Date: 9 November 2024
Location: University of Wollongong, Shah Alam
Chefs and Judges: Chef mentors and industry leaders
Prizes: Awards for creativity, taste, and social media impact
The first-ever Lambassador Challenge 2024 brought together six top culinary schools for an exciting showdown, held on 9th November 2024 at the University of Wollongong, Glenmarie Shah Alam. This unique competition showcased the versatility of Australian lamb as students crafted innovative, festive dishes inspired by Ramadan and Hari Raya traditions.
The challenge, hosted by Meat & Livestock Australia (MLA), tasked teams with creating dishes that combine modern cooking techniques with the rich, traditional flavors of these religious celebrations. Competing students were guided by Lambassador chefs, learning advanced cooking methods, planning, and strategy to enhance their culinary creations.
Each team faced the thrilling task of using only 12 ingredients to develop a family platter centered on Australian lamb, accompanied by sides like Australian beef, rice, noodles, and vegetables. Their dishes were judged on creativity, taste, practicality, and presentation, with an additional emphasis on social media engagement. Teams were encouraged to showcase their recipes online to drive awareness and sales of Aussie lamb and beef during the festive season.
“We are thrilled to host this event, which not only highlights the exceptional quality of Australian lamb and beef but also fosters creativity and innovation among the next generation of chefs,” said Valeska, Regional Manager, Southeast Asia, MLA.
The event also included masterclasses in butchery and cooking, giving participants the chance to work with premium Australian cuts under the guidance of an Australian Master Butcher from the Aussie Meat Academy.
Stay tuned for exciting social media content from the competition, as the teams compete not only for the Lambassador Champion title but also for cash prizes based on public engagement.