Sweet success for students at Victorian Patisserie Trainee Challenge
Two Melbourne Polytechnic patisserie students have claimed top prize at the 2026 Victorian TAFE Patisserie Trainee Challenge on Friday 10 July, taking out the Gold Overall prize and the prestigious Golden Whisk award.
Certificate III in Patisserie graduates Tomo Nakayama and Kevin Agopian competed against trainees from leading education providers across the state including William Angliss Institute, Le Cordon Bleu, Holmesglen Institute, Victoria University and ANIBT.
The annual challenge gives Victoria's emerging pastry chefs the opportunity to test their skills against their peers and demonstrate the high quality of vocational training being delivered across the industry.
In a test of their technical expertise, creativity and professionalism, participants were required to produce two gateaux, two tarts and 12 éclairs. They were judged on a range of criteria including preparation, presentation, culinary technique, time management, organisation and food safety.
Tomo and Kevin trained intensively for six weeks in the lead up to the event, impressing the judges with their skill and craftsmanship to earn Melbourne Polytechnic the competition's highest honour in a highly contested field.
Congratulations to Tomo and Kevin on this well-deserved recognition, and a special thank you to educator Maria Goncalves, whose guidance and dedication helped prepare them for success.
Find out more about our Certificate III in Patisserie SIT31021.