What's cookin' on campus: This month's kitchen highlights 

SYDNEY
It’s been a busy month in the LCB Sydney kitchens, but one of the highlights by Cuisine student Harsh Bachani was learning how to make ravioli filled with chicken and mushroom, served with clarified nage and chives. “Even though it appears simple, this meal necessitates a variety of skills and precisions,” Harsh says. “It was a challenge to make the dough, roll it out to the proper thickness, and then fill the pasta without getting any air bubbles in it.” He says while the nage appears simple and clear, the technique of clearing the consommé and being able to extract all the flavours while producing a fat-free clear soup was an invaluable technique to master.

Also this month, LCB Sydney lecturer and chef Angelo Roche oversaw the marzipan modelling class where students constructed animal and fruit figurines. “The students really loved it as they enjoyed modelling some characters they love too,” chef Angelo says. “Coming from different cultural backgrounds this influenced their figurines and fruits and vegetables.” Student Janny Yang particularly loved using her creative flair to produce a Mickey Mouse figurine, among others. “Learning how to colour marzipan correctly and how to safely handle and store the final products were also part of the lesson,” Janny says. “I loved the process of using our hands to create something cute…it takes time and patience but you have that sense of achievement when you get it right.”

Picture credit: Harsh Bachani, Instagram @culinary_buzzz, and Janny Yang, Instagram @jam_jelly_janny

MELBOURNE
Across two Saturday afternoons, LCB Melbourne’s Superior Patisserie students had the opportunity to showcase their skills by hosting a high tea at the campus’s training restaurant, Cilantro. More than 70 guests indulged in sweet and savoury treats such as truffle mushroom vol au vents and white chocolate mousse with cherry compote and white chocolate crumble. LCB Melbourne lecturer and chef Antonia Abiuso says this task allowed students to work in a simulated commercial kitchen where they had to plan and produce all dishes from scratch. “It was also great for the students to learn how to make and taste new products and producing bulk quantities with consistency,” chef Antonia says.  Just some of the dish highlights were moulded chocolate bon bons, lemon madeleines with glazed strawberry mousse and a white chocolate feather, and chocolate choux with Valrhona jivara lactee cream, vanilla namelaka and caramelised pecan.

Picture credit: LCB Melbourne lecturer and chef Antonia Abiuso

ADELAIDE
For LCB Adelaide Patisserie student Venya Arora, making an indulgent tarte au chocolat was one of her kitchen highlights this month. “This seemingly simple dessert was complex and intense in flavour, needed few garnishes, and was delicious on its own,” Venya says. “I've certainly improved my plating and quenelle skills in the last few weeks, and I believe the presentation of the tarte au chocolat demonstrates my skill progression. I've learnt to keep things simple yet effective when it comes to plating.”

Picture credit: Venya Arora, Instagram @bakea_holic

BRISBANE
LCB Brisbane’s Certificate IV Cuisine students had the opportunity to practice and be assessed on their cooking coordination skills and specialised cooking techniques this month. Lecturer and chef George Clegg says an overall highlight for them was preparing and serving a breakfast and dinner buffet for 200 people, and a set menu lunch for 70 people on campus at training restaurant 66 on Earnest. “They were able to include many of the skills they had learned over the last two years and worked positively together to overcome hurdles and produce some amazing food,” chef George says. Dish highlights included blazed bacci mousse with coffee espuma, vanilla panna cotta with Turkish Delight fluid gel and sous vide chicken breast with seasonal vegetables, which were all loved by patrons.

Picture credit: Lecturer and chef George Clegg

Explore Cuisine and Patisserie courses with Le Cordon Bleu Australia