Amanda Polsen (aged 24), an apprentice chef at the Hyatt Hotel Canberra, and Georgia Harrison (aged 22), an apprentice chef at the National Press Club, have been crowned the National winners of the 2015 Nestlé GOLDEN CHEF’S HAT AWARD

Team ACT battled it out in the kitchen against the country’s eight best junior chef teams and delivered some impressive dishes, proving to be in a league of their own with two silver medals – and in a competition first – a gold with distinction medal winning dessert, earning them a once in a lifetime food safari experience to South Africa.

The dynamic duo’s winning dessert course was a glazed dark chocolate ball filled with caramel and port lava mousse, pistachio semifreddo, raspberry popping pearls, saffron macaroons filled with French vanilla mousse, pistachio crumble and port wine gel.

Celebrating 50 years in 2015, Australia’s longest running culinary competition for young chefs saw the finalist chefs step up to the plate in a new format at Fine Food Australia, where they cooked-off live in front of show attendees in purpose built kitchens.

On competing in Australia’s longest running culinary competition for young chefs National Winner Georgia said, “It was great to connect with other chefs and we’re absolutely thrilled to have won. To cook live in front of the public was really challenging, but an amazing experience.”

National final chefs are required to create a three-course meal in four hours that is judged by a panel including internationally recognised World Association of Chef’s Societies (WACS), Nestlé chefs and members of the Australian Culinary Federation.

Australian Culinary Federation Competition Director, Deb Foreman said this year’s final was one of the best the competition had seen, “From an unprecedented number of entrants to the highest awarded medal ever, this year’s competition has set a new benchmark.”

Follow the winners’ South African food safari at facebook.com/goldenchefs