Bakery award showcases students' talent
The John Patrick Conway Award and WorldSkills Australia Patisserie and Baking challenge was held on Tuesday 27 and Wednesday 28 September 2022.
This patisserie heat of the WorldSkills competition was open exclusively to William Angliss Institute students. Participants presented a set of patisserie creations including tortes, cakes, danishes and tarts. These were displayed in the Institute’s Gallery space where the three industry expert judges decided on the best in terms of appearance, texture, flavour and workstation cleanliness. Of the three judges, two were from industry Stewart Tamulevicius and Brad Hewitt and one was the Institute’s Apprentice Workplace Trainer Sean Kenelley.
As part of their entry, contestants had to write a 1000-word essay about where they see themselves in five years’ time, as well as the current industry trends they’ve observed. The competition’s overall winner Kelynn Hoi’s focus was on special dietary requirements and sustainability, which were common trends highlighted through a number of the essays.
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Kelynn is due to complete her full-time Certificate III in Baking FBP30521 at the end of this year. She applied her skills in creating a glazed gluten-free chocolate gateaux, which was the centerpiece of her spectacular set with dollops of chocolate mousse hovering on its reflective surface.
To get the standard she desired within the time constraints of the competition, she had to simplify her workflow. To remain within budget, Kelynn utilised the green apples that were in abundance at the Institute. This would invariably cut down on the cost of berries and more expensive items.
“I wanted to focus on using natural colours of the fresh produce to respect the ingredients as they are, but make the visual presentation pop,” she said.
The natural green visually ignited her superb set, which was a well-considered element to Kelynn’s winning menu. An example of this was seen in her choux pastries, where she used green Japanese matcha tea-infused white chocolate whipped ganache profiteroles.
The runner-up for both competitions was Alannah Zidis, who completed Certificate III in Cake and Pastry Apprenticeship FBP30321 last semester. Her set championed the natural colour and flavour of lemons with glazed Danishes that were fit for Nordic royalty.
To anyone wanting to expand on their abilities, Alannah says, “Enter a competition. You meet a lot of people and develop your skills. Just give it a go.”
Event organiser and Angliss Patisserie and Bakery Teacher Susan Carey said, “Participation in competitions like the John Patrick Conway Award and WorldSkills inspires young adult learners to strive to do their best, rather than just be ‘good enough’.
“The independent research that students are required to undertake develops practical skills and builds confidence and resilience in our future bakers. Regardless of whether they win or lose, they are provided with the opportunity to connect with industry professionals, build on their resume and develop future networks with fellow competitors.”
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