Colin Wilson
Colin Wilson, a 2nd Year Commercial Cookery Apprentice, has been named as the 2009 national AUS-TAFE Culinary Challenge Best Overall Apprentice.
The competition was contested by 36 apprentices from across Australia with Colin winning two Gold Medals as Best Second Year Apprentice and Best Overall Apprentice in Australia.
The three stage process of the AUS-TAFE challenge culminated in Colin competing against the top two students from each state/territory in his apprentice year level. His pièce de résistance was a Boudin a la Richelieu - butter poached chicken breast served with baby vegetables, crispy chicken skin, pea puree and potato foam. Colin not only won this category but was recognised as Australia's Best Overall Apprentice.
Colin is currently working at Eleonore's Restaurant and Sweetwater Café at Chateau Yering - one of Victoria's finest boutique hotels. Eleonore's restaurant, under the guidance of Executive Chef Mathew Macartney, is also known for its outstanding food, winning the recent 2009 Restaurant & Catering Victoria Best Restaurant for Modern Australian Cuisine in Regional Victoria title.
According to Mathew, Colin is an outstanding apprentice he has a natural flair for food and a passion to succeed as a chef. His creative choice of ingredients, daring combinations of flavours and final presentation skills are his greatest strengths but his passion and love for cooking are what really make him stand out.
Colin worked at the 2009 Good Food Show preparing for such notable chefs as Gordon Ramsay, Tobie Puttock and Matt Moran. "My goal is to one day run my own restaurant," says Colin. "This win is such a thrill and I am honoured to have received it."
