The West Coast Academy of Hospitality & Tourism in Joondalup has showed world dominance by cooking up a storm to defeat Thailand and Singapore at the intercontinental culinary competition Oceanafest, an International Culinary Competition held biannually in Perth.

The 2011 WA Oceanfest, held by The Australian Culinary Federation of Western Australia (ACFWA) took place at the Perth Convention & Exhibition Centre on 20-22 March in conjunction with FineFoods Perth.

Representing Australia, cookery lecturer Nathan McMurdo led three students through a gruelling live cook-off against Asian training establishments, The Thailand Catering University and Shatec in Singapore.

From L to R: The winning team of Ryan Larsen, Nathan McMurdo, Miyuki Tamura and Malcolm Cousins.

Producing an entree, main and dessert for World Association of Chefs Societies judges under extreme pressure in just 50 minutes, the Academy clinched the gold medal and were named ‘Most Outstanding Training Provider’.

“At a time when WA is experiencing skills shortages in the hospitality industry, it is so pleasing to see our Academy producing students with the right skills to compete and win on the world stage,” said McMurdo.

“It’s no mean feat to go against the likes of Thailand and Singapore and get a gold medal and if this is what our students can achieve globally, just imagine what they can bring to the Western Australian hospitality industry.”

The gold-medal winning menu included an entree of confit salmon trator with saffron greek yoghurt, pickled capers, basil oil and poached quails egg; a main of pan-fried lamb loin, a truffle mushroom duxcelle, puree potatoes, shiraz jus and assortment of baby vegetables and for dessert, inverted strawberry soufflé with mint and strawberry salad, vanilla tuille and a strawberry soup.