AN ALBURY trainee chef will hone her craft in one of the best restaurants in Asia.
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TAFE NSW – Albury student Renee Jones was this month awarded the state’s most prestigious scholarship for apprentice chefs – the Oliver C. Shaul Scholarship.
The scholarship allows a final year TAFE NSW commercial cookery student to train in an internationally-renowned restaurant overseas for at least three months.
Miss Jones, 23, will use the award to work at the Michelin Star-rated Mume restaurant in Taiwan, which was ranked 14th out of the top 50 eateries in Asia.
The La Maison Cafe apprentice chef said she was thrilled about the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.
“I love Asian food and flavours,” she said.
“It’s something that’s developed throughout my apprenticeship at La Maison working under head chef Stacey Gordon.”
Miss Jones said she hoped to do the three-month internship at the Taipei-based Mume from February.
“Mume is very focused on supporting local farmers and fishermen, which I appreciate,” Miss Jones said.
A former Albury High School student, Miss Jones said she got into hospitality by accident.
“I was waitressing at a pub and I ended up in the kitchen one night,” she said.
“They liked me in the kitchen and kept me there.
“Then the traineeship came up at La Maison.”
Miss Jones claimed a bronze medal as a first-year apprentice in the WorldSkills Australia competition last year and was a finalist in the Fonterra Proud to be a Chef competition in Melbourne earlier this year.
TAFE NSW – Albury teacher David O’Dea, who has mentored four Oliver C. Shaul Scholarship winners in the past decade, said it was a great opportunity for regional trainees to develop their skills and networks.
The former TAFE NSW – Albury winners of the scholarship were Kathryn Hewett (2007), Kai Ward (2010) and Loughlin Hunter (2014).
Valued at about $10,000, the scholarship was named in honour of the late Australian hospitality pioneer Oliver C. Shaul AO.
“Renee has been a great student; she’s dedicated and hard-working, and she’s had great support from Stacey, Wassim (Saliba) and his wife Marcia,” Mr O’Dea said.
“My job is to recognise the talent we have among the students.”
Mr O’Dea said there were good synergies between Mume’s focus on local produce and TAFE.
“Mume’s philosophy is about showcasing local produce and that’s something we’ve been focusing on at TAFE,” he said.
