A Silver Medal Performance
Recently, Matthew Rowley, Archie Rizzi, Hudson Lee and myself travelled to Parade College to compete in the ACC Culinary Competition. After spending three weeks practising and refining our Indigenous-inspired dishes, we were excited to put our skills to the test against students from other ACC schools.
We were split into two teams: the main dish team, Matthew and myself, and the dessert team, Archie and Hudson. We were required to present both a complete main and a complete dessert on the day of the competition.
After an exciting and humorous bus ride to Parade College, we entered our respective kitchens, primed and ready to give it our best shot. Before we began, the chef judges explained the rules. We would be marked on a point system out of 100. Cleanliness was worth 5 points, organisation another 5, skills 10 points, presentation 20 points and taste 50 points. Based on our overall score, teams could receive a bronze, silver or gold medal.
After a few more instructions, we headed into the kitchens. We had two hours to prepare, cook and present our dishes. Unlike the stoves and ovens here at school, the ones at Parade College required lighters to operate. After quickly adjusting to that challenge, we began preparing our dish: prosciutto wrapped chicken marinated in native herbs, served with pesto and sweet potato mash.
Using a strategy we had developed two days beforehand, where one person cooked while the other cleaned before swapping roles, we kept our workspace clean and efficient. We even received compliments from one of the judges for our use of a rocker knife, or “Mezzaluna”.
About halfway through the cooking process, I got word from my partner that the dessert team was having a few hiccups, so we knew we needed our dish to stand out. Finishing around 40 minutes earlier than expected, we turned off the oven and used the remaining heat to keep the chicken warm.
In the final 10 minutes, presentation was all that was on our minds. I let Matthew take over plating while I cleaned and packed away the remaining dishes. Once everything was complete, he brought our meal to the judging table. The dessert team had also finished, leaving us with nothing to do but wait.
As we looked at the other dishes on display, we were stunned by the incredible standard of food. The plates were beautifully presented and lined along a long table. Then came the long and suspenseful wait for the results.
When the judges finally announced the scores, we were thrilled to hear that we had won a Silver Medal and placed equal third overall. It was more than we were expecting. I still remember Miss Nugara letting out a cheer when our names were called up!
While we didn’t place first, it was clear the competition was extremely strong, which made the result even more rewarding. Finishing equal third against teams that had been practising for two months, compared to the time we had practiced, was something I was really proud of.
During the feedback session, we were also told that the judge who scored the main courses had selected our dish as the winning main. With that feedback and a Silver Medal to show for it, we returned to Salesian feeling satisfied and proud of what we had achieved.
Ethan Lane
Year 10
