Sacred Heart College was thrilled to host the 2025 Junior Chef Competition, welcoming enthusiastic primary school teams into our kitchens for a day of creativity, teamwork, and culinary fun.
The competition was incredibly close, with students impressing our judges through their organisation, collaboration, and passion for cooking. Dishes were praised for their flavour, texture, and vibrant presentation — a true showcase of skills beyond primary school expectations.
Congratulations to the winning team from St Brigid’s, who claimed the 2025 Junior Chef title!
We also extend our thanks to all participating schools, students, and staff. Every team should feel proud of their achievements, and we hope this experience becomes a highlight of their school years.
The Junior Chef Competition reflects our commitment to providing fun yet challenging opportunities for students, while also giving our hospitality students the chance to mentor and support younger learners.
We were delighted to welcome our incredible Guest Judges, who generously gave their time to support and inspire our Junior Chefs. It was an honour to have them at the event, and we were truly grateful for the expertise, encouragement, and passion they brought, helping to make the day both memorable and inspiring for all participants.
Henry - A former Sacred Heart student, Henry is a recently qualified chef working at Fook Shing, Henry has learned from some amazing chefs and loves sharing his passion for food.
Morgan – A Sacred Heart graduate, Morgan specialises in desserts and pastries, currently leading the cake and dessert section at Fed Foodstore and Catering, with experience gained while completing her Certificate III in Commercial Hospitality and Cookery.
Josh Murray – Founder of Josh's Rainbow Eggs, Josh is passionate about sustainable farming and ethical food production, providing free-range eggs of the highest welfare standards across Victoria.
We can’t wait to welcome schools back for Junior Chef 2026!
Darren was appointed Principal of Sacred Heart College in January 2019. Darren has had almost 30 years experience in teaching and leadership across a number of Victorian Catholic secondary schools. These include eight years as Principal of Mercy Regional College, Camperdown; nine years as Deputy Principal and Director of Mission at Mount Lilydale Mercy College; seven years as a Chemistry, Religious Education and Science teacher as well as REC at Sacred Heart College, Geelong.
Darren has been committed to a lifetime of study and professional development. After completing his initial degree of Bachelor of Science and Graduate Diploma of Education at the University of Melbourne, he continued his study by completing a Graduate Diploma of Religious Education, a Masters of Religious Education and a Doctor of Education, all at Australian Catholic University. In 2018, Darren participated in the Enhancing Catholic School Identity programme in Leuven, Belgium.
Darren has a deep and passionate affiliation with the Mercy tradition and charism and believes that Mercy schools must be “…committed to holistic education; determined to ensure that each student flourishes academically, spiritually, emotionally, socially and physically”.
The purpose of the Catholic school is to provide “… an authentic Christian education, where students are called to embrace the essence of the Gospels, to flourish as whole human persons” and “… to provide exemplary learning experiences for the students who attend”.
Darren was appointed Principal of Sacred Heart College in January 2019. Darren has had almost 30 years experience in teaching and leadership across a number of Victorian Catholic secondary schools. These include eight years as Principal of Mercy Regional College, Camperdown; nine years as Deputy Principal and Director of Mission at Mount Lilydale Mercy College; seven years as a Chemistry, Religious Education and Science teacher as well as REC at Sacred Heart College, Geelong.
Darren has been committed to a lifetime of study and professional development. After completing his initial degree of Bachelor of Science and Graduate Diploma of Education at the University of Melbourne, he continued his study by completing a Graduate Diploma of Religious Education, a Masters of Religious Education and a Doctor of Education, all at Australian Catholic University. In 2018, Darren participated in the Enhancing Catholic School Identity programme in Leuven, Belgium.
Darren has a deep and passionate affiliation with the Mercy tradition and charism and believes that Mercy schools must be “…committed to holistic education; determined to ensure that each student flourishes academically, spiritually, emotionally, socially and physically”.
The purpose of the Catholic school is to provide “… an authentic Christian education, where students are called to embrace the essence of the Gospels, to flourish as whole human persons” and “… to provide exemplary learning experiences for the students who attend”.