Melbourne Polytechnic is proud to announce that Rica Belardo has been awarded the Outstanding Food, Fibre and Animal Industries Student of the Year 2025 for her exceptional performance in the Diploma of Hospitality Management SIT50422. Rica's journey from the Philippines to Melbourne is a story of ambition and cultural exchange, resulting in education excellence and a strong sense of community belonging.
Rica arrived in Australia in February 2023 with an impressive culinary background spanning over five years as a chef in Singapore. Her decision to study at Melbourne Polytechnic stemmed from her desire to expand her culinary expertise beyond Asian cuisine and learn from chefs representing diverse international backgrounds.
"I wanted to learn different cuisines because I normally did Vietnamese and mostly Asian cuisine back home and in Singapore," Rica explains. "Melbourne Polytechnic has chefs from different countries, so I opted to open myself to different cultures as well."
Rica's award recognition reflects her exceptional commitment to vocational excellence and peer support. She was the most experienced student in her class and naturally assumed a leadership role supporting her younger classmates.
Her teacher Liz, who nominated Rica for the award, recognised her patience and dedication in guiding fellow Diploma of Hospitality Management SIT50422 students through challenging coursework. Rica consistently delivered beyond expectations, designing menus and coordinating events with meticulous planning and attention to detail.
The Diploma of Hospitality Management SIT50422 provided Rica with unique learning experiences that connected food with Australian culture. One highlight was participating in events celebrating First Nations culture, where students prepared traditional foods including kangaroo burgers. While Rica admits she prefers kangaroos "alive, not as food," the experience deepened her appreciation for Aboriginal culture and traditional cooking methods.
Working with Irish and Australian chefs presented initial challenges with accents and work pace, but Rica adapted quickly to the fast-paced Western kitchen environment. "Everyone is like work, work, work, you cannot stop," she explained. "I realised it's actually a good thing because you get to push yourself to do better."
Beyond her TAFE achievements, Rica demonstrates strong community commitment through volunteer work with food programs for homeless and disadvantaged people. Initially hesitant due to having limited experience working with disadvantaged communities, Rica now actively participates in weekend food distribution, applying her knowledge of food safety standards even in community service settings.
Rica currently works at Carlos Cantina, a Mexican restaurant in Blackburn, where she applies knowledge gained in the Diploma of Hospitality Management SIT50422 while mentoring younger colleagues. Her workplace experience reinforces her classroom learning about Australian food safety regulations and industry standards.
Rica is now continuing her education journey by studying for a Bachelor of Hospitality Management at Melbourne Polytechnic, building on her Diploma of Hospitality Management SIT50422 qualification. Her ultimate goal remains opening her own restaurant, inspired by her belief in food's power to bring people together.
Drawing inspiration from the animated film Ratatouille, Rica shares Chef Remy's sentiment: "I wanted to feed the world." This passion drives her toward early retirement plans with her husband, creating financial stability to eventually start a family while pursuing entrepreneurial dreams.
Rica’s achievements in hospitality reflect her passion, leadership and dedication to cultural connection through food. Her award recognises not just her vocational training excellence, but also her contributions to the community and ability to bring people together through shared culinary experiences. Congratulations, Rica!
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