Students at Le Cordon Bleu Melbourne recently demonstrated their creativity, technical expertise, and innovation during the Provolone Valpadana PDO Cooking Competition, an industry-focused challenge exploring one of Italy's most celebrated cheeses.
The competition encouraged students to research, understand, and showcase Provolone Valpadana PDO, a distinctive semi-hard Italian cheese renowned for its unique flavour profiles, traditional craftsmanship, and versatility in both savoury and sweet applications. By working with a single hero ingredient, students were challenged to think creatively, adapt their culinary techniques, and develop original recipes that highlighted the cheese's unique characteristics.
The competition provided students a valuable real-world learning experience that went beyond the classroom. students learnt how to research unfamiliar products, understand their cultural significance, and apply their knowledge to create innovative, restaurant-quality dishes and desserts. Which in turn helps prepare them for the evolving demands of the hospitality industry post studies.
The competition featured two categories, Cuisine and Patisserie, with students encouraged to demonstrate not only their technical abilities but also their understanding of flavour balance, originality, presentation, and effective use of Provolone Valpadana PDO. Entries were assessed by an expert judging panel comprising Chef Luca Ciano, President of Provolone Valpadana in Italy, television chef and cookbook author, alongside Chef Mariano Velazquez, Education Manager at Holmesglen and lecturer with Le Cordon Bleu Australia.
The high calibre of entries highlighted the depth of talent within the student community and demonstrated how practical competitions can encourage students to push creative boundaries while refining professional skills.
First prize was awarded to Jonathan Brandon and his creation ‘Velato’ a contemporary cheese course built around two expressions of Provolone Valpadana. A Certificate III in Patisserie student, Jonathan saw the competition as an opportunity to expand his creative thinking and further develop his patisserie skills. Jonathan reflects that the competition enabled him to
push myself outside of what I am most familiar with and use Provolone Valpadana in a way that I’ve not done before.
Second prize went to ‘French Onion Soup’ by Shreyas Basrur, who saw the competition as a way to “challenge myself creatively and further develop my approach to food as a culinary student”. Shreyas, who is also a Certificate III in Patisserie student, found the competition was also a way to
begin with one hero ingredient and build an entire dish around its qualities – flavour, texture and versatility.
While third prize was awarded to Advanced Diploma of Hospitality Management (Patisserie) student Marjorie Orlean Widya and her creation ‘Provolone Valpadana Mousse with Rum-Caramelised Apple and Picante Sablé’.
Competitions such as the Provolone Valpadana PDO Cooking Competition reflect Le Cordon Bleu's commitment to developing industry-ready graduates who can confidently work with diverse ingredients, embrace innovation, and draw inspiration from global food traditions. By challenging students to learn about unfamiliar products and apply both technical knowledge and creative thinking, these experiences help foster the adaptability and professionalism sought by employers across the hospitality sector.
As the hospitality industry continues to evolve, experiences such as this provide students with invaluable opportunities to develop their creativity, refine their skills, and discover new ways to bring exceptional ingredients to life.
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