NorthTec Chef Happy With Far North Hospitality

NorthTec Chef Happy With Far North Hospitality

NorthTec tutor, Hughie Blues, is looking forward to the future of hospitality in the Far North after running a highly successful cookery competition for children at the recent Bay of Islands Pastoral and Industry Show.

Six talented young chefs battled it out for the title of Kids Can Cook champion for 2014, with Sophie Ngan from Kerikeri eventually taking the title.

With six Far North schools represented, a crowd of more than 100 watched as the youngsters battled their way through the qualifying heats to the final cook-off.

Guest judges were Jon Seffton, head of the Culinary Institute of New Zealand in Waipapa, and Shane Paraone, another NorthTec hospitality tutor and member of Northland Chefs, the Northland branch of the NZ Chefs Association.

Heat 1 saw Sophie Ngan (Kerikeri Primary) woo both judges with her amazing hapuka and mango salsa. She pipped William Peter Cook (Riverview Primary) and first-time entrant Tony Munford (Ohaeawai Primary) to the first grand final spot.

William, who is only seven, showed true grit and impressed the judges enough with his skills in creating a and tasty bacon and mushroom omelette to be called into the final as a wild card.

Heat 2 resulted in Max Donaldson (Riverview Primary), the 2013 Champion, gaining the next spot with his restaurant-standard wild duck breast, kumara puree and spicy jus. Again competition was close, and another wild card entry to the grand final was awarded to Alexandra Ludbrook (Ohaeawai Primary).

After a fierce half hour of cooking and a lot of deliberation by the judges, a winner was announced.

First place went to Sophie Ngan, with Max Donaldson a very close runner-up, Alexandra Ludbrook third and young William Peter Cook fourth.

Jon Seffton, said: “The level of taste, culinary skill and attention to detail was amazing from such a young bunch of chefs. They will be welcome at the Culinary Institute any time they are ready.”

NorthTec is the Tai Tokerau (Northland) region's largest provider of tertiary education, with campuses and learning centres in Whangarei, Kerikeri, Rāwene, Kaikohe and Kaitaia. NorthTec also has over 60 community-based delivery points from Coatesville in rural Rodney to Ngataki in the Far North.

ends

© Scoop Media