Two Hāwera High School students have been cooking up a storm on the national stage.
Elijah Lucando and Tara Nottage won a silver award at the National Secondary School Culinary Challenge (NSSCC) in Auckland.
Representing the Taranaki-Whanganui region in the grand final live kitchen event at MIT, Elijah and Tara recreated their original regional entry - a beetroot-infused entree featuring beetroot blini with a beetroot and feta mousse, smoked salmon rosettes and beetroot jelly.
Their main dish was a chicken supreme with pesto, coconut and macadamia stuffing accompanied by spinach, cheese and pine nut sauce, served with seasonal vegetables.
![The beetroot-infused entrée featured beetroot blini with a beetroot and feta mousse, smoked salmon rosettes and beetroot jelly. Photo / Supplied](https://www.nzherald.co.nz/resizer/v2/PQGJK3TKHNXFZRWY6J6VSI6W4E.jpg?auth=169d37aa43ae3a7e0c48216d452bf678c8896cd66822ab3b64686909c0c44a34&width=16&height=11&quality=70&smart=true)