Are You the Next Jamie, Gordon or Heston?
Are You the Next Jamie, Gordon
or Heston?
Restaurant Association Launches New
Nationwide Search for Hospitality’s Rising Stars
$20k prize package for winner, including
mentoring from industry leader Steve Logan
The hunt is on to find the country’s newest
hospitality stars, and the Restaurant Association is pulling
out all stops in its nationwide search for the best up
and coming business team – a new competition at this
year’s New Zealand Culinary Fare.
The new business team competition will not only identify top talent, it will actively nurture it, says Marisa Bidois, CEO of the Restaurant Association of New Zealand.
“We’ve created this exciting new competition to give fledgling businesses from around the country the chance to really accelerate their business – with a highly valuable prize that includes mentoring from one of the industry’s best and most successful restaurateurs, Steve Logan.
“But because running a successful hospitality business is not just about great food, applicants will have to demonstrate team work, business acumen and a creative food and wine match. We’re looking for well-rounded applicants , who have been in business for less than two years.
“We’ve thought about the kind of support that hospitality businesses could benefit from and tailored a prize to match,” says Bidois.
The winner will receive a mentoring and business package valued at $20k that in addition to mentoring support from Steve Logan, also includes:
• A website from Eveve
•
Financial mentoring from Grant Thornton
• PR
support and mentoring from JML Communications
•
Security camera video system from Secure Technical Services
Ltd
• Specialist menu software from Calcmenu
and Star Anise
• Free payroll bureau service
for 12 months from NetPay and Datacom
• And
much more.
The competition is in two stages The first stage, calls for a short written submission outlining the reason for entering the competition, the business, its market, approach to service, cuisine style and a creative food and wine match, is required by 6 July After preliminary judging a smaller group will then be invited to cook and compete at the New Zealand Culinary Fare in August, serving a main course and cold dessert for six guests, including two judges.
Steve Logan – well known from his co-hosting of TVNZ’s Hunger for the Wild show and as co-creator of Wellington’s award-winning Logan Brown restaurant –says that hospitality is a wonderfully creative industry to be part of.
“It is also a tough sector. Many new businesses don’t make it past the 18 month mark. By supporting this new competition we hope to make a real difference and help the winner to make their business even better,” says Logan.
Marisa Bidois is calling for entries* from businesses all across New Zealand.
“This isn’t just about Auckland establishments. We have fantastic regional cuisine and wonderful restaurants and cafes showcasing it. Any team interested in entering should start compiling their entry now. Submissions close on 6 July,” she says.
For
more information about the Up and Coming Business Team event
at the 2012 Culinary Fare visit www.restaurantnz.co.nz
*entrants
must be full financial members of the Restaurant Association
of New Zealand to enter and in business <2 years as of 19
August 2012. Note to Editors:
The New
Zealand Culinary Fare will be taking place from the 19-21
August. The three day competition has more than 60
categories, 1000 competitors and opportunities for the
industry and the public to watch the best in action. The New
Zealand Culinary Fare is free to attend.
Industry visitors can also attend masterclasses, free seminars, a wine showcase and market place next door in the Restaurant & Bar Show. Taking place for the first two days of the Culinary Fare on Sunday August 19 & Monday August 20 at ASB Showgrounds, registration is free and is open now via the show website www.randbshow.co.nz. Thousands of professionals from restaurants, hotels, bars, caterers, clubs and cafes will attend along with suppliers to the industry. You can also connect at facebook.com/randbshow or follow us on twitter @BEFestivals with the trend #R&BShow
ends