TasTAFE on show at Tassie Scallop Fiesta

Apprentice chef Meg Jessup, demonstrating brown butter scallops with orange cream sauce and prosciutto crumb at the 2026 Tassie Scallop Festival. Photo: Ruth Timperton

Attendees at the ninth annual Tassie Scallop Fiesta in Bridport on Sunday, 2 August 2026 were treated to a display of culinary skill from TasTAFE cookery teacher Michael Norton, and apprentice chef Meg Jessup.

Meg, a third-year apprentice chef studying Certificate III in Commercial Cookery at TasTAFE and working at Country Club Tasmania, was born and raised in Scottsdale. Speaking before the event, Meg said the opportunity to share her passion for cooking with the North-East community was ‘particularly close to home’ for her.

“I’m very excited to be part of the Scallop Fiesta this year, and I hope I can bring something unique to the demonstration. I’m just so grateful to be recognised by the community I grew up with.”

Meg took to the stage to demonstrate how to cook a brown butter scallop with orange cream sauce and prosciutto crumb – A family tradition using citrus flavour and perfected through many iterations ahead of the event. According to Meg, the prosciutto crumb adds a salty kick to the citrusy sauce and brings contrasting texture to the soft scallops.

As a young female chef, Meg’s advice to anyone entering the hospitality industry is, “Simply choose to show up.” She says that being an apprentice is a unique time in your career where you can learn, experience different things, and practice your skills.

“Do things over and over and over until you aren’t learning something new anymore, then move on to the next thing you don’t know how to do. Take the time to be humble in learning and be patient with yourself while you do it,” she advises her fellow and future apprentice chefs.

Meg’s teacher at TasTAFE, Michael Norton, also demonstrated his skills as a chef at the Tassie Scallop Fiesta.His dish used foraged coastal saltbush, pepper berries harvested at Sally Wise House, and free-range eggs and lemons from his own backyard. His goal was to demystify making mayonnaise from scratch and show how frying dried seaweed, which he says is a tasty snack on its own, turns it into something truly gourmet when paired with seafood and citrus.

Michael says that festivals like the Scallop Fiesta are important for all cooks and apprentices in promoting local produce and local talent in Tasmania.

TasTAFE works closely with local industry to co-design training that matches the needs of the hospitality sector and its learners. To find out more about launching your career in the visitor economy and shaping Tasmania’s hospitality sector, explore: https://bit.ly/4pDVZSk

TasTAFE cookery teacher Michael Norton frying dried seaweed.
Photo: Ruth Timperton.