TAFE students to rub shoulders with celebrated culinary creatives at ultimate seafood festival.

The Midwest’s most talented chefs-in-training will be challenging some of the industry’s top chefs at the Shore Leave Festival in Geraldton next week.

Central Regional TAFE (CR TAFE) and industry partners, the Midwest Food Industry Alliance, will be joining forces at CR TAFE’s Geraldton campus to entertain and delight tastebuds from tomorrow 27 April, as part of the multiple-event festival, celebrating all things seafood, culture, and food grown in the Midwest region.

Head of Programs, Michelle Harvey, has been assisting with the planning and said the five-day event is the perfect opportunity for students to gain real-life industry experience, learning from incredible culinary artists and serving high-end, quality produce to real audiences.

“Our students will have access to high-profiled professionals, such as award-winning chefs Brendan Pratt and Melissa Palinkas,” she said.

“They will be guided on how to work professionally outside the classroom, using local produce and have the chance to explore their own ideas and creativity, as well as pitting their own talents against some of the industry’s best.”

The five-day festival is perfectly placed at the beginning of term to inspire would-be culinary students to begin their own career paths in hospitality, commercial cookery, kitchen operations and more at CR TAFE.

Ms Harvey said with semester two enrolments opening on Monday 2 May, the Shore Leave Festival helps promote our training courses and encourages those interested in commercial cookery, hospitality or events to apply.

“Central Regional TAFE has so much to offer, and if you’ve been thinking about diving into a new career, or advancing your current one, now is the perfect time to do it,” she said.

You can see TAFE students cooking up a storm during the cooking demonstrations at the Midwest WA Food Marketplace on Sunday 1 May from 10.30am to 5pm. Or see them in action at any event taking place at the Zeewijk Restaurant, Central Regional TAFE Geraldton Campus.

To see a full program of events, visit the Shore Leave website via www.shoreleavefestival.com.au. Or for more information on courses available at CR TAFE, visit www.centralregionaltafe.wa.edu.au.

Photo caption: Govert Naber (Lecturer Hospitality) and Mitch Mitchell (Chef Lecturer) ready to welcome guests to the Zeewijk Restaurant.