TAFE Bega's Industry Night on Wednesday was an emotional one as staff and students prepare to close the doors on the Barracks Restaurant and shift to new premises on Auckland St.
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The annual event celebrates its graduating commercial cookery apprentices and hospitality students with a degustation menu they prepare for representatives of the Bega Valley's multitude of dining venues.
With the new TAFE Multi Skills Trades Hub and its brand new teaching restaurant - which is keeping The Barracks name - not far off completion, the night signed off 23 years of teaching and fine dining in the current venue.
The industry has been hard hit by COVID, as has the course at TAFE NSW Bega campus. Of an initial cohort of 15 commercial cookery third-year apprentices, only three have completed the year.
Supported by head chef Dave Arens, and alumnus Leayra Thornton in the kitchen, the trio prepared seven courses of delicious offerings, which were paired with various wines served by the campus's hospitality and tourism trainees.
There was a house made pastrami and pickled cauliflower charcuterie board; trout agnolotti with garlic cream and asparagus; rabbit and sage cromesquis with celeriac remoulade; salt and pepper lamb loin with beetroot puree; passionfruit sorbet; fig leaf panacotta with poached peach; and salted chocolate caramels to round things off.
The 40 or so guests also enjoyed a look back at the history of the Bega campus and the achievements of its cookery students across the years.
Tourism and hospitality head teacher Deirdre Jory said the night meant so much to everyone involved, recalling the many enjoyable dinners and events held over more than two decades there.
She said the night was also about looking forward and celebrating the achievements to come once the new campus on Auckland St is opened.
A sneak preview showed off its (slightly) larger teaching kitchen which can accommodate up to 20 cookery students at a time, both indoor and outdoor dining areas, and an improved suite of technology to assist in both training the next generation of apprentices, but also connect them with their grateful consumers.