Hospitality dinner continues to grow in popularity

More than 100 people were seated at Good Shepherd Catholic College.

By Matt Nicholls

The Good Shepherd Catholic College hospitality students from Years 10, 11 and 12 put on four courses of delight at the school on Friday night.

What started out as an opportunity to build some confidence and capability among hospitality students has turned into one of the most popular events on the Mount Isa calendar.

The Good Shepherd Catholic College’s annual hospitality dinner drew a record 133 attendees on Friday night, putting students from Years 10, 11 and 12 under the pump both in the kitchen and on the floor waiting tables.

“This is the seventh year we’ve done it and I think we had 78 in the first year so it just continues to grow and grow,” said Donna Cole, the teacher and mentor for the school’s hospitality students.

“It was a great night again this year ... every year the highlight for me is watching the kids and what I’ve taught them over the last couple of years and see them put the work into practice.”

Of course, there were hiccups, although nothing too serious.

“We were two seats short on one table and there was a panic in the kitchen when they thought they had run out of gas – it turns out one of the kids had leant on the emergency gas stop button,” Ms Cole said.

Guests, which included parents and family members of the hospitality students, as well as members of the public, were treated to canapés on arrival, followed by a three-course meal.

The mains were served as an alternate drop, with the choice of beef brisket with a red wine jus and green beans, or a baked chicken breast with a creamy mushroom sauce and broccolini.

North West Weekly had the chicken and we think Gordon Ramsay would have approved!

Year 12 student Ally Haddon said on the night she wasn’t sure how it would be received, but enjoyed the experience nonetheless.

“It went OK, I thought we worked well as a team,” she said.

“We perhaps could have been a bit more organised. We kicked back for a bit and then it came at us very quickly.”

Makayla Davies said she enjoyed bossing around the Year 10 students, thankful that she didn’t have to do the dishes.

“I had a lot of fun. I thought the desserts were probably the best thing on the menu. The chocolate mousse was delicious,” she said.