Far South Coast high schoolers excited by hospitality training at Bega TAFE restaurant

Kashi's hands flourished and gestured as he recalled the process of a spontaneous 11pm Karaage Japanese fried chicken meal he had prepared the evening before.

His passion for all things hospitality evident by how his voice beamed with cooking jargon from the "ungodly amounts" of cooking shows he studies and recipes he challenges himself with.

"It was really yummy, but it looked a bit funky, I just looked up a random recipe and just happened to have all the ingredients," he said with a laugh, hoping to further his skills if the opportunity to study at Bega TAFE arises.

"I've heard the guy who runs it here is really experienced, he's really skilled."

The students and staff that participated on Tuesday, August 15, heard short presentations from local industry representatives about their career journey, like that of Salina Locantro who is finishing a diploma of hospitality, Holly Corke who is doing first year of commercial cookery, and Jamie Sverdrupsen, co-owner of Bar Monti in Merimbula.

"Just stick at it and stay patient, that's what I was told when I was working my ass off, used to not get paid anything, and my mentors just told me I was doing the right thing," Mr Sverdrupsen said of the advice he'd give students interested in pursuing this career path.

Within the state-of-the-art kitchen, commercial cookery teacher and head chef David Arens, along with students Jonty Scott, Emma Turner and Thea Luimes, prepared the three-course meals.

Mr Arens, who has been a chef for 30 years, said the students he teaches are keen, passionate, and continuously roll up their sleeves to give their best.

"We were in the kitchen from 8.30am this morning, we prepped everything from scratch today, it's not like a restaurant where you carry our a prep from week-to-week or day-to-day, because we only operate once a week," Mr Arens said.

"We have had come great success with those school based apprenticeships over the years."

Regional Industry Education Pathways program (Department of Education), TAFE NSW, University of Wollongong and local Industry employers and business partnered for the event.

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