Hon Louise Upston
Minister of Corrections
4 August 2017
Prisoners cooking up a storm for diners
Prisoners taking part in this year’s Visa Wellington on a Plate are learning skills that will help them make positive
changes in their lives, says Corrections Minister Louise Upston.
It’s the fifth time Rimutaka Prison has taken part in the event, and demand for tickets to its Gate to Plate this year
was so great that a ballot had to be held.
Dinner will be prepared and served by a group of prisoners to around 240 paying guests over three nights starting on 15
August.
“If these men are able to gain catering qualifications and serve up restaurant quality meals, they’ll be able to find
good jobs and have a far better chance of living crime-free on release,” says Ms Upston.
This year, as well as the dinners, three pop-up lunch events will be held the following week. Food made by the prisoners
will be sold from a caravan in Midland Park in Wellington.
“The ongoing success of this event is the result of collaboration with industry groups and people giving back to their
communities,” Ms Upston says.
Chef Martin Bosley with two guest chefs, James Pask from Whitebait and Kristan Mulcahy from Dillinger’s and the Green
Man, have been working with Corrections catering instructors to mentor the prisoners in preparing and presenting the
gourmet meals.
“I think Corrections and Martin Bosley can be very proud of creating something so positive inside Rimutaka Prison,” Ms
Upston says.
Corrections has produced a video which can be viewed on its Facebook pagehttps://www.facebook.com/CorrectionsNZ/
ends