Chefs the ‘rock stars’ of the new generation

Chefs the ‘rock stars’ of the new generation

Future hospitality stars had the chance to show their skills and compete for some great prizes at Manukau Institute of Technology’s Secondary Schools Hospitality Competition.

More than 80 competitors from schools across the Auckland region took part in event at MIT’s School of Culinary and Hospitality on June 26.

The participants competed under a number of different categories: Live Cup Cakes; Pasta Dish; Innovative Wraps; Innovative Table Setting; Barista Competition and Smoothies. The competition also included the prestigious Auckland Regional City Guilds Team Challenge where teams of two competitors produced four portions of an entrée and four courses of a main course within 90 minutes.
MIT Chef Tutor and judge, Adam Dickson was impressed by the calibre of all the students competing and in particular in the team event. “They’re master chefs not cooks and part of a new generation of kids inspired by television cooking shows,” he says. “Every kid these days wants to be a chef because chefs are the new rock stars and who doesn’t want to be a rock star?”

City & Guilds Regional Manager – Pacific, Glenn Fulcher judges all the City & Guilds schools events around the country. He has noticed a change from the old home economic style of cooking to a modern hospitality style coming through.

“The team from Papakura High School who were the overall winners of the team competition used the sous-vide method of cooking which is a very advanced technique for 17 year olds,” he says.

The winning duo, Anthony Kapeli-Sua and Joy Gesmundo will go on to compete at the National City Guilds Team Challenge being hosted at Manukau Institute of Technology on September 23. The event has up to $6000 in prizes including the winners prize of $2000 donation towards fees for further tertiary training.

Kapeli-Sua has already been spotted as a top young talent and will go to France next year to train with Gordon Ramsey.

Winners of the other categories were Hannah Beekmans Papakura who won gold for her innovative table setting. Bupphe Lam and Ida Stowers from Manurewa High won gold in the Innovative Farrahs Wraps category. Ryan Franklin from Manurewa High won the gold medal in the smoothies category. Kyall Parsons from Papakura High School won gold in the pasta category. Pratisha Gounder, Shalini Sen and Shirley Devi from Manurewa High, Jessica Orsbourn from Lynfield College and Amy Hucks and Shelby Sparnon from Westlake Girls all won gold in the cupcakes category. Charlotte Dunkdey from Mount Albert Grammar School won gold in the Barista competition.

Manukau Institute of Technology’s Dean of the Faculty of Consumer Services, Cherie Freeman says, “The competition is designed to give students confidence and experience of real working conditions and to promote hospitality and culinary as a future career option.”
Manukau Institute of Technology offers partnerships with secondary schools to deliver hospitality and culinary industry training within schools providing support and accreditation to make this possible. Please contact out STAR office for details on STAR@manukau.ac.nz.

Winning duo, Anthony Kapeli-Sua and Joy Gesmundo Papakura High School will go on to compete at the National City Guilds Team Challenge being hosted at Manukau Institute of Technology on September 23.

ENDS

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