The trainees entered the kitchen in September 2006. The idea — to inspire disadvantaged young people to believe that they could create a career in the restaurant business — was Jamie Oliver’s, but the ongoing success of CBD restaurant Fifteen (basement, 115-117 Collins Street) has been thanks to the hard work of the first batch of apprentices. With its first anniversary being celebrated at a special dinner tomorrow night I asked Vanessa Spilbury, a recently graduated Fifteen student, to tell me what it meant to get the restaurant to this milestone. The major challenge, she said, lay in learning to work as a team. ”To make a kitchen and restaurant successful, we have to produce the best food we can with great, fresh, locally produced ingredients,” Vanessa said. ”Keeping everyone on track and focused, including myself, is a daily task.” Sunday Herald Sun (Australia)
Oct 19
