Young chef will take on the best

A Kimberley Training Institute apprentice chef will represent Broome and WA this month when she heads to Brisbane to compete in a prestigious national cooking competition.

Nelize Pretorius, a second-year commercial cookery apprentice at KTI and the Zoo Bar and Cafe, will take part in the National Apprentice of the Year titles.

The competition, supported by the Australian Culinary Federation is open to all apprentice chefs nationwide.

Ms Pretorius qualified for the competition after winning the Australian Culinary Federation’s National Apprentice Competition for WA.

This is the first time an apprentice from KTI has won the Australian Culinary Federation State title.

The 19-year-old said she was excited to have the opportunity to compete this year.

“It hasn’t sunk in yet, but it’s a great opportunity,” she said. Participants are required to plan and prepare an entree using mushrooms, a main using lamb and a dessert using honey, with four hours to prepare, cook and serve their dishes to highly acclaimed chefs from around Perth.

Originally from South Africa, Ms Pretorius came to Broome five years ago and studied home economics at Broome Senior High School. After finishing her studies, Ms Pretorius undertook a skills-based traineeship at KTI. Since last year, she has worked as an apprentice chef at Zoo Bar and Cafe.

As the only female in the kitchen, Ms Pretorius said she enjoyed the challenge of working alongside her male colleagues as a vibrant team.

Ms Pretorius will head to Brisbane on November 12.