Makos and students team up in the kitchen

News Release – For immediate use
Makos and students team up in the kitchen

The Tasman Makos’ rugby team will be cooking up a storm in the kitchen of Nelson Marlborough Institute of Technology’s training restaurant – The Rata Room, next week as part of their professional development training with the Tasman Rugby Union.

During the training session on 5 September around 20 of the players will be teamed up with first year NMIT Cookery students who will help them prepare and cook up to four healthy meals designed to meet the unique dietary needs of elite sportspeople.

“Good nutrition and exercise go hand in hand and we have a big focus on nutrition in our Cookery programme,” NMIT Hospitality and Wellbeing programme area leader Mark Bruce-Miller says.

“This is both an excellent way for our students to practice creating healthy, nutritious and wholesome meals that meet the unique dietary needs of elite athletes; and for the players to get really good options for uncomplicated, filling meals they can whip up after training to help their recovery.”

IN THE KITCHEN WITH THE MAKOS: Tasman Makos’ Professional Development Training in nutrition and cooking, NMIT Rata Room Restaurant, 2pm – 5pm, Wednesday 5 September. Media are welcome to attend

NMIT and the TRU have a longstanding partnership going back several years. NMIT is the TRU’s official education provider, each year providing scholarships for players to study at NMIT.

TRU Player Development Manager Martyn Vercoe says the players wanted their next professional development training to focus on nutrition and healthy cooking so “we immediately thought of NMIT because of our relationship with them, and the fact they have a really good hospitality programme”.

“The boys find it quite hard at times cooking healthy meals in a hurry so we contacted NMIT and suggested this and as always, they were really keen to support us. We’re definitely keen to make the most of their expertise – anything that helps the boys succeed has got to be good.”

The menu for the event has been designed by the cookery students and will include a slow cooker option as well as a venison meal – which coincides with an upcoming home-game in Blenheim against the Southland Stags on 12 September.

“We’re quite happy to be helping the Makos give the Stags a roasting,” Mr Bruce-Miller says.

As well as a chance to have a bit of fun at the opposition’s expense, there is also a practical side to having venison on the menu, Mr Vercoe says.

“A lot of the boys are hunters so they eat quite a bit of venison, and it’s a good lean healthy meat so it’s definitely something we would recommend for our athletes. They’ll learn how the best way to cook it for maximum flavour, nutritional value and health.”

TRU Strength and Conditioning coach Simon Thomas says the players need to eat up to six meals a day and ensure everything they consume supports their training.

“Diet is so important. If they train hard but don’t put the same sort of effort into their nutrition then they’re not going to get the full value from the training,” Mr Thomas says.

“We give them the right information and then it’s up to them to make the right choices. It’ll be good to have a different voice reinforcing our message and from people who know what they’re talking about.”

At the end of the cooking session, the players will serve their meals to TRU sponsors, senior management and coaches and members of NMIT’s directorate including Chief Executive Tony Gray.

ENDS

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