Bunbury apprentice chef Stewart George-Kennedy shows there is more to tuna

Taking a different approach to preparing a staple seafood option allowed Stewart George-Kennedy to make it all the way to the finals of the WA Seafood Apprentice of the Year Award.

The Bayview Bar and Restaurant second-year apprentice chef prepared a sesame seed crusted tuna with soba noodles to be named one of eight finalists.

He said tuna was well known without being commonly used.

“I figured I’d try out something different and see how it goes,” he said.

“I think it caught the judges’ imaginations because it might not have been something they were used to.”

He said he was excited to receive more recognition for what he was doing in the kitchen.

“It’s always good to get your name out there,” he said.

Bayview Bar operations manager Jessica Hooper said they put Mr George-Kennedy under a bit of pressure because they entered the competition late, but he had responded well.

“We only had two days to prepare but he came up with an amazing dish,” she said.

“I hadn’t actually had tuna in a fillet before – as Stewart said it’s well known but it’s not something you see on restaurant menus a lot.”

The dish will be offered as a chef’s special until the end of the month.

“We are very proud of Stewart,” Ms Cooper said.

“The whole kitchen team has got behind him and when he’s not here the other chefs are now cooking the dish as well.”