Events | HTN

HTN Skills Showcase 2019

Posted on January 20, 2020 , No comments

The HTN Skills Showcase gave HTN’s apprentice chefs the opportunity to sharpen their knives and demonstrate their skills, preparing and serving a 3-course meal to almost 100 guests.

HTN apprentices at work in the kitchen

Two scholarships were awarded on the night – the HTN Peter Howard AM Culinary Scholarship and the Margaret Fulton Future Food Service Professional Scholarship. Each is designed to provide the winning apprentice the opportunity to create their own culinary adventure, learning from the world’s best with paid work experience and travel.

Launch of the Gault & Millau Australia – Melbourne & Sydney 2016 Restaurant Guide

Posted on November 10, 2015 , No comments

Tuesday 10 November: Mr Côme de Chérisey, President of Gault&Millau France presented the Gault&Millau Australia 2016 Melbourne & Sydney Restaurant Guide to over 300 of Sydney and Melbourne’s best chefs, restaurateurs, sommeliers, industry professionals and media who gathered for ‘A Night in Paris’ to celebrate the launch of the third edition at Sydney’s Museum of Contemporary Art.

Mr de Chérisey said, “Australia is truly a culinary country which is deservedly recognised as one of the world’s favourite dining destinations. With passionate local producers mixed in with incredible talent and a market who loves to dine, Australian restaurants can be proud of their reputation on the global stage”.

Over 600 restaurants across Sydney and Melbourne have been reviewed according to Gault&Millau’s international standards and awarded between one and five hats.

Gault&Millau Australia’s Chief Judge, Mark Dorrell said, “Since launching in Australia in 2014 we have grown our distribution by 100% — proving that Australia wanted another opinion. We have the right mix of produce, culinary talent and creativity to make Australia one of the world’s best dining destinations”.

This year saw the launch of the anticipated Gault&Millau Australia awards and the winners in 2015 are:

Riedel Sommelier of the Year Award: Sally Humble, Lûmé (Melbourne) | Simon Curkovic, Marque (Sydney)

Perrier Jouët New Restaurant of the Year Award: Lûmé (Melbourne) | Bennelong (Sydney)

PorkStar Professional of the Year Award: Lawrence Ip, Cosi Ristorante (Melbourne) | Vanessa Duckworth, Four in Hand (Sydney)

The Yellow Rose Award: Donovan’s (Melbourne) | Beppi’s (Sydney)

The American Express ‘Potentialist’ Award: Hugh Allen, Vue de monde (Melbourne) | Lauren Eldridge, Marque (Sydney)

V-ZUG Chef of the Year Award: Ben Shewry, Attica (Melbourne) | Daniel Puskas and James Parry, sixpenny (Sydney – joint winners)

Lavazza Restaurant of the Year Award: Vue de monde (Melbourne) | Sepia (Sydney)

Hunter TAFE Ourimbah Campus Annual Cook-Off

Posted on November 4, 2015 , No comments

The annual Hunter TAFE Ourimbah Campus Cook-off in memory of Leo Gerrets

1^st, 2^nd, 3^rd Year Apprentice Chefs

Date: Tuesday 24^th November 2015

Registration: 8:30am – Start Time: 9.00am Sharp

All competitors need to do is enter, come along and bring your culinary skills and taste buds. Competitors will be required to design a main and dessert from the ingredients on the list for their category prior to the day and choose other ingredients from the common table on the day of competition. Two plates of each course to be presented. One for tasting and the other for display purposes. Competitors will be allowed to bring recipes with them and basic stocks (no finished sauces). TAFE plates will be available for all competitors to use or you may bring your own.

Every competitor will receive a tray of fresh food from the category list. From here competitors will be allocated 15 minutes to write their menu on the display card and order equipment. Cooking commences at 9:30am and times for service are below.

Main course service time, between 12:00pm – 12:15pm.

Dessert course service time, between 12:45pm – 1:00pm.

Presentation of awards will commence shortly after desserts

Taste, contrast, textures & balance will be the key to unlocking this exciting competition. Remember all aspects of hygiene must be adhered to at all times.

Competition will be judged by industry experts. Judges decision is final.

Good luck, keep smiling and most of all have fun. This competition is open to the first 34 entries; any further entries will be placed on the reserves list. So be quick.

