The Vinery Restaurant - Our Customers

Mt View High School SASS staff enjoy a night out

Wine Country Careers Open Day

The inaugural Wine Country Careers Open Day held at Hunter Valley Gardens on Sunday 17th September was a great success.

Representatives from both TAFE and various local hospitality establishments were on hand to answer questions, provide information about their business and discuss job opportunities and careers in hospitality.


There was plenty to keep the crowds entertained including presentations, cooking demonstrations, beer and mocktail tastings.





Beer & Mocktail Tastings






A cook-off between Chef Phil Collis and and Apprentice Chef Nathan Picton saw the crowd vote in favour of the Apprentices dish. The official taste testers from the crowd not only got to taste the delighful dishes on the day but also won dinner vouchers at some of the Valley's finest Restaurants.

Local Apprentice Chef and former Cessnock TAFE student Sarah Manderson presented one of the cooking demonstrations preparing a warm salad of prawns, mango & snow pea sprouts (pictured below).

Sarah Manderson

Goat cheese soufflé






Warm salad of prawns, mango and snow pea sproutsSarah Manderson







Rack of lamb with a mint ratatouille and rosemary jus
Sarah Manderson






Muscovado sugared pana cotta with mango







Chocolate pudding with liquid centre with vanilla bean crème







Beef carpaccio stack

Ben Knox

Caramelised scallops with laksa dressing







Spiced crusted quail with cucumber noodles and Asian herb dressing







Lemon tart with coconut sorbet

Michael Bright

Seared kangaroo loin with beetroot and braised leek










Lemon mousse with thyme syrup

Scott Crosdale

Bitter chocolate tart with Kahlua sabayon







Spaghetti with chicory






Braised beef fillet with wild mushrooms and pancetta

Matthew Kennedy

Braised lamb shanks with a sweet potato mash and a selection of vegetables.






Gnocchi piemontaise with a sage beurre blanc






Seared chicken breast with a prawn and marinated fetta farce on a polenta wedge and a wine butter sauce.

Matthew Kennedy

Kimberly Burgess

Prawn and polenta muffin with a dill aioli
and
Harissa spiced midloin of lamb with a pumpkin and chickpea salad and yoghurt dressing.