TAFE students Aaron Vom Bruch, Beau Warren and Dannielle Potter. Picture: ROBERT PEET
It's named 20/20 - and the TAFE Illawarra restaurant got full marks at the 2012 Restaurant and Catering Awards for Excellence held in Sydney recently.
The student-run restaurant received a state award for the Best Restaurant in a Training Institute (Regional) at the ceremony.
TAFE Illawarra food and beverage teacher Chris Van Der Wall said the industry award was testament to the hard work and dedication of the students and staff that run the restaurant, which has been in business for nearly a quarter of a century.
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"The restaurant gives hospitality and commercial cookery students a realistic environment in which to learn and train," he said.
"The award recognised the general high standard of service and the quality of the food prepared by students."
Around a dozen students work at 20/20, which is open to the public for a very reasonably priced dinner on Tuesday and Wednesday nights.
Student Aaron Vom Bruch, who is in the final semester of a Diploma of Hospitality Management, said the practical experience had helped him secure a job at Wollongong's Chifley Hotel.
It also spurred him on to success at the recent national World Skills competition, where he was sixth in Australia in the restaurant skills category.
"Working in the restaurant gives you real-world experience which really prepares you for the industry," he said. "I couldn't be happier with my TAFE course which has provided me with a good balance of practical experience and theory."