BRENT Strong’s passion for food is going to take him overseas after he won a prestigious hospitality scholarship.
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He recently won the TAFE NSW’s Oliver C Shaul Scholarship, which is a major hospitality award.
Only one NSW graduating commercial cookery student gets this award each year and Berry’s own Mr Strong got the award.
“I was lucky enough to get it and from there they fund an overseas scholarship and I get to work in a restaurant overseas,” he said.
“It’s pretty awesome and a good opportunity.”
Thanks to the Oliver C. Shaul Scholarship he will be going over to the Relae restaurant in Copenhagen and can’t wait.
“They (Relae restaurant) have a big focus on sustainability and affordable fine dining. Sustainability and affordability are big passions of mine because I grew up on a farm and from there I learnt the lifecycle of food - from paddock to plate,” he said.
“It’s pretty important to keep sustainable practices so nothing is wasted.”
He goes overseas in February for two months.
“Two months gives you a good bearing and you get to move around the different sections in the kitchen and hopefully see the producers and everything else,” he said.
He was nominated by his local TAFE teachers, went through a selection process and then faced an interview panel.
“The interview was not too bad and they (the interview panel) are pretty good and you go to St Leonards TAFE and sit down for awhile and have a bit of a chat to them about your aspirations and why you picked certain restaurants,” he said.
He did not even have to cook anything because it was all done through the nomination process.
“Your TAFE teachers vouch for your cooking,” he said
He was up against some talented graduating apprentices from around NSW and many work in places like Sydney.
“There is obviously a good mix of people in the running,” he said.
“I have had a pretty good run with awards.”
He has won local awards and received the Barrington Raymond Roberts memorial scholarship, a NSW TAFE Hospitality award, where he worked in the Orana Restaurant in Adelaide for two weeks in August this year.
“It was amazing and they work heavily with native Australian ingredients and are pioneering in what they do,” he said
The Berry resident became a qualified chef a few weeks ago after completing a three year apprenticeship.
He worked at the Wharf Road, the Hungry Duck and is currently working at the Silos Restaurant.
Mr Strong is happy to give budding chefs advice.
“I would say just get in a kitchen and have a bit of a go at it first. It’s a hard life and you have got to enjoy doing it,” he said.
“If you are still enjoying it I say knuckle down, go for it and find out what excites you about it.”
Eventually he would like to have his own restaurant but just wants to keep learning about the industry.
“I think here is still heaps to learn and I don’t think you ever stop learning,” the chef said.
The 28-year-old Berry resident and former Bomaderry High student was studying finance and economics at University of Wollongong but decided to follow his passion instead.
“I have not looked back and really enjoying it,” he said.
