TAFE Gippsland culinary student Jess Fraser is cooking up an exciting 2026, preparing to head to the United Kingdom as part of the Victorian Young Chefs team attending the Worldchefs Congress & Expo in Wales next May.
Currently a first-year apprentice chef, Jess is already juggling a full plate, working at Store Sixty-One in Traralgon, studying at TAFE Gippsland and collaborating with her Victorian Young Chefs teammates to raise funds to support their international journey.
For Jess, hospitality is a true family affair.
“I’ve grown up around the industry and have been lucky enough to have Kellie [Smith] as not only my mum but my TAFE teacher and mentor through my apprenticeship,” Jess said.
“My love for cooking and competition go hand in hand, and I’m so grateful for Kellie’s guidance – she really pushed me to go above and beyond.”
The Victorian Young Chefs will host a fundraising dinner in March 2026, with Jess and her teammates working hard behind the scenes to curate the menu, organise additional fundraising activities, and secure auction items.
“We are an incredibly passionate and talented group of young chefs,” Jess said.
“It’s been awesome to work with like-minded people from all over Victoria to produce great results.”
Jess also credits TAFE Gippsland with helping propel her forward.
“I’m so grateful for everything TAFE Gippsland has done to support us – allowing us to use their incredible facilities to host fundraisers and giving me space to hone my skills and perfect my competition dishes.”
Jess’s journey comes off the back of a standout year on the competition circuit. She qualified for the Victorian AUS-TAFE Culinary Competition at state level, winning First-Year Apprentice of the Year, before going on to represent Victoria at the National Apprentice Competition in Sydney, where she claimed a silver medal.
Despite her achievements, Jess is hungry for more.
“Our industry is forever growing, so I’m excited to expand my knowledge and bring it back to Australia, especially to Gippsland, to help inspire the next level of cooking in our local community,” she said.
“I’m most looking forward to meeting chefs from around the globe, sharing ideas, learning new techniques and gaining insights you can only get on an international stage.”
Get on board to support Jess and her team by attending the upcoming fundraising dinner at TAFE Gippsland’s Waratah Training Restaurant.
Event details - Victorian Young Chefs Fundraising Dinner
Date: Monday 23 March 2026
Time: 6.00pm –10.00pm
Location: Waratah Training Restaurant, Morwell campus
Cost: $120 for a five-course menu
Buy tickets: https://events.humanitix.com/copy-of-victorian-young-chefs-fundraising-dinner-tafe-gippsland-waratah-restaurant
L-R: Jesse Payne, Kellie Smith (trainer) and Jessica Fraser at the AUS TAFE State Finals.