Top Class Northtec Kitchen Facilities Inspire Chefs

Top Class Northtec Kitchen Facilities Inspire Chefs At Northland Salon Culinaire

NorthTec Chef Tutor Hughie Blues, who for 15 years was chef and co-owner of the Waikokopu Café on the Waitangi Treaty Grounds, says having international class kitchen facilities in Whangarei makes it easy to host competitions like the Northland Salon Culinaire competition.

In his role as Salon Culinaire Director Mr. Blues says over 50 interested, training and professional chefs gathered at NorthTec’s Hospitality and Tourism school on the weekend to compete in the 2013 Northland Salon Culinaire under the watchful eyes of some of New Zealand’s best chefs.

“It is a tremendous opportunity for schools, trainees and industry chefs to benchmark themselves against others from across Northland for regional titles,” Mr. Blues says.

“It is a big plus that in the Northland we’ve got such excellent facilities, otherwise it would have to be held at Forum North and we’d have to bring everything including the kitchen sink in. We’re even in a better position than Wellington where they have to bring everything in and hold the competition on the concrete concourse at the Cake Tin (Westpac Stadium).”

NorthTec tutors take an active part in the Salon with tutor Pete Nicholl the incumbent Northland Salon President, Mr. Blues as the Northland Director and tutor Shane Paraone involved in the judging.

“Our judges were also among the very best with Anita Sarginson the President of NZ Chefs Association coming in from Wellington, Sky City executive chef Paul Jobin, Keith Paisley from Kerikeri’s Heron Hill, Tobias Wilkinson the Director of Project NZ, Martin Harrop the National Salon Director, Pete Nicholl, Paul Smith from Nestle Professional and Janine Quaid the chief judge for Restaurant Services,” he said.

Mr. Blues was pleased with the performance of NorthTec trainees with, Level 3 students, Chanel Murray and Kerrie-Ann Mason taking out the mystery box (salmon and pork) team trainee event with a Silver Medal; Molly Browne who won silver in the live dessert trainee event; and Krystie Warmington and Wendy Harrow jointly winning silver in the cold dessert static.

“We have two hours to get it all done but it was real pressure stuff and we felt we were living in a glass bowl with all those people watching,” Kerrie said of their win.

“We were pleased with the way our students performed on the day against their peers and those who won medals fully deserved them,” Mr. Blues said.

In the Industry section Kari Kari Peninsula’s Carrington Estate head Chef Munish Raja won the Mystery (Seafood) box competition over Whangarei’s Kingsgate Chef Tony Lin in an hour-long competition.

“This is a great arena for secondary school, trainee, and industry chefs to show their talent and for perspective employers to spot future talent to enhance their business” Mr. Blues said.

NorthTec is the Tai Tokerau (Northland) region's largest provider of tertiary education, with campuses and learning centres in Whangarei, Kerikeri, Rāwene, Kaikohe and Kaitaia.  NorthTec also has over 60 community-based delivery points from Coatesville in rural Rodney to Ngataki in the Far North.

ENDS

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