbadgen has received so far? Jonathan: Bimbadgen has had a fantastic year in 2014, receiving a number of awards for the third or fourth time running, as well as adding some new achievements. So far, they have included: • WINNER ‘Australia’s Best Tourism Restaurant’ – National Savour Australia Restaurant & Catering HOSTPLUS Awards for Excellence 2014 • WINNER ‘Restaurant of the Year’ - Northern NSW Savour Australia Restaurant & Catering HOSTPLUS Awards for Excellence 2014 • WINNER ‘Best Restaurant in a Winery’- Northern NSW Savour Australia Restaurant & Catering HOSTPLUS Awards for Excellence 2014 • James Halliday – 5 Star Winery (3rd consecutive year) • Gourmet Traveller Wine List of the Year Awards – One Glass (4th consecutive year) • 1 Trophy (for our Estate Vermentino 2014) as well as 12 Gold & Top Gold Medals, 13 Silver Medals and 40 Bronze Medals at various Wine Shows
HTN: What do you enjoy most about working there? Jonathan: One of the things that I love about Esca Restaurant is the team, apart from the fact that I work with my beautiful wife Natasha. It’s like working with a huge family just with less fueds. The style of food and our focus on sustainability is also great and the enthusiasm that everyone has towards bettering what we do is motivation enough to get out of bed in the mornings and be excited about going to work!!
HTN: Tell me a bit about the menu that Bimbadgen has to offer Jonathan: Esca Bimbadgen’s menu focuses on culinary innovation using local and seasonal ingredients, many of them sourced from our own market garden. The menu changes each season to ensure the best quality ingredients, renewed interest for return visitors, and an opportunity for the Esca kitchen team to work with new ingredients and techniques each season. I really enjoy utilising alternate ingredients to create different mouth feels and textures with the dishes that we create such as making risotto with spelt, amaranth or barley instead of Arborio rice. I also like to place emphasis of the different techniques and cooking methods used to really showcase what can be done with humble ingredients such carrots or turnip. I also enjoy the challenge of using secondary cuts of meats and offal through the menu. HTN: What piece of advice would you give someone interested in becoming an apprentice? Jonathan: This is one of the hardest industries to work in, it takes passion, drive, commitment and a lot of hard work to be successful, so if cooking is THE ONLY thing that you can think about doing and the only thing you would ever want to do then go for it, but it’s not an industry for the weak!
Master Class at Loyola Trade Training Centre HTN recently coordinated a master class at Loyola Trade Training Centre for high students and teachers to showcase Molecular Gastronomy, Chocolate and Butchery. The master class was presented by Michael Lopez (Executive Chef) and Elaine Lutaos (Senior Sous Chef) from Rooty Hill R.S.L. Club as well as Col Reynolds, HTN Industry Advisor. The three hour session included a demonstration and the technique required to create various cuts from a Lamb Leg and a signature dessert dish.
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LIVE AND WORK IN THE UK!
Are you qualifying soon or recently qualified?
Do you want to travel overseas and work in the UK? Qualified Chef positions available, most with accommodation! Email your resume to recruitment@htn.com.au or text your name and “UK” to 0433 163 719
2014 ACF National Apprentice Competition Finals in SA Congratulations to the following HTN Apprentice Chefs who recently competed and received medals in the ACF National Apprentice Competition Finals held in SA the following: Team ACT • Daryl Harris, 1st Year – Bronze Team NSW • Regie Anne Soriano, recent HTN Graduate – Silver • Thomas Walsh, 3rd Year – Bronze • James Huynh, 1st Year – Bronze During their week in SA they also had the opportunity to participate in various activities such as a smoked salmon tour, a Meat and Livestock Australia master class and a Fonterra Cheese master class.
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