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Melbourne Food & Wine Festival 2004 Young Writer Competition

Young Gourmet would like to announce the Winners and Finalists in our competition. Congratulations to Martin & Gen and to all the entrants for their wonderful stories. We were so impressed we have also listed some ‘special mentions’ and ‘quotable quotes’. Well done to everyone!

The task was to write a short story of between 500-750 words about “the best meal I ever had”. It could have been written as yourself, pretending you were someone else, or even something else. The food in the story could have been from now, the future or the past and the setting could have been real or unreal. Importantly we asked entrants to use their own experiences and imagination.

Year 7/8 Winners, School (and Storyline)
Martin Gray, Brighton Grammar School Brighton (An Orange tale)
Noor Kennedy, Melbourne Girls Grammar Sth Yarra (Fat memories)
Anna Turner, The Peninsula School Mount Eliza (First fish and chips)

Year 9/10 Winners, School (and Storyline)
Genevieve Calder, Melbourne Girls Grammar Sth Yarra (Mother’s last birthday)
Eleni Degrenis, Williamstown High School (Worldwide search for best meal)
Lara Strom, Sacred Heart College Geelong (Dad’s school lunches)

Year 7/8 Finalists, School (and Storyline)
Emil Eddiehausen, Haileybury College Brighton (Home-made bacon & eggs)
Breanne Gratton, Sacred Heart College Geelong (My sister can’t cook)
Mia Gross, Mt Scopus Memorial College Nth Balwyn (The Golden Touch gets reviewed)
Alissa Lever, Hillcrest Christian College North Clyde (Clumsy Sarah gets her man)
Stephanie Rea, Melbourne Girls Grammar Sth Yarra (Only a fly would love to eat it)
Caitlyn Staples, Wesley College Glen Waverley (Chickens who eat humans)
Kay Whitehead, Methodist Ladies College Kew (Lemon Delicious)

Year 9/10 Finalists, School (and Storyline)
Jo Annetta, Our Lady of Sion College Box Hill (Christmas in France)
Lauren Di Guilmi, Our Lady of Sion College Box Hill (Sammi’s WOOF)
Lawrence Frawley, Camberwell Grammar (Dying for Fugu)
Peter Hare, Camberwell Grammar (Dare to eat a rat)
Alana Herz, Leibler Yavneh College Elsternwick (A starving girl dreams)
Marcus McNamara, Camberwell Grammar (Fine dining in the year 2265)
Eddie Nagul, Carey Baptist Grammar Kew (Adrinas of Culinaria)
(All these stories will be on our website when we have permission to publish.)

Special Mentions
Melanie Bradbury, Galvin Park Secondary College, It was the best meal I ever had because it was with my family.’
Charlie Butcher, Carrum Downs Secondary College, ‘All of a sudden Harry yelled “food fight”.’
Amelia Clifford, Melbourne Girls Grammar, “Donald, the possum’s getting into your fruit salad”.
Kelila Freedman, Mt Scopus Memorial College, ‘I ate appreciatively, despite Cantankerous’ disturbing eating habits.’
Chloe Georgiou, Wodonga High School, ‘I was hooked. I ate and ate and ate, stopping every now and then to compliment my mother’s cooking.’
Tim Hamilton, The Peninsula School, ‘Henry held the chop in its bag and treated it like gold.’
Phillipa Hyatt, Geelong College, ‘I would go down in history as the girl who died of hunger in a day.’
Branden Jones, Hillcrest Christian College, ‘My mum offered me $50 if I got out of the car and was nice all through dinner.’
Megan O’Leary, Sacred Heart College, ‘I couldn’t break it to her that, well, her meals were worse than dog food.’
Zachary McSweeney, Macedon Grammar, ‘Dad always says if you really hungry; think of your worst fear.’
Katherine Pitt, Melbourne Girls Grammar, ‘…for me to love a dish, a special moment has to accompany it.’
Phoebe Roth, Mt Scopus Memorial College, ‘I don’t want to kill other animals, they‘re my friends. I want to be a vegetarian.’
Matthew Suen, Camberwell Grammar, ‘Joyce only laughed as she saw her dinner scream in fright.’
Dana Swieca, Mt Scopus Memorial College, ‘Sometimes, just before I fall asleep, I remember why I’m here.’
Duncan Wallace, Haileybury College, ‘I took a deep breath and asked him what it was. “Sea Urchin, Duncan”…’

Quotable Quotes
William Bajraszewski, Penleigh & Essendon Grammar, ‘I jumped on one of the floating pieces of onion and sailed on it like a boat.’
Jeremy Beckett, The Peninsula School, I think this was the best meal… Mum and Dad put so much love into it.’
Amy Cameron, Hillcrest Christian College, ‘It melted in my mouth like chocolate in a sauna.’
Lachlan Heron, The Peninsula School, ‘…you don’t need exquisite food and eloquent dishes to make a mind blowing meal.’
Amelia Hughes, Melbourne Girls Grammar, ‘The atmosphere that wet underwear can create is depressing.’
Sam Laidlaw, Little Yarra Steiner School, ‘It might have been the excitement of Christmas, or it might have been the gravy….’
Brook Marshall, Mowbray College, ‘Mum went straight to the phone and called the hospital… “My son has turned into a chicken”.’
Geoffrey Newnham, Hillcrest Christian College, ‘…there was a party in my mouth and everyone was invited.’
Joshua Petrie, Galvin Park Secondary College ‘The hamburger was so nice I could even have tomato on it and still eat it.’
Jack Reed, Camberwell Grammar ‘I took a piece and marvelled at its glory, then stuffed it into my mouth.’
Trent Reeve, Emerald Secondary College, ‘What a meal, what a mighty fine meal.’
Ayesha Sheikh, St Aloysius College, ‘I reach for my very own chocolate cream cake, as tall as the room and the finest I have ever tasted.’
Maritza Sibanda, St Aloysius College, ‘I knew that meal was the key to the rest of my life.’
Daniel Spivak, Mt Scopus Memorial College, ‘Now how to I grow those pancakes?’
Sarah Trebilcock, Victory Christian College, ‘Seventh course was disgustingly delicious. I sank my fangs into an army of insects.’
Nathan Treloar, Victory Christian College, ‘I rolled my eyes. That’s my sister. A health freak worried about getting fat. Even when she’s starving to death.’

The Judges..... we thank
Genevieve Brammall (Journalist, Herald Sun Major Events Editor)
Allan Campion & Michelle Curtis (Food Writers, Guides and Authors)
Roberta Muir (Master of Gastronomy, Manager, Sydney Seafood School)
John Newton (Food Writer, Contributor SMH Good Living)
Kay Richardson (Master of Gastronomy, Founder Young Gourmet)
Joanna Savill (Journalist, Food Writer, SBS Food&WineLoversGuide)
Tim White (Proprietor, Books for Cooks)