Apprentice chefs Hayden Bilton and Brody Young-Steedman.
Camera IconApprentice chefs Hayden Bilton and Brody Young-Steedman. Credit: Supplied/Supplied

Cooking team rises to the occasion

Jill BurgessMandurah Coastal Times

Greenfields resident Hayden Bilton (18), an apprentice chef at Mandurah's Red Manna Waterfront Restaurant, and team mate and Pinjarra resident Brody Young-Steedman (1`9), from Co-op Dining in East Perth, will go to Sydney next month for an all-expenses paid trip to compete in the National Final at Fine Food in front of a live audience.

The three-course culinary challenge held at Perth's West Coast Institute's commercial kitchens had the region's top young chefs using only the ingredients available to them on the day to create a three-course meal.

Bilton's and Young-Steedman's winning entree of kaffir lime oil poached trout, grilled zucchini and candied chilli with a main course of braised lamb with roasted garlic, mint yoghurt, sweet carrots and roast pear and a dessert of acidic condensed milk sponge, mandarin puree, aerated kaffir chocolate, white chocolate crumb and coconut syrup impressed the judging panel.

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Although it is the first time Bilton has competed in Australian's longest running culinary competition, he is no stranger to the competitive kitchen environment, having entered other cooking competitions.

Young-Steedman competed in the competition last year and thinks he has what it takes to out-cook the competition this time round.

"Im really pleased to have improved on last year's performance," he said.

"I've entered a few cooking competitions and Im starting to know what to expect, so hopefully I can just focus on the cooking for the final."

The national winning team will receive a trip to South Africa for a once-in-a-lifetime food safari experience.