Chef under pressure has winning ingredients

By Ed Merrison
A YOUNG Yarra Valley chef has been part of the winning team in what is considered the most prestigious Victorian competition for apprentice chefs.
Daniel Tokar, a secondyear apprentice at Chateau Yering, was one of the team of four who won the 2005 Daryl Cox Memorial Trophy in Melbourne recently.
In the competition, each team was presented with a mystery box of ingredients to transform into a gourmet meal.
Mr Tokar said he believed the key to his team’s win on 3 September was the way they cooked and presented a veal brisket.
“We didn’t expect such a cut of meat in the mystery box and we were one of only two teams to cook it properly. We slowroasted it,” Mr Tokar said.
Mr Tokar began his apprenticeship at Chateau Yering in 2004 and hopes to qualify in 2007.
Together with head chef Shane Delia and pastry chef Adam Tippins, Mr Tokar forms a trio of past and present Daryl Cox winners on the staff at Chateau Yering.
“The chefs at Chateau Yering are brilliant, especially led by Shane Delia, who’s inspirational in the kitchen and a major contributor to my success,” Mr Tokar said.
Mr Tippins said his 2001 win, in a team headed by Mr Delia, had already helped his career.
“It’s quite a prestigious competition, so it shows you are keen to do competitions and eager to learn. It also pushes you to better your reputation and looks good on your resume,” Mr Tippins said.
The finedining training Mr Tokar is receiving under Mr Delia is setting him on a specialised career path.
“When I qualify I want to travel and work in Italy and Spain. London would also be a terrific experience, especially if I could work with one of the wellknown chefs who have restaurants there,” Mr Tokar said.