After blitzing the State and National competition Lachlan Colwill travelled to Hyde Park, New York and won Bronze at the International final of the Jeunes Commis Rotisseurs Competition for Australia.

Lachlan competed against chefs from more then 25 different countries and placed third behind competitors from Finland and Colombia.

The Bronze medal result is all the more impressive as he was still recovering from a hand injury that had disrupted his pre-competition training schedule.

Lachlan Colwill is an up and coming 23 year old Sous Chef from The Manse who has taken out the gold prize at the National Jeunes Commis Rotisseurs Competition in Perth, WA.

Lachlan, who recently graduated from TAFE SA, Regency International Centre, went through a selection process by winning the South Australian culinary competition in March at the TAFE SA Lead Centre for Hospitality, Tourism and Food Studies.

Contestants from each state are required to prepare a three course meal for four people from ingredients contained in the “black box” giving them thirty minutes to review the contents and prepare their menu. They then have 3 hours to prepare their meals using the five mandatory ingredients: snapper, veal shoulder, Manjimup truffles, blood oranges and star anise.

It is one of the few true pleasures in life – eating. But for chefs, waiters and kitchen staff it’s a profession and in many cases a lifelong profession.

It’s also an area crying out for staff, bucking the current economic downturn, and Nathan Johnson, executive sous chef at the Hilton Adelaide, says there’s a simple reason why this type of professional is in demand – hunger.

Mr Johnson began an apprenticeship at 18 years old at TAFE SA Regency International Centre, later graduating with a level III certificate in cookery, advanced patisserie, Chinese cookery and bakery.

Now at the Hilton Adelaide for eight years and working with executive chef Simon Bryant, Mr Johnson is still as enthusiastic about his work.  Read the full article