ARE YOU UP FOR THE CULINARY CHALLENGE TO WIN A TRIP TO NEW ZEALAND? The Air New Zealand UK-NZ Culinary Challenge 2011 in association with the
Craft Guild of Chefs
Entries are once again being sought for one lucky UK chef to win an amazing all expenses paid three-week tour of New Zealand with Air New Zealand flights, working in the country's best restaurants and lodges and visiting food producers and wineries as part of the annual UK-NZ Culinary Challenge (www.uknzculinarychallenge.com).
Taking place at Westminster Kingsway College on Monday 24 October 2011, the UK-NZ Culinary Challenge is open to young UK chefs who are keen to show off their culinary talents by designing a three-course gourmet menu. Eight lucky finalists will then go into a cook-off, which will take place on the Monday and be judged by a panel of judges including the founder of the competition Peter Gordon, Chef/Proprietor, The Providores and Tapa Room and recently opened Kopapa. The winner will be announced later that evening at an official awards ceremony in the Penthouse Suite of New Zealand House, London.
Entries for the competition can be made by nominating and entering a candidate(s) or by entering directly. Restaurants or Colleges of each of the eight finalists will receive a complimentary case of Trinity Hill Wines.
Entries for the competition need to be submitted by 1 October 2011.
Chefs entering the competition must be aged between 18 and 23 years old as of 1st December 2011, in training or employment and hold a British passport.
Last year’s winner, Ben Murphy, a 19 year old commis chef from Koffmann’s restaurant at The Berkeley, a five star hotel in London, has won the challenge with a superb three course menu comprising langoustine tortellini, seared scallop, langoustine and saffron sauce; roast New Zealand venison loin, spiced pickled pear, beetroot puree, celeriac and kumara fondant terrine,chocolate infused jus; and Comvita Manuka honey soufflé, lavender & yogurt ice-cream and pollen tuille.
During Ben’s trip to New Zealand, he worked at Peter Gordon’s award-winning Auckland restaurant ‘Dine’, world renown luxury property ‘Huka Lodge’, Trinity Hill Vineyard, well-known New Zealand chef Martin Bosley’s ‘Yacht Club Restaurant’ and Wellington’s popular Boulcott Street Bistro and Logan Brown.
Ben commented: “Being the winner of the UK-NZ Culinary Challenge has been the most exciting and amazing experience that I have ever had. