Whanganui hospitality students battle it out at UCOL

Ian Drew at UCOL cooking competition yesterday. Photo / Bevan Conley

Breakfast, sandwiches and cupcakes were all on the menu at UCOL Whanganui yesterday as secondary school students battled it out to be crowned the best.

Twenty-seven students competed in the live cook-off for the UCOL Secondary Schools Hospitality Competition, which was open to all students in Years 11, 12 and 13 who are studying hospitality.

Students from Whanganui Girls' College, Whanganui High School, Cullinane College, Te Kura o Kokohuia School, Ta Aho O Te Kura Pounamu and Rangitikei College all competed.

Students competed in a live cook-off to create the best breakfast plate, cafe sandwich, pasta, cupcakes and mocktails.

The judges' criteria were based 40 per cent on professional practice and working method and 60 per cent on the finished product.

Programme Leader of Hospitality Jan MacGibbon said they didn't hold the competition in 2020 due to Covid-19, but was excited to see what students produced.

In the breakfast category, competitors worked in pairs and had 45 minutes to prepare, cook and serve two identical meals. They had to include two eggs, a protein, sauce and a bread product.

Five pairs of students competed in the breakfast category. Photo / Logan Tutty

Jaydene Bullock and Caitlin Fergusson from Whanganui High School were awarded the gold medal for the breakfast category.

Students competing in the cafe sandwich category were given 45 minutes to create two identical sandwiches with a minimum of four components.

Rangitikei College student Andrew Torrie, who is also studying a NZ Certificate in Cookery L3 at UCOL, was crowned the winner.

Nikita Edwards from Whanganui High School was the winner in the cupcake category.

MacGibbon said she was impressed by the skills of the students.

"They were very good, they have good skills and looked very comfortable. The time pressure adds a very different time limit.

"I'm just really proud of them. It's really nice to see them come along and give it a go, it's not easy. It's also a nice way to introduce them to UCOL and for them to check out the facilities."