RTE - Hands On Competition (October-2008)
The Lucky Winner
Nora, Lydia and Avril
During the first week of October, all the Transition Year girls were told that "Hands On" were coming to interview the girls about their dream jobs. Out of all twelve girls two girls would be chosen and given their dream job for a day. The following week, after assembly, we were told to go to the TYA classroom to talk about our trip to Poland. A few minutes later, a cameraman arrived and we were taken aback. Sarah-Jane ,the presenter, arrived next to announce to the girls who the lucky winner was. We were all excited, wondering who it was going to be. Quickly, Sarah Jane announced that Avril was the first winner of the dream job competition. She looked shocked, and the first words to come out of her mouth were "Oh my God". Sarah Jane said that Avril was very lucky to get the opportunity to go and work as a chocolatier in DIT University, with the French chocolatier, Benoit Lorge. Benoit ,an award-winning chef, owns "Lorge" chocolate company, which creates high quality chocolates for gourmet shops and high class hotels and restaurants. The chocolates are handmade in Bonane, just 5 Km from Kenmare on the Glengarriff road and are distributed nationally. Watch this space for the second winner. My Day as a Chocolatier Thursday morning, I travelled on the Luas with my mother. When we got to DIT university we met the others. I was very nervous; I could not eat. They told me that I would be grand. We met Benoit and he had a very strong French accent it was a bit difficult to understand him. The soundman put a microphone on me and got me ready for the filming. I was getting more nervous as the crew were setting everything up. Benoit put a white coat and an apron on me and Sarah-Jane told me that I looked like a professional chocolatier. She then took a lot of pictures of me. In a flash, everyone was ready and I was on the camera. Lights, Camera, Action and we started. Benoit began showing me how to make the flavoured filling and I began working but I did not know when to ask the questions and I got nervous. Luckily, the cameraman stopped us and I was relieved when he told me that I could ask the questions whenever I felt like it. We got started again. Halfway through filming I ignored the camera and felt more confident in myself and we made a lot of chocolate. He showed me how to design them, and he also told me that dark chocolate is healthier than milk chocolate because it contains more cocoa, which is very organic. When we were finished he gave Sarah-Jane and me a gift of chocolates and he invited me down for 3 days down to his house in Kerry whenever I liked. We had such a great day and I had a laugh putting chocolate on Sarah-Jane's nose. On my way out to go home I met my friend Lisa who goes to college there. I felt like it was my lucky day. It was the most fabulous experience I ever had. Avril
