Masterchef … eat your heart out. Tarneit’s Gerard Ivander went hat-to-hat with some of Melbourne’s best up and coming cooks to win bronze in the Victorian finals of the Golden Chef’s Hat award.
The 20-year-old teamed up with university mate Andrew Christianto for the two-day competition, serving up a main course of chateaubriand with red wine and port sauce, potato puree and blanched carrots.
For dessert, there was coffee panna cotta, almond praline, chocolate ganache, poached rhubarb and vanilla mousse, topped with shards of meringue.
Mr Ivander, who works at the Spaghetti Tree restaurant in Melbourne, said the former William Angliss Institute pair had chosen a classic menu for their competition entry.
“This was our first competition; we just picked what we thought would work well,” he said.
“When the judges say ’30 more minutes’, it goes so quickly. It was so fast-paced; time moved really fast, it was quite a pressure-filled situation.”
Mr Ivander said he and Mr Christianto entered to prove their culinary talents and gain inspiration from other chefs.
Australian Culinary Federation director Deb Foreman said the competition was a great way for young chefs to take their skills to the next level.
“Putting yourself up to be judged on your culinary talent among your peers is tough.”
The national finals of the Golden Chef’s Hat award will be held in Melbourne in September.
