College pair off to culinary final

Sam Heaven (pictured) will be heading to the National Secondary Schools Culinary Challenge to represent St John's College with fellow student Daniel Moss.

Excitement is building as St John's College, Hastings, students Sam Heaven and Daniel Moss prepare to put their culinary skills to the test at the final of the National Secondary Schools Culinary Challenge (NSSCC).

The winning duos from 10 regional NSSCC events are now busy adding the finishing touches to their dishes ready for the 90-minute challenge at Manukau Institute of Technology (MIT), Auckland on Friday, August 28.

The students will go head-to-head in a live cook-off preparing, cooking and presenting an individually plated entree and main course all within 90-minutes.

To add to the challenge locally grown beetroot must feature in the entree, with chicken and seasonal fresh New Zealand-grown vegetables key ingredients of the main dish.

Sponsor Andre de Bruin, chairman of vegetables.co.nz, rates the competition highly as a valuable tool for up-and-coming chefs. "The competition helps students to understand the pressures and time constraints that they will face later in their careers when they're working in some of the top restaurants around New Zealand and the world. It allows them the opportunity to really show-off in front of some of New Zealand's greatest chefs, judges and critics.

"The dishes these students produce are just mind-blowing. For them to be creating such master class dishes at such a young age, the world is their oyster really."

Andre is impressed with the innovative use of vegetables in the students' dishes.

"It's always exciting to see how vegetables can be used in new and exciting ways.

"There are so many things you can do with them."

The duos will be scored across a number of criteria - food preparation, hygiene, presentation, taste and the use of New Zealand-grown vegetables and chicken.

Mark Wylie, chief judge and Cater Plus general manager, said he's looking forward to judging the final in Auckland. "The NSSCC is an event I'm proud to be associated with. We've got a great group of judges and some enthusiastic sponsors, and it's always pleasing to see the talent and skill of the finalists."

The winning duo each receives a $2000 study scholarship and a trip to Tahiti to represent New Zealand at the ISSCC.

Their school also receives a $1000 Bidvest voucher and a Blue Seal turbofan oven and stand from Moffat New Zealand.