William Angliss together with the National Indigenous Culinary Institute (NICI) have officially launched the Indigenous pre-employment program, Skills for Success in Melbourne.
The first group, comprising six apprentices, recently graduated from the first stage of their training which was inclusive of a four week program at the Institute’s Melbourne campus. The program saw students learn the fundamental skills required to commence a three year on-the-job apprenticeship and was custom designed by chefs Neil Perry, Guillaume Brahimi, Michael McMahon and Barry McDonald as well as food personalities Jill Dupleix and Terry Durack.
William Angliss Institute National Training Manager, Karon Hepner says that the Skills for Success progrm highlights the key skill sets which are valued and required by top level restaurants.
“We are proud of these young indigenous people who have embraced the opportunity to start a new career in Commercial Cookery. They have learned many new skills over the past weeks that were put into practise in preparing a graduation lunch for family and friends. They demonstrated their range of new cooking skills including preparing desserts such as Portuguese tarts and chocolate mousse,” said Hepner.
The first intake of graduates have commenced placements in some of Australia’s top restaurants, and are being mentored by reputable chefs from Rockpool Bar & Grill, Rosetta Ristorante, The European and Bistro Guillaume.
The program has been run successfully in Sydney, where two of the leading graduates were awarded an all-expenses paid trip to gain experience at London’s most famous restaurant’s “Dinner with Heston” and Brett Graham’s “The Ledbury” in Janurary this year.
The NICI is an industry inspired initiative designed to create highly skilled Indigenous chefs.
