Chefs delight with tastebud teasers
More than 60 professional and budding chefs tested their skills at the Southern Light Salon Culinaire and the Southland Secondary Schools Culinary Challenge.
Convener and Southern Institute of Technology chef tutor Tony Goodall said Saturday’s competition, held at the SIT Bungalow training restaurant, had impressed judges, competitors and the audience.
"Everything went really smooth, flowed along – everybody was really happy."
The two competitions ran consecutively with trainees from SIT, Aoraki Polytechnic in Timaru, and Otago Polytechnic in Cromwell going head-to-head with industry chefs and home cooks, while students from Southland Boys’ High School, Queen’s High School and King’s High School competed for top secondary school.
The Salon Culinaire competition was divided into several categories, including a live component where entrants prepared and presented a dish, and a static component, which included the likes of cold desserts, breads, gateau, and fruit flans prepared before the competition and presented on the day.
Three titles were up for grabs – the Southern Light open chef of the year, trainee chef of the year and trainee waiter of the year.
Otago Polytechnic student Laurence Tweedle won the open chef, Aoraki Polytechnic student Jolene Snook won the trainee chef and SIT student Rory Munro won trainee waiter of the year, Goodall said.
The Southland Secondary Schools challenge involved teams of two preparing an individually plated entree and main within 90 minutes, with Queen’s High School taking out the top spot.
The competitions gave the students the opportunity to hone their craft, he said.
"They need this as a stepping stone in employment."
The winners of both competitions are now eligible to compete in the national finals in Auckland later this year.