A vote that Wanganui can sink its teeth into

There are massive prizes at stake and Sam Wright (left) and Josh Matthews of Wanganui High School want Wanganui locals to go online and vote for their school. PHOTO/STUART MUNRO

They're turning up the heat in the kitchen and Wanganui High School is appealing for the community to vote for them in the "Let's Cook with Parmco" competition.

"Please vote so we can win a new fridge, five new stoves and two new microwaves,"

There's one vote per person; yesterday High School had 1324 votes and Northcross Intermediate on Auckland's North Shore had 1796 followed by Darfield High on 1469 and Shirley Boys' High on 1376.

Cooking teacher Linda Hardcastle and the school's two cooking ambassadors, Sam Wright and Josh Matthews, say the community can go online to "letscookwithparmco.co.nz" to get them out in front of the competition. And a hint: It pays to search for the name, rather than click through the scores of schools.

"We need the equipment," Mrs Hardcastle says, adding that the school was putting in a hospitality course to open up more career options for its students. "Northcross is an intermediate and their claim to fame is hydroponic lettuces. We're a high school and we really want Wanganui to vote for us, please."

Josh and Sam are great cooks, Mrs Hardcastle said, and both were chosen by their teachers to attend a cooking lesson with New Zealand's first Masterchef Brett McGregor last month at Wanganui Girls' College.

Sam says he'll keep trying his best to be a chef, and loves baking, especially cheesecakes.

Josh said he picked up stir-fry tips from Mr McGregor, and he's keeping his options open as to whether he will take up "cheffing" as a career choice.