Apprentice Chef of the Year finalists revealed

Apprentice Chef of the Year finalists revealed

The heat is on for four talented young Kiwi chefs who will go head-to-head to win the prestigious title of ServiceIQ Apprentice Chef of the Year next week.

New Zealand’s toughest and most exciting competition for apprentice chefs, sponsored by ServiceIQ, is an opportunity for ambitious young culinary stars to gain recognition, expand their skills and advance their career.

The winner will travel to the world-famous 2016 Melbourne Food & Wine Festival, worth around $3000, and all finalists receive a prize pack from Vegetables.co.nz, and become members of the prestigious NZ Chefs’ Association. It’s a great entrée to a culinary career.

The competition is part of the NZ Chefs’ National Salon, and will be held on Saturday, 1st August at the Logan Campbell Centre, ASB showgrounds, Auckland.

All four entrants are training through the Apprenticeship in Cookery programme. The judges will be looking for the technical and organisational skills required of a top chef, while creating a first-class menu.

Last year’s winner, Nikolas Han, is cooking up plans to broaden his culinary knowledge overseas. He assisted some of the world’s best chefs at this year’s Melbourne Food and Wine Festival:

“It was a gastronomic playground!” says Nikolas. “I was thrilled. The chefs were so keen to share their ideas and stories. It was very inspirational and a unique chance to develop new skills.”

ServiceIQ Chief Executive Dean Minchington says: “It’s great to support New Zealand’s next generation of culinary stars at this premiere cooking competition. It’s a major boost for the winner’s career, and a significant endorsement for the restaurant and the chefs who mentor them.”

The finalists are:
Name: Samanatha Burmester, 19, from Cook ‘n’ with Gas restaurant in Christchurch
Experience: New Zealand Apprentice Chef with a National Certificate in Cookery Level 3 and working towards achieving Level 4.
Started out: as a kitchen hand at 15 years-old
Inspiration: all the chefs she has worked with
Goal: “To be a head chef and business woman running my own kitchen in my own restaurant.”

Name: Matthew Dickie, 18, from The Trading Rooms restaurant in Akaroa
Experience: New Zealand Apprentice Chef with a National Certificate in Cookery Level 3 and working towards achieving Level 4. Four years in a restaurant kitchen.
Started out: as a kitchenhand and washing dishes at age 14
Inspiration: fresh local produce
Goal: “To work at Eleven Madison Park restaurant in New York, and own my own restaurant.”

Name: Peter Dann, 21, from Copthorne Hotel in Palmerston North
Experience: into third year of on-job training as a New Zealand Apprentice Chef
Started out: as a part-time kitchen porter at age 15
Inspiration: the art of cooking and cuisine from different cultures
Goal: “Working as a chocolatier in Belgium”.

Name: Nico Parry, 20, from the Hilton in Queenstown
Experience: eighteen months into New Zealand Apprentice Chef on-job training
Started out: attending a catering course at age 15
Inspiration: Scott Richardson, his teacher from the catering course
Goal: “Being part of the Hilton Queenstown can lead me to many places around the world.”

ENDS

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