As the judges made their decisions on whose dish would win gold at NZ Chefs Hawke's Bay Salon last weekend Abbie Lythgoe waited, holding her mother's hand.
When they announced that I was the winner, Mum and I looked at each other in disbelief," 16-year-old Abbie said. "It was really cool."
The Havelock North High School Year 12 student says she was really excited about winning the competition and was looking forward to competing in the National Secondary Schools Culinary Competition Grand Final in Auckland on September 8.
The regional final was held at the NZ Chefs Hawke's Bay Salon at Eastern Institute of Technology in front of not only the judges but members of the public.
Abbie was up against Alex Mortimer from Havelock North High School, Braedon Foster from St John's College and Sophie Gouder from Napier Girls' High School.