Top chefs to inspire students

The Great Chefs Series was launched at TasTAFE’s Drysdale North Campus, in Launceston, on Wednesday and aims to upskills students to help fix Tasmania’s chef shortage.

Developed by TasTAFE, the initiative will run from April to October and see six chefs work with students to develop and deliver six degustation dinners – one dinner each month.

Chefs involved include Jacques Reymond, Donovan Cooke, Mark Best, Tetsuya Wakuda, Dan Hong and Michael Luo.

Reymond, who is the first chef to take part, said the initiative was an important part of student’s training.

‘‘It will bring them motivation, it will show them that they can improve and become a great chef if they want to,’’ he said.

‘‘We’re going to showcase the exceptional ingredients they can find in the state ... and we will show them what can be done with that.

‘‘Today in the world there is no other higher demand job than chefs. In the whole world, they can have a job anywhere they want.’’

The degustation dinners are open to the public, with four of the six scheduled events to coincide with AFL fixtures in Launceston.

Goaty Hill Wines will work with Drysdale for the first event.

TasTAFE Drysdale division manager Maree Gerke estimated 150 students, from events to tourism and hospitality, would benefit from the Great Chefs Series.

Premier Will Hodgman and Education and Training Minister Jeremy Rockliff launched the series.

Mr Rockliff said the series would be ongoing and work was underway for the 2017 series.

The degustation dinners will host a maximum of 88 diners at the Drysdale North facility.

Tickets are available at www.greatchefsseries.com.au.