Nerves… Acceptance… Jubilation
Tapanga Rum Trio Treats Dessert Competition
“I’m filled with pride as I report on another accolade gleaned by the students. The latest of these was Annie Morrick and Tahila Pillay taking top honours in the Tapanga Rum Trio Treats Dessert competition.”
Annie and Tahila’s winning dish was a pineapple Victoria sponge, with a strawberry and rum sphere, white rum Chantilly cream and dehydrated strawberries; strawberry ravioli and white chocolate rum mousse roll with a meringue chard and pineapple; and pineapple cheesecake with candied pineapple, a pineapple and strawberry gels.
“The first thing I remember, when walking into the venue, was looking at students from the other competing schools and having a mini freak out,” recalls Tahila. “Being our first competition, we had no idea what to expect, or who we were up against. We knew that we had done everything to the brief but, somehow, seeing another dessert threw me completely.”
Both students agreed that the training undergone here at Jackie Cameron School of Food & Wine, and the guidance received, helped them through the nerve-wracking stretch.
“And then it was time for the results,” said Annie. “Third place… second place… thinking we’d not been placed, I reassured Tahila that it had been a worthwhile experience – we’d had fun. Imagine our joy when our names were read out as the winners of the competition”
I gave the students the option to compete in this competition. We were preparing for our participation in the 2019 Eat Out Mercedes-Benz Restaurant Awards, so it was a busy time, but they took the challenge to heart – and put their hearts on the plate.
Annie and Tahila agreed that their nerves were at a high in this, their first competition – but now that they’ve had a taste of what to expect, it won’t be their last.
Annie Morrick and Tahila Pillay