MEDIA RELEASE
April 2008
WelTec hospitality students serve up a win at Worldskills
Wellington Institute of Technology (WelTec) hosted the Worldskills regional event on April 12 gathering the best young
trades professionals in the region. WelTec cookery students, Jamie Armour, Tom Monk and Hannah Bennet, Emma Kleintjes
and Phoebe Adams all took the top prizes, and not just in cookery. The WelTec team took the honours in cookery,
patisserie and also food and beverage.
Jamie Armour, Tom Monk and Hannah Bennet placed first, second and third respectively in the cookery competition. The
result was somewhat of a surprise, particularly, to Jamie and Hannah having only recently started studying cookery this
year. “It was very surprising. It was a bit touch and go at times but it all worked out well in the end” says Jamie. “I
love cooking, I like being able to be creative. The competition was great - I really enjoy the pressure on the day it’s
so challenging”.
Emma Kleintjes, a Certificate in Food and Beverage graduate and current cookery student took out first place in the Food
and Beverage section. “I thought the competition was very close. We had a few days of training in the lead up to the
event. We had to make a variety of cocktails, mocktails, decant white and red wine and prepare for service. There’s so
much involved, people are generally not aware of everything that goes on behind the scenes with silver service. I was
very excited with the result.”
For the first time in Worldskills competition history, patisserie was added to the skill categories. The event was won
by Phoebe Adams. Phoebe who is currently in her first year of cookery at WelTec has had limited experience in
patisserie. “We do a certain amount of patisserie within the cookery course. I’ve also had training sessions with the
tutors at WelTec to prepare me for the competition. I initially thought we were given plenty of time but you definitely
need all the time you are given, it goes so quickly. I was quite surprised with the result. The judges were walking
around with their clipboards and you have no idea what they are writing but the judges did actually help relax us and
they were very complimentary.”
The students all credit their success to the support of the tutors and Worldskills experts. WelTec students and staff
are not unfamiliar with this kind of success as demonstrated by WelTec’s recent endorsement as a centre of vocational
excellence for Hospitality and Tourism. The teaching staff at WelTec include the Chef of the Capital for the past two
years, Patrick Hogan and Scott Campbell as well as previous Pastry Chef of the Year, Pauline Nunns. Last year three
WelTec students won gold medals for both cookery and front of house in the prestigious Nestlé Toque d’Or competition,
held at the New Zealand Culinary Fare.
So what’s next for these chefs of the future? Taking the top prize has certainly given these students a taste for
success. Three will go on to compete in the national competition in September with the goal of qualifying to complete in
the world event in Calgary in 2009. Both Emma and Phoebe are keen to continue with their studies and all of them are
eager to travel with their qualifications from Europe, Asia and South America and all the places in between. It is clear
that all five have a bright future in cookery.
ENDS