When 100 people sat down for lunch in a community centre at Oran Park last Thursday, they were doing much more than eating a two course meal cooked by local students studying hospitality.
It was one of three sessions over three days organised by MWLP – Macarthur Workplace Learning Program – last week.
They called the whole thing VETsteddFOOD, which admittedly is not a word that rolls of the tongue easily.
But it did not matter, because what was really important was giving the hospitality students an opportunity to practise their skills in the kitchen in a real life situation.
Four of them were in kitchen, Tahlia, Novalee, Cameron and Melissa, along with Michael Everett, with whom they are pictured above.
Mr Everett is the manager of work placement and industry engagement at MWLP, but his background in hospitality means he plays a key role in events such as VETsteddFOOD.
As well as the four chefs cooking up a storm in the kitchen, other local students were also practising their skills at serving the food inside the Julia Reserve Community Centre.
Oran Park High, Elizabeth Macarthur High, St Benedict’s and Camden High were some of the local schools represented at both the culinary side of VETsteddFOOD and the live entertainment which was provided to the guests during the course of the afternoon.
Talking about the food, the South West Voice was seated at a table alongside members of Minto Probus club and the chief executive of MWLP, David Williams, who made a brief speech welcoming everybody to the function.
A quick check around the table after the two courses had been served – and consumed – and it was a unanimous thumbs up.
We were served beef or chicken for the main meal, followed by chocolate muffin or panna cotta for dessert.
We caught up with Mr Everett afterwards, and he looked pleased with the effort from his charges.
“They did everything, from start to finish, from peeling onions to preparing the desserts,’’ he said.
“I think they did a fine job.’’
Nobody who was there could argue with that, and a vigorous applause followed Mr Everett’s speech.
MWLP’s core function is to help local students make the transition from school to work.
Thousands of students are connected to workplaces every year – events such as VETsteddFOOD make the transition that little bit easier.
