Who will be New Zealand’s sharpest Apprentice Chef?
Eight talented young chefs will compete for the ServiceIQ Apprentice Chef of the Year title next month.
This is New Zealand’s toughest and most prestigious competition for apprentice chefs, sponsored by ServiceIQ.
The competition will be held on 19 August as part of the New Zealand Culinary Fare at Auckland’s Vodafone Events Centre.
All eight entrants are training through the Apprenticeship in Cookery programme and will be tested on their kitchen
skills. Finalists must demonstrate the technical and organisational skills required of a top chef while creating a
first-class menu.
All finalists become members of the Chefs’ Association and the winner will attend the 2015 Melbourne Food & Wine Festival, with travel valued at up to $3000.
Last year’s winner Tamara Johnson was cooking at St Heliers Bay Café & Bistro. This year she takes up a year-long internship at the Hyatt Regency in Orlando, Florida. “Winning Apprentice
Chef of the Year was one of the best moments of my life. It took a lot of passion and determination to give me the
confidence needed to succeed.”
ServiceIQ Chief Executive Dean Minchington says, “winning the Apprentice Chef of the Year competition is a major
endorsement of the winner’s kitchen, and the talent in the apprenticeship programmes. It is New Zealand’s premiere
cooking competition for trainee chefs.”
The finalists are:
Ash Wade, Jet Park Hotel, Auckland
Emily O’Brien, Rendezvous Hotel, Christchurch
Hayley Southee, Nero Restaurant, Palmerston North
Logan Birch, Prego Restaurant, Auckland
Nickolas Han, Pacific International Hotel Management School, New Plymouth
Robert Fairs, Cook ‘n’ with Gas, Christchurch
Tai Nguyen, Waipuna Hotel, Auckland
Thanwayn Pam Marsh, Novotel Auckland Airport, Auckland
ENDS