CHIDLOW apprentice Alexis Mifsud has been awarded the WA hospitality second year apprentice of the year and overall apprentice in a back-to-back win following last year’s result.

The Australian Culinary Federation presented the awards in recognition of excellence in competition with a range of criteria competitors were scored on.

Michelin star Standard Gauge chef and mentor Alan Wise said Ms Mifsud’s success was testament to her dedication to the culinary craft.

“Lexi has been with me at the Standard Gauge pretty much from the start,” he said.

“She would come in Thursday nights after school when she was at Eastern Hills Senior High, then after completing Year 10, she said she wanted to be a chef so she started an apprenticeship here.

“While the awards and trophies are amazing, it’s really just a testament to the work she puts in every day.

“From a personal perspective when in these competitions her techniques, skills and hygiene are under the microscope, (so) it’s great to know I’m training Lexi the correct way.

“She’ll be off to Sydney next month, and then again to Vietnam next year to represent WA.”

Ms Mifsud said she was looking ahead to the upcoming competitions and would see where her results took her but the jet setting had been a big change.

“I’ve been doing a lot more (travelling) in the past year than I thought I would be doing,” she said.

“I’m taking part in a competition in Sydney in September, and Ho Chi Minh City in March of 2026 – from there, I’ll see where it takes me.”

Ms Mifsud said her win at this year’s competition was a mix of confidence and on-the-spot problem solving.

“This year’s competition was less challenging than last year, because there were less competitors,” she said.

“I knew what I was in for regarding the competition and the components to the dishes were easier to execute this year.

“I knew I could pull it off, but a lot went wrong. I had to think quick, adapt and fix it on the spot.”

According to the Australian national apprentice competition criteria, Ms Mifsud was required to prepare, cook and display two servings of one entrée and two servings of one hot main course.

Competitors were given a total of three hours to set up, prepare, cook and clean up.

Ms Mifsud said it was an honour to win once more and felt it was humorous that she had to hand in her mortar and pestle trophy only to win it back later the same day.

Ms Mifsud won the hospitality apprentice of the year after training under Michelin starred chef Alan Wise for just over seven months as reported in Apprentice of the year for Standard Gauge restaurant.

“My favourite aspect of my apprenticeship is learning something new every day and being able to expand my knowledge and get better at cooking every day,” she said at the time.