Tuesdays at William Angliss

What makes you want to cook? Why do you do it?

Because we have to eat—it seems an obvious answer.  But you might be surprised what the trainees said when I asked them that question. I spent Tuesday following their activity in the training kitchen at William Angliss.

There’s a certain exhilaration to working in a kitchen. Maybe it comes from the sharp objects and high heat—potential for disaster creates excitement and an incentive to get the job done correctly. Who knows. But what I do know is that the day I spent in the kitchen of William Angliss with the trainees was a real rush, because I got to see our trainees in action, knife skills, sautéing and all.

They start the day with a couple hours of cooking theory. In the afternoon, they move into the kitchen. On the day I saw them they made chicken wings in a honey and soy marinade, fried rice with ham and egg. They cooked the rice pilaf-style and infused it with star anise and ginger—something I definitely intend to try at home. The trainees finished the lesson with a rocket and grilled pear dish, which took them from 1pm to about 5pm.

When I asked Jamie he told me that he wanted to go into construction, that originally he wanted to build things, but he found that cooking was also a building of flavours. Rayne said that she was learning new things that she wouldn’t otherwise know about—making stock, rolling pizza dough. And Damien said that he isn’t into cooking as much as making things that are complicated and gourmet. He treats his time in the kitchen as an exercise in artistic expression, something that is certainly evident by the panache with which he plates a dish.

By spending the Tuesday at William Angliss with trainees, I got a taste of their life in the kitchen. I saw them in what is now their territory, their domain, and they are looking mighty excited to be there.

For a look at the photos from the day, go to the album on our Facebook page here.