WelTech students line up for culinary battle

WELTEC STUDENTS LINE UP FOR CULINARY BATTLE

Three hospitality students from WelTec are getting in some last minute practice, as they prepare to battle it out in an elite national culinary competition in Auckland next week.

Culinary Arts students Tyler Langerveld, Thuay An Lai and Reme Barkema will compete to impress a panel of top industry judges at the prestigious event including international award winning chef Gert Klotzke of Sweden. The trio will be vying against 30 other hospitality students, to take top title at this year’s Nestlé Toque d’Or competition.

Team Manager Scott Campbell said this year’s team is on track for success and is looking forward to demonstrating their skills against New Zealand’s best up and coming culinary stars, as they battle to claim this highly regarded title.

“WelTec has a proud history of success at Nestlé Toque d’Or having taken top honours twice in the last 25 years. Every year the bar is raised higher and higher. I believe that this year’s team has the skills to make it three times and do themselves and WelTec proud.

“This is such a great opportunity for our students to be pushed and to learn how to cope with the demands of competition. A number of our former graduates who competed at Nestlé Toque d’Or are now working in top restaurants around the country and overseas proving that hard work has its rewards.”

NZChefs National President and event organizer, Graham Hawkes, said the students will be competing at a prestigious event which is highly-regarded by the hospitality industry.

“Competitors are placed into a high-pressure environment where they have to perform at their very best, if they want to take out the coveted top award,” he said.

The teams of three students must cook and serve, within an allotted timeframe, six covers of a three course meal that they have developed themselves. At the same time, their performance is marked by the judges using WorldChefs International Judging Standards.

“This year, we’re very excited to have Gert Klötzke as a judge. He is quite possibly the most distinguished and prominent chef in the world. It will be his first visit to New Zealand which is a real coup for Nestlé Toque d’Or,” Graham said.

“The length and breadth of his knowledge and experience is extraordinary.”

During his career, Gert has notched up numerous accolades and achievements, appeared on a gastronomic stamp collection and been in two teams that have won the Culinary Olympics. He has also written multiple cookbooks and culinary publications, and is the current Chairperson of the WorldChefs Culinary Competition Committee.

He will be joined on the judging panel by other high profile culinary figures including: chef and restauranteur Simon Gault, WorldChefs Continental Director Pacific Region Murray Dick and Le Cordon Bleu Sydney Chef Tutor Karen Doyle.

“To further challenge competitors, a special Innovation Award sponsored by Moffat will be presented to the team that best demonstrates new and innovative ways of using Nestlè Professional products across the menus that they create.”

Graham said the competition opens doors for competing students and gives them valuable opportunities to kick-start their careers.

“The standard at the competition is always high and I’m confident that this year will be no exception. However, the winning team will be the one that gets it right on the day and delivers a seamless dining experience from start to finish.”

The 26th Nestlé Toque d’Or will be held on 29 July 2016 at the Auckland Showgrounds and members of the public can attend. An awards dinner will be held later in the evening where the winning team will be announced.

Sponsors of this year’s event are: Nestlé Professional, Beef + Lamb New Zealand, vegetables.co.nz, Akaroa Salmon, House of Knives and Moffat.

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