Wintec culinary student Lara Cole competed in the team challenge by herself as her teammate dropped out last-minute. Photo / Wintec Te Pūkenga
Wintec culinary student Lara Cole competed in the team challenge by herself as her teammate dropped out last-minute. Photo / Wintec Te Pūkenga
Wintec Te Pūkenga Professional Culinary Arts student Lara Cole, 18, turned up the heat at this year’s Waikato Culinary Fare as she took on a challenge designed for a team, all by herself.
Lara had signed up for the mystery box challenge where a team of two receives a box with random ingredients an hour before cooking and has to create a main course and a dessert for four people.
Unfortunately, Lara’s teammate pulled out at the last minute, but that only got her creative spirits going. In the end, Lara even took home a silver award.
“The mystery box event is something I have been wanting to do for so long... I had no fear about going into the challenge... Yes, I did have a teammate pull out, but my tutor had enough faith in me and my skills that I was given the opportunity to compete individually in an event designed for two people,” she said.
At the challenge, Lara had an hour to plan her dishes, plus two and a half hours to cook, make, and plate them.
“I chose to make a chicken fettuccine main, and a cheesecake filling puff pastry along with a poached pear for dessert.”
The Waikato Culinary Fare was in its 18th year this year. Photo / Wintec Te Pūkenga
Reflecting on competing by herself, Lara said: “I loved competing alone, all my ideas were uniquely mine, the food and the plating came from me alone. I’m so proud of myself for doing it.”
Lara is currently in her first year of the Wintec Te Pūkenga Professional Culinary Arts Level 4 certificate. She is very passionate about the culinary world, as she completed two Waikato Trades Academy Cookery programmes, when she was still in high school and going through her NCEA Levels.
“I love and thrive in the high stakes and fast pace of the kitchen environment. For me, doing the next level in culinary arts, was another chapter in my culinary story. My family has always been my greatest inspiration and influence to aspire to in the culinary world as I’m from a family line of chefs, cooks and bakers.”
In total, Lara was one of more than 450 students from around the upper North Island that competed in this year’s culinary fare at the Wintec Rotokauri Campus Hospitality kitchens.
The annual fare, now in its 18th year, sees intermediate, high school and tertiary students compete across different culinary challenges, for gold, silver and bronze awards.
Wintec senior academic staff member for Hospitality, Josh Kanara-Bailey. Photo / Wintec Te Pūkenga
This year, students from as far as Taumarunui, Whakatane and Massey High in Auckland were showing off their skillet skills.
Wintec senior academic staff member for Hospitality, Josh Kanara-Bailey, said the number of competitors is on the rise from just under 300 students last year which was “awesome”.
“It’s amazing seeing the school teachers bringing students through and facilitating their growth. It’s a journey to get to this point and such a great learning experience for the students.”
Former Wintec student Lylie Mallek has been a judge at the event for the fifth year in a row. She says the competition was different every year, even though the categories often remain the same.
“The student’s imaginations always change things up and it gives you an idea of the new trends coming through and what’s coming next in the culinary world. It’s not an easy industry, but you can see these future chefs are passionate.”
