2015 National Apprentice Competition - Kangan News

Kangan Institute’s apprentice chef, Brad Sutton, has achieved a gold medal at the 2015 Australian Culinary Federation Fonterra Foodservice National Apprentice Competition Final on 14 October.

Held at the West Coast Institute of Training in Perth, Brad was one of four Victorian representatives at the prestigious competition, featuring 23 top apprentices who were shortlisted from all over the country.

"The competition was definitely challenging and I had a lot of last minute changes in my three course menu and quite a few mini-disasters as we went along! But I just kept going and it just shows that it pays to not give up," said Brad.

"The competition was a chance to think outside the square - you’re not just doing what you’ve been taught in the classroom but actually thinking on your feet."

The thirty-eight year old resident of Altona North is currently a third year apprentice at The Strand seafood restaurant in Williamstown and expresses his passion for working in the kitchen and creating beautifully designed dishes.

"I started my career in the hospitality management sides of things but I’ve always loved food so I started my apprenticeship in 2007. Due to work and family commitments I put it off for quite a few years but I finally got back into the kitchen which I’m really loving,: said Brad.

"I’d love to keep creating food that catches people’s attention and catches their eye even before they eat it."

It’s not the first time for a Kangan Institute student to achieve outstanding results at the National Apprentice Competition - last year’s finals saw Kangan Institute’s Charith Jayaweera clinching the 2014 Best Culinary Student of the Year Award.

Brad Sutton trains at Kangan Institute’s Broadmeadows campus, which features its own fully licensed training restaurant, Richards Restaurant, to enable students to hone their skills within a real working kitchen. More information about the Institute’s culinary courses is available at kangan.edu.au.