a lot higher, the bar is set. You definitely put a lot more thought into everything and in terms of the complexity of the dishes, how you plate them and things like that. I just found I had to make everything look a lot better and taste a lot better. You have to really work on the balance with the flavours that that go into the dishes, because that’s what they mostly score you on.” The effort paid off as Nicholas’ savoury dish of oyster mushrooms with asparagus purée, whipped ricotta, chive oil, pistachio pangrattato, and fried parsley impressed the judges and was described as “the ultimate eating experience with superb textures.” He walked away with the MAGGI Best Savoury Dish Award and $2500 in prize money.
MONA. The curiosity grew into a full apprenticeship and eventually into competitions that sharpened his skills. Now having gone up against some of the best apprentices in the country and across the ditch, it has only fuelled his ambitions and what comes next in his culinary journey. “Even though I didn’t win, I was still a national finalist, a state winner, and that all reflects pretty well on my mindset and skills as well, which I think is super helpful. In terms of the future, I’d love to go to a couple of different states in Australia in the next few years, working at a few different places just to get more experience, see different restaurants, different styles, things like that.” At its heart, though, Nicholas’ motivation is simple and timeless. “Cooking has definitely always been an interest. I like making nice food, it’s very satisfying when you make something really nice to sit down and eat it and you’re like, ‘wow, this is good. I should share this with more people’. I enjoy that. I enjoy the experiences that good food can give people.”
Although the overall title alluded him – Auckland’s Emily Morgan was crowned the winner – being recognised for his savoury dish was a more than adequate silver lining. And the experience alone was worth it. “At first, I was a little bit disappointed with the result but now, I understand that is definitely where I was at in terms of everybody else there in the final and what they’ve done, so I am happy with the result. The best savoury dish is definitely a nice little bonus. And to be honest, the silver medals are pretty good considering how much harder the finals are in terms of the criteria and the judging, they score you a lot lower in general. “It was amazing experience, I think it was five days total there doing different activities, lunches and demonstrations, things like that. Everybody just got along really well. It was great, I met new friends, new connections, and on the awards night we met everybody in industry, all lots of big names and things like that. It’s really cool.” Nicholas’ pathway into the culinary world began early. He started working in cafes when he was 15, picking up casual shifts during school. From there he moved into kitchens, before landing some work experience at a couple different places, including
47 Tasmanian Hospitality Review October/November Edition
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