Cooked to perfection

By Bridget Cook
CHEF of The Grayn Restaurant in Pakenham, Raymond Garrad, is one of the three finalists chosen to cook it out to become the winner of the Gippsland Signature Dish Competition for 2009.
Mr Garrad will vie for top spot live onstage, at 2.30pm on Sunday 1 March, at Jindi Cheese Harvest of Gippsland at Lardner Park, Warragul.
He will prepare his recipe alongside Trevor Perkins from Maryvale Private Hospital in Morwell, and Lewis Prince from Neilsons in Traralgon, all in the hope of making the 2009 title and $2000 worth of prizes their own.
Cardinia Shire Mayor Bill Pearson congratulated Mr Garrad on his success in reaching the final.
‘It is fantastic to see a Cardinia Shire entrant making it to the final and we wish him well for the cook off,” Cr Pearson said.
Mr Garrad has entered the competition for the last four years since he has been chef at The Grayn Restaurant. This year is the first time he has made it as a finalist.
Restaurant owner and Raymond’s mother-in-law, Glad Fish said that they were all ecstatic that he had made the final this year.
“I believe he is an excellent chef and has worked so hard in the family business.
“He really deserves this little bit of recognition from the public,” she said.
Mr Garrad is hoping that his clever combination of Gracefield venison, marinated with Sunny Creek organic berries, presented on a rosti of Mirboo North Sebago potatoes, Kooweerup asparagus, served with Sunny Creek berry jus and oven roasted truss cherry tomatoes, will be enough to win over the judges.