Television cookery shows are more than just a feast for the eyes. The rise of the celebrity chef, and programs showcasing cooking skills, are inspiring people to pursue careers in the kitchen.
The number of students enrolled in patisserie, cake decorating and chocolate and confectionery courses at TAFE NSW increased by almost 260 per cent from 2006 to 2010, while enrolments in commercial cookery courses grew by 9.6 per cent. Board of Studies NSW figures show a 16 per cent rise in the number of HSC students taking food technology between 2005 and 2010.
International students might account for some of the TAFE increases but Louise O'Sullivan, from the Western Sydney Institute of TAFE, said the popularity of shows such as MasterChef Australia had positively influenced the public's attitude to food.
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''People want to learn skills,'' Ms O'Sullivan, the head teacher of tourism, hospitality and events at The Hills College, said. ''MasterChef and [other] cookery shows have allowed them to become more adventurous, to experiment more and not to be afraid of cooking.''
She credited the patissier Adriano Zumbo, whose macarons and croquembouche enchanted those with a sweet tooth on MasterChef, with putting ''pastries and cakes back on the menu''. And she said the age of MasterChef winners - who have been in their 30s - encouraged more mature students to become apprentices.
Cheryl Sing, 53, began a Certificate III in commercial cookery after auditioning for last year's MasterChef series.
The mother-of-one, who ran a public relations firm, is studying at Baulkham Hills TAFE and doing work experience at the two-hatted restaurant Tetsuya's to qualify as a chef.
Ms Sing's passion for food was given a ''kick along'' by MasterChef. She said the program ''opens people's eyes to the level of skill and ability you need to cook well. If that then pushes people on to do cooking classes or … TAFE courses, that's wonderful.''
For some would-be chefs, however, their enthusiasm was just a flash in the pan.
Debbie Gunn, the assistant director of tourism and hospitality at TAFE NSW Sydney Institute, said MasterChef initially inspired more interest among potential students but screening revealed many were unsuited to be chefs.
''A lot of people want to become chefs and celebrities overnight but don't really want to face the three years of hard study to become a qualified chef,'' she said. ''People see it as very glamorous. It's a very rewarding career but it's also very challenging.''
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