Just a little about me!

Cooking has been a passion my entire life, watching my mother cooking for a large family with limited supplies was one thing that I will cherish and enabled me to understand the basics of food. You could say I come from a family of Chefs, so it only seemed fitting that I follow my passion at the age of 35 and also seek a career in cooking. So I began working with the view of gaining appenticeship, but due to my age I found this impossible so walked away disheartened.

So after a number of years in various jobs and career choices in 2007 I decided to return to school to undertake the Certificate III in Hospitality (Commercial Cookery). I was lucky that the Bendigo Regional Institute of TAFE (Echuca Campus) provided the course to be completed in one year. The only thing was I had to complete 3 years of study condensed into a single year, so one day I would be working with 1st year apprentices, the next I would be with the 3rd year apprentices, so adapting and advanced learning was a key to sucess.

During the course I was lucky to be taught by some great local Chefs. The highlight of the year would be competing in the state competition and winning Outstanding Student of the Year.

Food would have to be one thing I would have to say takes in every sense our body provides. I receive so much pleasure with being able to experience this with others who enjoy food as much as I do and appreciates what really goes into producing high standards.

Serves 4
• 720gr wallaby striploin
• 150gr davidson’s plum
• 4gr pepperleaf
• 10gr shallots
• 100ml white wine
• 15gr sugar
• 150 ml water
• 440gr sweet potato
• Gastrique
• 110gr sugar
• 55gr red wine vinegar
• 110gr davidson’s plum
• 165ml red wine
• 2gr anisata

Cut the sweet potato on a fondant shape, sear off in butter and reserve in baking tray. In a pan sweat off the shallots and the pepperleaf; add the white wine, reduce by a quarter and add water, plum pitted and blended in a puree, and the sugar. Simmer for 20 minutes and pour on top of the fondants. Bake at 150° for 1 hour and half.

In a heavy based saucepan combine all the ingredients for the sauce. Mix well and bring to the boil. Skim the top and reduce down to a simmer and cook to a thin syrup consistency. Strain and rectify seasoning. Sear off the wallaby, keep medium rare. Rest for 5 minutes.

On a plate dispose the fondant on the middle top up with the wallaby and cover with the sauce. Garnish with an anisata leaf. Bon Appétit!

Gastrique is a thick sauce produced by a reduction of vinegar or wine, sugar, and usually fruit
Fondant potatoes are perfect barrel shape we look for in restaurants
Anisata is from the stunning Aniseed Myrtle rainforest tree