MEDIA RELEASE 28 August, 2003
For immediate release
Golden Students Cook Up a Feast of Medals
Wellington Institute of Technology’s hospitality students came home today from New Zealand’s premier chef and restaurant
service competition with 41 medals.
The medal haul is the highest won by the institution in its 10 years of competing and includes the highest tally of gold
and silver medals.
Highlights of the New Zealand Culinary Fare included winning gold medals in both restaurant service and cookery in the
‘invitation only’ Nestle Toque d’Or competition, and silver and bronze medals in the NZ Professional Waiter of the Year
Open Classes (see attached for further details).
“We’re incredibly proud of the efforts of our students as they have only been in training for six months and we’ve
expected them to step up to the mark and compete under immense pressure in an unfamiliar environment,” says WelTec Head
of School – Hospitality, Kay Nelson. “I liken it to cooking or serving dinner with the eyes of a rugby stadium crowd
scrutinising your every move and making a lot of noise! Many of our students are just fresh out of secondary school and
their performance and conduct is being watched by more than 1000 hospitality industry experts.”
Eighteen WelTec students travelled to the 2003 New Zealand Culinary Fare in Auckland. The competition is hosted by the
Restaurant Association of New Zealand and includes the national industry competitions for Chef of the Year and
Restaurant of the Year.
WelTec is taking photos of its award-winning students on Monday September 1st, at 10am at the Hospitality School, 11
Kensington Avenue, Petone. Students will be in full uniform, with their medals, and will be available for interviews and
photographs. If you would prefer to interview and/or photograph specific students at another time we are happy to assist
you to arrange this.
ENDS