Kids In The Kitchen Head To Venice

The Age

Monday July 21, 2008

Elisabeth Tarica

An innovative culinary exchange program has given a small group of hospitality students from a Catholic college in Dandenong a rare opportunity to further develop their cooking skills in Venice - a city known for its rustic food as much as its gondolas.

Seven year 12 VET hospitality students from St John's Regional College recently spent two weeks in Venice, Florence and Rome on an exchange program with the Venetian technical school Istituto Statale di Istruzione Superiore - Andrea Barbarigo and Paolo Sarpi.

Located in a 15th century convent in the centre of the famous city, the college offers a vocational program, similar to the VET hospitality program at St John's, for students from the age of 14."

It was an enormous experience for all of them to work in a different kitchen, to see different foods," says St John's hospitality teacher and chef Nick Weiler, who was instrumental in developing the exchange program."

One of the highlights was going to the food markets in Florence, as I have often told them about foods you eat in Europe that you can't even find here, and all of a sudden it was right in front of them and to experience the hospitality of the people in Venice was amazing."

The students managed to add Australian flair to a five-course dinner for 50 guests, with Australian pumpkin soup with a garnish of roasted capsicum and sour cream, and roastrack of lamb on Asian greens.

Mr Weiler says the school's philosophy of providing realistic training has seen it win four National Tourism Training awards.

St John's also operates a profitable restaurant onsite as part of the year 11 and 12 hospitality VET program it has offered since 1997. The Graduates' Restaurants, which is run by year 12 students, has become so popular that it is booked out until November.

Each Thursday night, it serves three-course meals to 65 people. It also caters for business breakfasts and functions during the week."

The only way you can get proper training is by having it as realistic as possible," Mr Weiler says. "The facilities are sophisticated, industry standard with a stainless-steel commercial kitchen."

The Dandenong school will host a group of students and teachers from Venice in November. -- ELISABETH TARICA

© 2008 The Age

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