Top performers will progress to represent Victoria at the Australian Culinary Federation's 2022 National Apprentice Competition in September with more than 40 students from Bendigo TAFE, Academia International, Crown College, The Gordon, Holmesglen, Le Cordon Bleu, Melbourne Polytechnic, SuniTAFE, Victoria University and Chisholm Institute in the mix.

Bendigo TAFE hosted the event in its state-of-the-art training kitchen, that was recently refurbished as part of a $60 million revitalisation.

Maryborough apprentice Clancy Stratford said the competition was a fantastic opportunity to learn new skills and to meet people.

"It's really for the experience and it's my first try so I'll do better next time but (it's great) just to get to learn what it's like to compete in a competition and perform under that pressure," Mr Stratford said.

"And because it's in Bendigo it's easier than going to Melbourne."

The budding chef said he and his fellow competitors had to cook up omelettes, an entrée with 500 grams of fish and a main using chicken.

"I cooked some Fijian dishes because my head chef has worked in Fiji for the last few years and he really enjoys cooking cooking that sort of food," he said.

Mr Stratford poached the fish in a coconut sauce with chilli, lime, lemongrass, ginger and garlic and cooked up a chicken curry with curry leaf and black mustard seed rice for the main.

Fellow competitor Bendigo TAFE third-year culinary apprentice Nantapong (Alex) Chitlang said the competition was a chance to explore his potential.

"I'll be working within the boundaries of the competition, from costing to setting a menu and planning, and seeing what I can deliver within these limitations," the Gold Mines Hotel staff member said.

"It's good practice for my career."

Bendigo TAFE's Dave Richardson said the institution was proud to host this year's AUS-TAFE regional cook off and give a fantastic opportunity to future chefs.

"The annual AUS-TAFE regional culinary competition is one of the most important platforms for students and apprentices to test their skills among peers and showcase their expertise to industry," he said.

"We are excited to welcome all of Victoria's up-and-coming chefs to our Bendigo City Campus' newly renovated training kitchen for the competition; it's a space we're very proud of and we're confident that the competitors will be able to deliver a top-notch performance within this facility."

Bendigo TAFE senior culinary teacher Nicole Mynard has taught future chefs for more than 10 years and said the event was a great experience for all involved.

"They're (students) all doing certificate three commercial cookery which is awesome because we need to get the hospitality industry up and running again," she said.

"And it's run through a point system so Clancy, for example, might get say 91 (points) so that means he gets gold but there could be three others that might get gold as well.

"So the highest person of the section then goes to the nationals which is held in September."

Ms Mynard said it was positive to have Bendigo hosting the AUS-TAFE regional competition and to display local facilities at their best.

"We've been here for just under 18 months in this new facility so we're sort of showcasing what we've got here as well to our culinary world," she said.

"But it's also good networking for all of our apprentices.

"(We're) trying to get the energy back, the passion about it as well - that sort of buzz is what we're looking for.

"Even though in the rooms they are quite stressed and quite serious, a the end of it, I think they're all quite happy to have achieved something."

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