William Angliss

Robert Carrier the renowned culinary writer in one of his books remarked that

“Australia, is the new culinary place to be”

I would add, one should be ever mindful that the starting place for such an accolade was in

The Mother of all Australian Hospitality Catering Colleges. THE ANGLISS.This of course had not always been a fact. William Janszoon [1606], Abel Tasman [1616], Dirk Hartog [1642] ,Jean-François de Galoup ,Comte de La Pérouse in the mid 1700’s all had discovered Australia , however, the real discovery for my way of thinking with some bias was around 1770.

Some 250 years ago along came a COOK and Australian Cuisine commenced a long evolving journey.

There has been input from the Aboriginals as we now recognise as bush tucker ,a further input from the very intrusive settlers ,along with an enormous help from the diverse sometimes welcomed sometimes not so welcomed settlers of the gold rush era and those who arrived prior to and between the two great wars.After the 1939-45 conflict further evolvement was reached followed on with the advent of the 1956 and 2000 Olympics , the influence of the infusion of the Pacific rim cuisines , the influx of overseas trained cooks ,all having a deciding and building effect on the cuisine as we know it today.I think it is fair to state that cuisine in Melbourne, with all its adjuncts has in the latter part of the 20thcentury and now in the 21STcentury really come of age. It has arrived so to speak.Thereby bringing the catering and hospitality industry to the table ,a shared enjoyment ,an ensuring social discourse whether it be in a Bakery, Pastry Shop, Butcher Shop, A Restaurant ,A Bar ,The Reception ,or Accommodation Tourism sectors.

Brought about by the enormous injection of knowledge flowing from the dream/vision/mission of William Angliss and this Institute from day one in 1939.

One could expect that the requirements of the international visitors and the dinning out public will ensure a further building upon the reputation for multi-national cuisines.

Returning now to some of my opening remarks .Along the way over those last 200 years or so there has been some special moments that I would like to recall and share with you.Cook who adhered to cleanliness on his ships, good diet for his crews and proper rest had set down some principles that all within the hospitality-catering industries should follow. That good diet I do not think included sandwiches except maybe in bad weather so it was rather ironic that when it was time for him to go to the big white hotel in the sky it was via the Sandwich Islands. Better known in this age as Hawaii. Jean François Galoup [ La Pérouse ]also visit the sandwich islands but he did not suffer the same fate as Cook.

Moving to the late 1800’s along came The Chef of Kings and the King of Chefs-Auguste Escoffier. That is an interesting name for a French dictionary will give the meaning as murderer. Maybe the reporter with the by line of Batman when writing of the retirement of Colonel J Kerr from the army prior to becoming Principal of the William Angliss College knew the meaning of such a thinking when he set the headline of the article in the Bulletin of May 1963:

“The Head Poisoner Quits the Army”.Escoffier, who is reputed to have created [not invented] 10.000 recipes, unintentionally was to place Melbourne on the culinary map through the most famous of his entire creations-namely Peach Melba. Luckily he was never to visit MELBA Town for only in Melbourne has this dish been murdered. Along with the equally famous Toast Melba, which really started a culinary journey as Toast Marie, named after the wife of Cesar Ritz the great hotelier.

If Escoffier had come to Melbourne there is every possibility he may have lived out his life around Flemington for his greatest weakness was gambling on slow racehorses. It was one of the reasons why he was involved in litigation with The Savoy Company along with other senior members of the Food and Beverage department.

He may have had a bigger influence on French Cuisine in Melbourne.The name Melbourne has always had an association with food for whilst it is named after Lord Melbourne it is interesting to note his full title included Viscount William Lamb the 2nd. The Armorial bearing of the Corporation of the City Of Melbourne has incorporated in the design a whale, a sheath of wheat, a lamb and a bullock.

I am inclined to believe, with some poetic licence that a young Englishman may, having sighted this flag and who was to have a great interest in lamb and beef, upon arriving here felt that Melbourne was a good place for a village as indicated on the plaque in Flinders Street. In fact a village that was a place to start to build an empire of butcher shopsLater on this empire in the late 30’s the dream / the vision evolved to establish a place of learning for the food trades.From his success, he was able to seek out 555 La Trobe Street and with the help of some friends established this home. The Mother of all catering colleges in Australia.Sir William Angliss had a dream when he established W A F T S [William Angliss Food Trade School] .Today that dream has a worldwide reputation of excellence in hospitality, catering and tourism related education because of the chosen foundation staff, their ongoing colleagues and the graduates since 1939 to today. Thus, he was instrumental in setting in place the first steps for the accolade of “Australia the new culinary place to be”.Concerning the staff there is within industry and the media a forgotten accolade, which is hardly ever mention or acknowledged. Behind all the success stories portrayed, the teachers and mentors do not receive the recognition they richly deserve. Within the trade areas, the teachers are also artisans and have formed the professional and sometimes life and citizenship foundations through guidance, motivation and counselling to their students

Careers nurtured in an early stage by dedication for all under their care so that the student as times goes bye will reach their potential as tradespersons, administrators and citizens.

They will not be history- that is forgotten, but rather they will be part of history.The upward mobile one time student with the strong support of industry can then further fulfil the career commenced at The Angliss bringing credit to themselves, their families and the college. All because they entered the real world of the William Angliss Institute.

I rejoice in the fact that I have been around long enough from 1945 as an apprentice cook-student to see the college on its first steps to excellence, to know every Principal/Director/ CEO and their deputies. Chair of the Council, the foundation staff members and many of the staff of WAFTS, WACCFS, WAC and WAI.In fact, some of my colleagues comment that I have been around for so long and had so many more farewells from the college than Dame Nellie Melba encountered in her career.To see the college grow in stature and status over the years and now in the 21st century with hundred and thousands of colourful [pun intended] Angliss Ambassadors celebrating and the continuance of the dream of William Angliss The Butcher ,William Angliss a Knight of the Realm. In Sir William’s honour especially on all occasions and to perpetuate the dream ,present and ex students ,present and ex teachers, present and ex ancillary staff, present and ex administrators should now make it their mission to seek out within industry and government the leaders and associations to assist the Angliss Institute to continually grow in prestige , for like me there are so many others who must be aware of what The Angliss has done for their careers in the industry and their livelihood both here and aboard.

It is a truism that you will be amazed where an apprenticeship can take you.

Equally it can be said for all graduates of any level of The Angliss.

The 1930’s dream/vision has to be the mission of all in the future.

Presidents :Sir William, Colin Cunneen, Ron Eades, Ron Day, Cliodhna Rae, Lynden Wilkie, Margaret Gosch , Dr Allen.

Principals/Directors. West, Jones, Kerr, Way, French, Weston, Riley and Hunt.

Head of Foods:

Anton Surwald - David Saunders - John Miller - George Hill - Ray Tormay - Michael Miller - Mark Agius