FIRST class local dishes and a whole lot of fun were had at the Cornerstone Conveyancing Celebrity Chef Degustation Dinner with Manu Feildel on Wednesday 30 March raising over $15,000 for the Can Do Cancer Trust.

After the event was postponed in 2021 due to Covid 19 restrictions nothing (even torrential rainfall all day) was going to dampen the spirits of the 180 guests who attended the event at the Coffs Harbour Racing Club.

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Guests enjoyed a five course degustation menu centred around local produce and tipples from some of our regional brewers and distillers including King Tide Brewery, Woopi Brewing and Emerald Island Distillery.

The event was also a high spot in the budding careers of the next generation of chefs here on the Coffs Coast.

A team of young TAFE NSW students from the Coffs Campus were treated to a hands-on experience with Manu.

Manu spent time in the kitchen with the apprentices, a memorable experience for them and gaining invaluable experience from the event.

First-year apprentice chef at Raleigh Winery, seventeen-year-old Hayley Rees, jumped at the chance to volunteer at the event and said seeing the kitchen in action catering for 180 people was eye-opening.

“I helped prep for service the day before and was on hand to help plate on the night.

“I’d never worked with such a large team before, and the experience has helped take my skills to the next level,” Hayley told News Of The Area.

“It was incredible to see first-hand Manu’s refined techniques.

“He took the time to explain his processes as he worked and answered questions from the apprentices.

“It’s been the best start to my apprenticeship and training at TAFE NSW and something I didn’t even think was possible.

“It’s definitely an experience I’ll never forget.”

While Manu not only supported the apprentice chefs behind the scenes creating the amazing dishes that were enjoyed, he also had the crowd enthralled with stories of his own early days in the industry and how things have changed.

He shared some personal tips and recipes that can upscale a meal into a feast.

Manu noted the fantastic team of chefs he had worked with throughout the night, great produce and a brilliant dinner for the guests.

All money raised from the event goes directly to supporting the patients of the North Coast Cancer Institute and their families, ensuring money raised directly supports local patients.

By Andrea FERRARI