Northland students win National Culinary Challenge award

Chief Judge Mark Wylie and guest Judge Peter Wright (back) and Kerikeri High School students Kiera Matich and Savanna Munro (front). Photo / Supplied

Two budding high school master chefs from Northland have taken home a national culinary award.

Kerikeri High school students Savanna Munro and Kiera Matich won the grand final of the 2022 National Secondary School Culinary Challenge this month.

They return to school with a huge trophy, a new oven and $1000 of Bidfood vouchers.

The young women went up against seven other regional teams from across New Zealand in a live kitchen challenge at the Manukau Institute of Technology in Auckland on September 7.

The pair impressed the judges with their cooking innovation and kitchen techniques at a level considered restaurant standard.

"It's amazing, so exciting," said Munro.

"We want to thank our families for encouraging us to do this and our coaches Stacey and Neil for making it happen," said Matich.

Kerikeri High school students Savanna Munro and Kiera Matich created a beetroot-focused entrée for starters. Photo / Supplied

The students practiced twice a week after school and were supported by chef Neil Brazier and their food tech teacher, Stacey Sturge.

"It was all off their own back," Sturge said.

Their determination and absorption of knowledge were what led them to the win in the end, Sturge said.

In just 90 minutes they created four servings of a beetroot-focused entrée and four mains featuring a Waitoa Chicken supreme cut accompanied by four vegetables and starch.

Their entrée featured a beetroot-cured kingfish with a beetroot curry and beetroot pear chutney wrapped in pickled beetroot, golden beetroot and miso purée, and finished with horseradish and garden herbs.

For the main, they whipped up an aromatic curry with coconut sauce, baby onions, carrots and herb-pickled kumara, which transformed the chicken into an Asian-style dish bursting with flavour.

Kerikeri High school students Savanna Munro and Kiera Matich created an aromatic curry for the main meal. Photo / Supplied

Chief judge Mark Wylie congratulated all the teams at the Awards Dinner evening.

"You are the best of the best! By making it through to the grand final you are the best secondary school culinary students in New Zealand right now and you should be very proud of what you've achieved," Wylie said.

He also praised their culinary teachers, coaches and supporters.

"The calibre of the entries we saw today is a direct reflection of the effort and commitment you put into these students. And every year, thanks to you, the benchmark is raised," Wylie said.

After the event had been cancelled due to Covid for the previous two years, it was great to get the kids back in the kitchen, said Wylie.

"To hold this for the first time in two years is enormously satisfying. To see what it means to these students to compete here, that's the best validation you can get."

Guest judge Peter Wright summed up the challenge by saying: "I would hire you all tomorrow."