By Annette Shailer
J&J O’Brien Hoteliers Group and 2008 AHA NSW Chef of the Year, Daniel Fountain, are to host a NSW City versus Country Apprentice Chef Challenge.
The inaugural initiative aims to support both rural and urban apprentice chefs and will be held from July 26 to July 29.
The challenge will see apprentice chefs work with leading chefs and create their own team menus, which they will cook for more than 90 guests at the final dinner and be judged on.
The Watershed Hotel head chef, Daniel Fountain, said the challenge will help encourage future chefs.
“The NSW City versus Country Apprentice Chef Challenge was created to motivate junior chefs and create awareness of the talent of our next generation, especially those who are living in rural and remote areas by bringing together a range of food industry leaders including suppliers and chefs,” he said.
The initiative will see 13 apprentice chefs from rural areas such as Young, Wagga Wagga, Albury and Sydney suburbs Ryde and Mt Druitt come to The Watershed Hotel to battle it out.
The apprentices will be broken up into two teams, one city one country and given a mystery box of ingredients each, which they will have to use to create the dishes for the finale dinner.
The winning team will be awarded prizes along with individual awards for the apprentices that show particular ability over the three-day traineeship.