Please fill in the application form below and return to the Commercial Cookery office at Ourimbah TAFE by 17^th November 2015 (Tourism & hospitality building) or scan and email to [email protected]

2015 Cook-off Info Pack

Tristan Jan takes out 2015 Peter Howard Scholarship

Posted on October 8, 2015 , No comments

“HTN Peter Howard Culinary Scholarship winner announced at annual HTN Youth Skills Showcase”

Held at The Northern Sydney Institute Ryde Campus Ambassador Restaurant, the annual HTN Youth Skills Showcase was another night to celebrate the hospitality and food service industry. With a team of HTN apprentices led by their chefs and mentors, they catered to over 70 distinguished guests to show off their culinary skills. Drool worthy canapes such as the compressed apple, pork and toffee started the night off with some guests going back for thirds or fourths.

“I am pretty sure I saw Mitch Edwards from Porkstars go back for his fourth or fifth serve,” laughs Master of Ceremonies for the evening Simon Marnie.

With guidance from HTN chef and mentors, the apprentices learnt from the chefs and vice versa.

“Every year, I am in the kitchen with our apprentices and whilst we teach them new skills, they always teach us not only about cooking but about the generation of chefs coming through,” says Rod Andrews, Employment Consultant at HTN.

Peter Howard, HTN’s Patron talked about the success and continuation of the industry being down to working hard and taking a chance, “if you want to be a masterchef, do it, you want to be a celebrity chef, take the risk. This industry will support you in more ways than you can ever imagine.”

Taking out the prestigious HTN Peter Howard Culinary Scholarship for 2015 was third year apprentice chef Tristan Jan, from the well-known Newcastle restaurant Money Penny.

“I am very honoured and excited by the opportunities that this award has now opened for me. The idea of travelling and experiencing foods and flavours abroad will no doubt help me learn and develop further as a chef. I am so grateful to HTN and Peter Howard for awarding me the scholarship,” says Tristan.

“What makes this event a success is everybody that comes to the night celebrates the apprentices, the industry the continuation of training and education for the future generations,” says Michael Bennett, CEO of HTN.

HTN could not do these competitions without the sponsors who support them year in year out.

For media enquiries or access to images, please contact Katrina Higham, Business Development and Marketing Manager P: 0408 247 078 or [email protected]

HTN Chefs Media Master Class – tasting the life of a TV Chef

Posted on May 4, 2015 , No comments

The HTN Chefs Media Master Class was recently held in the TV and Film Studios at St Leonards TAFE for HTN Host Businesses and Apprentices. Filmed by SkillsOne TV, HTN Apprentices got a taste of what it’s like to be a TV Chef.

Facilitated by HTN Patron Peter Howard, the evening began with a demonstration by leading Chef and Lifestyle Food Channel presenter Adrian Richardson. After being shown Adrian’s dish HTN Apprentices Giovanni Micali, Katey Shaw and Kenneth Yap had to replicate that same dish while sweating it out under the watchful eyes of the SkillsOne camera. They each bravely tried their hand at cooking and presenting…

The evening concluded with a discussion from home cook and media personality Lyndey Milan and HTN Director Lachlan Bowtell on the responsibilities, possibilities and duties of the modern celebrity chef and media chef.

For more information about the HTN Chefs Media Master Class call HTN on 1300 139 108. Check out the full gallery of photos on our Facebook page.

You can watch the videos of all three apprentices preparing the dish and the master video with Adrain Richardson and Peter Howard on the following links:

HTN Patron Peter Howard with Adrian Richardson – https://youtu.be/lEGy1Mo4NuU
HTN Apprentice Chef Kenneth Yap with Adrian Richardson – https://youtu.be/n30Lv51yfMM
HTN Graduate Giovanni Micali with Adrian Richardson – https://youtu.be/_2gkxMqjitw
HTN Graduate Katey Shaw with Adrian Richardson – https://youtu.be/5khWgysRs9c

Guided tour onboard the P&O Pacific Pearl

Posted on September 18, 2014 , No comments

HTN Apprentices recently had the opportunity to attend a guided tour of the P&O Pacific Pearl. The tour was conducted by Uwe Stiefel, Corporate Executive Chef, Carnival Australia and helped HTN apprentices understand more about large-scale hospitality operations on cruise liner. HTN apprentices were also able to visit a number of establishments, including ‘Salt Grill’ by Luke Mangan – the only Australian celebrity chef restaurant at sea.

HTN supports apprentices with opportunities like this throughout the year, including masterclasses, social events and competitions. Join us on Facebook to find out more.