NSSCC Scholarship Recipients for 2017
This year’s NSSCC will go down in culinary competition history as a very close battle with only one mark separating the
top three teams, Aorere Trades, Napier Girls High School and Wanganui High School, with WelTec Trades Academy in fourth
place after receiving a time penalty for serving their main course late.
City & Guilds, in conjunction with Southern Hospitality who have a Scholarship programme for future hospitality stars, had two
$2,000 Scholarships up for grabs during the National Grand Final. The industry judges were briefed with one simple
question; ‘Who would you hire in a heartbeat out of the eligible competitors’.
During the competition, the kitchen team of chef judges Jeremy Schmid – Author and owner/chef at The Officers Mess
wedding and function centre on Auckland’s North Shore, Chef Lecturer Renny Aprea – AUT School of Hospitality and Chef
Ben Bayly – My Kitchen Rules judge and Head Chef of The Grounds, Waitakere marked the teams on their kitchen skills,
hygiene, time management, communication and kitchen presence.
After talking through their thoughts with City & Guilds Regional Manager for the Pacific, and NSSCC co-organiser, Glenn Fulcher, the Judges agreed on four possible
scholarship recipients. The criteria for receiving the scholarship stated that recipients must study in the 2018
academic year and at a City & Guilds approved training provider. City & Guilds Regional Manager, Glenn, interviewed each of the final four candidates.
Glenn said “All four (candidates) that the judges picked were amazing young and ambitious culinary students. Two stood
out in the kitchen and had a very sound plan of what they wanted to achieve through study and travel in order to grow
their careers”.
This years $2,000 Scholarship recipients are:
•Brenna Lee – Napier Girls High School
•Charlotte Taylor – Wanganui High School
In a slightly profound moment, Glenn announced during the awards dinner, a third $1,000 recipient who just couldn’t be
over looked. Connor Yardley, from New Plymouth Boys High School, had talked through an excellent plan to get qualified
and how he had already started to save money to ease the flatting costs during his study.
“All three scholarship recipients showed sound skills, ability to work under pressure, working in a team and what the
judges called real industry motivation’ Glenn said after the awards ceremony.
NSSCC Scholarship winners will start their tertiary study in New Zealand, at a City & Guilds approved training provider, ranging from Government Polytechnics, Private Training Providers and industry based
City & Guilds apprenticeship training. Part of their investigation, the scholarship winners will look at study options,
keeping in mind all the benefits each establishment will offer, including trying to match how best each recipient will
learn and develop.
The hospitality industry is a huge growth sector with current skills gaps not being met. All the scholarship winners
will look forward to very exciting careers either travelling the world or working in some of New Zealand’s best
restaurants. The industry will welcome these stars and all will look forward to following their careers closely.
ENDS