Graduation a culinary celebration

I’ve always felt that cooking is an art form which transcends all boundaries to bring people together. The cook and the people who eat the food come together to bond over the taste, texture, love and hard work gone into the preparation of a meal. This art and hard work was on clear display at an event held recently by students of the Commercial Cookery course at AMI Education, Australia. Celebrating the completion of their 2½ year long course, a lavish buffet was held on June 2 at the Red Whisk Cafe in Carlton. Walking into the function room I couldn’t help but be amazed at the culinary expertise of these young chefs-to-be, who had put up a delicious spread of western cuisine. Such a talented bunch should definitely have no problems getting placed in the industry upon graduation, I thought. Lina from Elle Belle Recruitment who works in conjunction with AMI Education to recruit cookery graduates within the mainstream industry, agrees. An interesting initiative towards this is the Employment Training Program conducted for each student. This program aims to equip the students with interview and presentation skills through mock interview sessions, and also assists in the development of effective and professional resumes. Elle Belle Recruitment begins looking for prospective employers for the students even before they graduate, and some that have already shown interest include the Roxburgh Park Hotel and Satu - a Malaysian restaurant in Melbourne. Rob Mason, one of the chefs, informed me that in the past students have successfully been placed with Crown Casino, Peter Rowland Catering and the Great Eastern Hakka. He added that even though the institute assists in the placement process, a lot of students are able to go out and obtain jobs by themselves. However, as rosy as it may sound, jobs in this fast-paced industry come at the premium cost of a lot of hard work, as I soon learnt from some of the students.

Harsh, Ranchodd, Paola and Manpreet took me through their lives and experiences as cookery students at AMI. Hard work aside, the one thing that they all agreed upon was that their course was exactly what they had imagined and wanted it to be. The fun and positive atmosphere, friendly and experienced teachers from diverse backgrounds and relevant subjects made learning a pleasure while also preparing them for the professional world. All of them seemed to have a genuine interest in their chosen career and were keen to succeed. As Ranchodd pointed out, graduating from a cookery course does not automatically lead to a job as a chef. Sometimes graduates start out with back-breaking jobs of kitchenhands, then move on to food preparation and so on. Of course, ‘Head Chef’ at a good restaurant seemed to be the dream job

What’s On Letter

Tribute to Rahul Prasad

I am deeply saddened by the passing of my colleague Rahul Prasad. I remember seeing him perform at shows and concerts since the 1990s. He was a talented singer and musician, blessed with a great voice. It’s a sad and tragic loss for the Australian Indian music scene. It’s also a reminder that life is short and we should enjoy each moment and every day. My heartfelt condolences go out to his family and friends.

RIP Rahul.

FIAV Helpline now 24/7

From 7 June, the FIAV has extended the existing helpline to 24 Hour HELP LINE, a free service to all who seek guidance and support with quality information and assistance, where required. Call 1-800-342800 (1-800-FIAV-00) or Thomas Joseph (Vice President) on 0438 59 10 14, Sushil Sharma (Community Services Director) 0401 01 66 34, Subra Ramachandran (Secretary) 0403 777 252

Indian music presentation

Richi Madan Blackburn

12 June, 8 to 10:30pm, at Barry Road Community Activity Centre, 36 Barry Rd, Thomastown Mel Ref 08 E 5. Presented by the Malhar Institute of Music, and evening of Indian music with Bikram Malhar and his group. Tickets: $20, call Bikram Malhar on 0433-357-733, or Rajesh on 0402-841-773 and isolating for most overseas students. This group of young cookery students was no different, admitting to homesickness and definitely missing their families back home. But Harsh thought that Melbourne was quite a vibrant place to live and work in, which took away some of the stress of not having family around.

Another good reason of stress for overseas students these days is migration problems. It is common knowledge that recent changes in the Permanent Residency rules for Australia have put the futures of these cookery course graduates at stake. However, most don’t feel that it’s the end of the road for them. Harsh mentioned that as long as he learnt and acquired good culinary skills, he was happy to work anywhere in the world. For him, the first priority was a good job rather than a guarantee of Australian citizenship. It was a refreshing view, but sadly, not one shared by many. Several overseas students still see education

Bryan Cole (Director of Studies Hospitality) pointed out, they have seen a decrease in the number of overseas student enrolments due to the changes in migration laws for cookery courses. To counter this, they have started targeting the domestic Australian students. Time will tell if this approach will be successful.

Rob Mason and Esther Teo (Head of Academic Division) gave brief speeches of thanks and encouragement to the students, encouraging them to work hard, be articulate and creative in their approach and have a commitment to succeed and excel. Good advice for this talented bunch.

The event was an eye-opener for me, highlighted the hard work involved in the path to becoming a chef, as well as the dedication and passion in this group of AMI students. I certainly have a new found respect for the art of cooking, which we often take for granted.

Natasha Ghai

Carnatic music concert

19 June, 6:45pm onwards at Performing Arts Centre, Rowville Secondary College, Cnr Wentworth Ave and Humphrey’s Way, Rowville (Melways Ref: 82 F1).

Organised by InConcert, various renowned artists from the field of Carntic music will perform. Donor Family, Early Bird, Concession, Family and full rate tickets available. Contact 0411 44 99 86, or email: enquiries@inconcertmusic.com.au

Bharatanatyam Recital

20 June, 6pm onwards at Chandler Community Centre, 28 Isaac Road, Keysborough, 3173. Bharatnatyam dance recital by renowned exponent Dr Vasundhara Doraswamy, organised by Art of Vinyasa Institute, Melbourne.

Bharatanatyam Workshop

27 June, 3pm onwards at Mt Waverley

North Primary Marcus Ave, Mt Waverley VIC 3149

Registration via phone or email preferable for workshop

For further information on both events, contact: Meghala Bhat, Ph: 94594448, 0439523950, Email: info@artofvinyasa.net

Culture Card for international students

Victoria’s 165,000 international students living in Victoria will be entitled to a free Culture Card, to help them get a better understanding of the state’s culture, sport and food, and interests in zoos, parks and gardens, including access to great offers from the AFL, Cricket Victoria, Melbourne Cricket Club, Museums Victoria and Zoos Victoria. The card aims to enhance their way of life while studying in Australia. For more information visit www. culturecardvictoria.com.au.