When Lucy Tanner-Norman found herself tempering chocolate in a Sydney patisserie masterclass, it was a dream come true for the Mudgee teen.
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Ms Tanner-Norman, age 17, was the youngest woman in the masterclass - one of many classes held in the Tasting Success Mentorship Program in 2023, in conjunction with TAFE NSW. The program combines two blocks of week-long masterclasses in Sydney with 35 hours of one-to-one mentorship from Australia's top chefs who are women.
Fifteen women were chosen from NSW to participate in the 2023 mentorship program, and it was the first time it had been extended to regional NSW nominees.
Ms Tanner-Norman was flown to Sydney and given hotel accommodation whilst attending the long days of workshops and masterclasses, from chocolate patisserie to fish butchery with Josh Niland and food styling in the Women's Weekly Magazine studio. "It was incredible," Ms Tanner-Norman said.
Ms Tanner-Norman finished school at the age of 15 to commence a hospitality course at Mudgee TAFE. Once her first year apprenticeship ended at the age of 16, Ms Tanner-Norman decided to upskill into a Commercial Cookery Certificate III course.
"I would say that I am a very different person from the one who finished school at 15," Ms Tanner-Norman said.
"I didn't know what I wanted to do, and I didn't have a lot of confidence. Two years later I feel like I have been supported to find my passion. I have been thriving in my current apprenticeship with Andy Crestani at Millbrie and I have grown a lot."
Lindey Milan is the patron and co-founder of the Tasting Success Mentorship program. She created the annual program back in 2007 to address a lack of mentors available for women in the food service industry.
"Pairing the program with TAFE NSW has increased its ability to invest in the industry leaders of tomorrow" Ms Milan describes on her website.
Damien Beard is Ms Tanner-Norman's teacher in Commercial Cookery at Mudgee TAFE, and has been impressed by the program's inclusion of regional women this year.
"The Tasting Success Program provides exciting industry-related experiences for young apprentices who are women, in a traditionally male-dominated industry," he said.
"2023 was the first year of inclusion for western NSW in the Tasting Success program and we can see how valuable and beneficial it is. Ms Tanner-Norman has been an exceptional student and my teaching colleagues and I are very proud of her progress and to have had her selected for this program."
Ms Tanner-Norman wants to encourage other young people to be brave in finding their path.
"Put yourself out there, get into the community more, be involved, ask for help and surround yourself with supportive people," she advises.
"My mum Suava Tanner always believed in me. She never judged me and she is my best friend. My family, my teachers and the Tasting Success program have helped me find my passion and future career, and I'm so grateful for their support."
