HTN apprentice butcher Matt Hayton recently spoke to the Australian Butchers Voice about becoming an apprentice, his future career aspirations and top tips for others looking to join the trade.
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HTN Apprentice shines as Crowne Plaza Hunter Valley awarded a hat
Posted on January 17, 2020 , No commentsHTN apprentice chef Tyeron Roswell is part of the successful Crowne Plaza Hunter Valley team, which was recently awarded a hat as part of the Australian Good Food Guide Awards.
The team, helmed by Executive Chef Craig Robertson and lead by Sous Chef Jake Hayes, takes a farm to table approach which is evident in the way Jake writes his menus and delivers his dishes.
At just 24, Jake displays enormous drive and a desire to succeed – his passion for cooking evident in recognition from Australian Good Food Guide in his first senior role.
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HTNs Top 5 interview tips
Posted on January 7, 2016 , No comments7/1/15
Welcome to 2016! It is great to come back into the office with a new rush of excitement as we start another big year of recruitment. There are potential HTN Professionals out there and we can’t wait to meet them, interview them and get them working within our almost 200 strong food service and hospitality businesses partnerships.
We interview candidates from all walks of life. We look for people who are passionate about food, service, hospitality and want to create a future within the hospitality industry. Part of our process is to have the potential Professional to come into the office and meet with one of the recruitment team consultants and talk about why they are wanting to join the HTN Community.
We asked the HTN Recruitment team what their Top 5 Interview Tips are to help you nail your next interview!
HTNs Top 5 Interview Tips
1. Research
– Understand what the business is offering. Check their website, Facebook page, Instagram account (if they have them) and get to know the business better.
– Look up where the business is located. Plan your trip. Work out how long it is going to take you to get to the interview. Add 15 minutes to the trip so if there is an accident or your train is delayed you still have time up your sleeve.
– Print out or save the contact details of the person you are being interviewed by in case of an emergency. There is nothing worse than a candidate getting lost or running late and not contacting the recruiter. Call them if you are even going to run 5 minutes late.
2. Attire
– Look presentable. First impressions matter! A few pointers:
- Ironed and clean shirts, blouses
- Clean pants or skirts, no jeans or sports wear
- Clean shaven, teeth brushed, hair brushed
3. Time
– Turn up 10-15 minutes early. If you arrive early, go in and introduce yourself 5 minutes prior. It is better to be early than to run late! Refer to point 1.
4. Interview time
– Smile, shake hands with the recruiter when you are introduced.
– Be polite
– Be responsive
– Ask questions
– BUT most of all, be yourself!
5. Ask questions
– This is your opportunity to learn more about the role. Ask away!
– Understand the business
– Understand the role you are applying for
– Ask about the team you are joining
– Ask about the goals of the business or what they are wanting to achieve
Do you have any tips you want to add? Send us an email with yours tips for interviewing success to [email protected]
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Launch of the Gault & Millau Australia – Melbourne & Sydney 2016 Restaurant Guide
Posted on November 10, 2015 , No commentsTuesday 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)
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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]
read moreHTN Launches New Aspire Program
Posted on March 1, 2015 , Comments Off on HTN Launches New Aspire ProgramHTN is delighted to announce Aspire – a new program allowing young people to realise their dreams of becoming professional chefs.
Aspire is a high-end preparatory program in commercial cookery. It will commence on Tuesday 7th April at William Angliss Institute.
This intensive eight-week course is designed for anyone who wants to get a start in the culinary profession, and who wants to take their skills to the highest level. The course combines face-to-face learning with on-the-job training.
Students will not only get the very best of cookery training, but after successfully completing the course, will be guaranteed an apprenticeship in one of Australia’s best kitchens*.
Aspire places a priority on exceptional technical skills. It will be an ideal way to get to the first rung in this rewarding industry.
During the eight-week course, there will be three days of practical tuition each week and two days of work placement. Tuition will be provided by TAFE NSW as well as the William Angliss Institute.
There will be master classes and guest lectures from leading chefs including Nino Zoccali from The Restaurant Pendolino, and Colin Barker from The Boathouse on Blackwattle Bay.
There will be a media master class with Adrian Richardson from the Lifestyle Food Channel.
Participants will have access to an extensive library of resources and training videos through the new HTN Skills Board.
Each student will have their own HTN personal mentor for the duration of the program. They will be able to utilise the HTN ePortfolio which enables apprentices to build an interactive CV and to showcase their skills and work.
After completing the eight-week Aspire course, students will hold the accreditation towards a Certificate II in Kitchen Operations (Basic Cookery).
At the end of the program, they will be career-ready, and will have the opportunity to progress to an apprenticeship with HTN Professional or HTN Executive (recognised for prior learning).
As Australia’s leading group employer of culinary and food service apprentices, HTN is proud to be working with leading chefs, restaurants, clubs and training providers on the Aspire program. This is a real opportunity for aspiring chefs to set themselves up for a great career.
For more information, take a look at the Aspire Program page where you can find more information and application details.
A career as a professional chef is both fulfilling and rewarding, with real opportunity for career advancement, travel, and job satisfaction.
I sincerely hope that this may be the chance to help make young people’s vision a reality.
Chief Executive Officer, HTN
*Conditions Apply
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Hospitality is a massive growth area struggling to find skilled workers.
Posted on February 5, 2015 , No commentsAccording to Hospitality Magazine finding and hiring reliable and skilled workers is one of the greatest challenges facing business owners in the hospitality sector. The industry has experienced unprecedented growth (more than 10% a year) creating huge demand on the jobs market. As Anne Cazar, assistant director of tourism and hospitality at TAFE NSW says, “we’re just not attracting enough people to meet the increase in the market”.
Chef and Restaurateur Nino Zoccali, who operates two Italian restaurants in Sydney, couldn’t agree more; ‘there’s a huge shortage of skilled labour in our area’ says Zoccali, who cites changes to labour laws, and the growth of the hospitality industry since the GFC as contributing factors.
In New South Wales in 2014, only 1,489 people commenced commercial cookery apprenticeships. This is compared to 1,580 in 2013 and 1,670 in 2012. HTN is now working hard to correct this trend with the innovation of new skills programs like TotalChef Aspire.
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Winners announced from the HTN Quality Service Survey
Posted on January 27, 2015 , No commentsHTN Apprentice Chefs Guy Lobsey, Caprice Minehan and Justin Fawbert were the recent recipients of the mini iPads for completing the HTN Quality Service Survey (conducted every year as part of our continuous improvement program).
The HTN Host Trainers who received the $250 voucher from Fraser and Hughes are Vikrant Kapoor from Zaaffran, Simon McNamara from Canterbury Leagues Club and Pat Gibbons from Fairmont Resort.
Congratulations to all the winners, and make sure you take the time to complete next year’s Quality Service Survey – stay tuned.
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2014 ACF National Apprentice Competition
Posted on November 9, 2014 , Comments Off on 2014 ACF National Apprentice CompetitionDaryl Harris (Team ACT) with Regie Anne Soriano, Thomas Walsh and James Huynh (Team NSW) competing in the 2014 ACF National Apprentice Competition Finals in SA.
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