By Rebecca Harris
The winners of the 2009 Electrolux Appetite for Excellence competition were announced in a star-studded awards ceremony in Sydney on Monday night (Aug 10).
Matthew Dempsey, from Pettavel Winery & Restaurant, Victoria won the Electrolux Young Chef category, while Alice Heath, from Montalto Vineyard & Olive Grove, Victoria, was named the Electrolux Young Waiter.
The inaugural winner of the Electrolux Young Restaurateur title was Danielle Gjestland from Wasabi, Queensland.
Michelin award-winning chef and special guest, David Thompson, said that he was impressed with the high calibre of entries in the competition.
“The three winners are truly inspirational and a credit to the wealth of hospitality talent in Australia. I look forward to seeing their professional careers develop internationally over the next few years,” he said.
Now in its fifth year, the Electrolux Appetite for Excellence, is committed to educating and supporting young up-and-comers in the hospitality industry.
Co-founded by Luke Mangan and Lucy Allon, entrants are judged on their skills and knowledge by leading chefs and hospitality experts such as Tetsuya Wakuda, Guy Grossi, Cheong Liew and Neil Perry.
The prize packages for the winners include all-expenses-paid trips to London, work experience at Thompson’s Michelin Star Restaurant, Nahm, in London and a visit to the Henschke vineyard in the Eden Valley, South Australia.