Hogan’s heroes take on Aussie chefs

Media release hogan – 1
8 June 2010

Hogan’s heroes take on Aussie chefs

Lance Corporal Stephen Hogan is looking forward to taking on the Aussies – but it will be with salmon at the ready rather than anything more destructive.

The 24 year old army chef from Papakura Military Camp is about to take on Australia’s best as part of the New Zealand Chefs Association senior culinary team for the Gourmet Pacific Challenge in Auckland in June.

The challenge is being held in Auckland at Fine Food New Zealand, the country’s first international food and hospitality event and involves both senior and junior teams.

The competition features team and individual challenges over two days. Corporal Hogan has been training with the team every second weekend and is looking forward to the clash with the Aussies.

“The services are normally regarded as the place you go if you want to defend your nation so I reckon I’m in the right place for this challenge,” Stephen says. “I love cooking competitions and have done OK representing the army in the past.”

Stephen’s modesty belies his fighting spirit. He has won a couple of army competitions and has also been a member of the defence team in two Toque D’Or events. The Toque D’Or is New Zealand's premier tertiary cookery and food service competition and Stephen won a silver in 2007 and a gold medal in 2008.

Corporal Hogan has his own heroes in the New Zealand team-mates he is working with at the Gourmet Pacific Challenge at Fine Food New Zealand in Auckland on June 13 and 14.

And he’s a big fan of the Regal King Salmon being used at the event. Stephen’s not saying what dish the team is cooking at the event but his own favourite involves pan fried crispy skin King salmon with lime juice and coriander.

“King salmon is such a delicate and beautiful taste - I enjoy the salmon for the salmon and try to let the flavour come through,” he says.

Over two days of intense competition professional chefs compete in a variety of culinary cooking competitions earning points for their teams as they seek not only culinary glory, but to uphold their national pride.

Individual team members compete in individual competitions, preparing dishes of Regal King Salmon, NZ Beef & Lamb accompanied with appropriate garnishes of NZ Vegetables and mouth-watering desserts.

On day two, the competitors compete in their teams as they reproduce their individual dishes as part of a five course gourmet meal under the watchful scrutiny of a panel of international judges from the World Association of Chefs Societies (WACS).

About Lance Corporal Stephen Hogan
Stephen Hogan is 24 years old and is a chef at Papakura Army Camp south of Auckland. He became interested in cooking while at Fairfield College in Hamilton and joined the Army at age 18 specifically to train as a chef. He trained at the Joint Services Catering School at Waiouru and has previously competed as part of the New Zealand Culinary team in Singapore at the FHA Culinary Challenge. Stephen is available on 021-0200 9888.

About New Zealand King Salmon
New Zealand King Salmon (NZKS) is New Zealand’s biggest integrated aquaculture producer employing more than 400 skilled workers. Currently the company produces 7,300 metric tonnes of King salmon annually from five sea farms in the Marlborough Sounds of New Zealand’s South Island. With 55 per cent of the global market, the company is the world’s biggest farmer and supplier of the King salmon variety earning around NZ$50 million a year in foreign exchange. It accounts for 70 per cent of New Zealand’s salmon production. NZKS has several market advantages including a great taste and a sustainable, disease free, chemical free, clean growing environment, pure King salmon (Chinook) brood stock, fresh-to-market distribution, vertical integration and supply chain product traceability. King salmon has the highest natural content of healthy Omega-3 oils vital for life and good health and which can help to maintain a healthy heart. It is available nationwide from supermarkets, fish suppliers and good delicatessens. For recipes and serving suggestions visit www.regalsalmon.co.nz. For more information about NZ King Salmon visit www.kingsalmon.co.nz.

Issued for NZ King Salmon by Pead PR
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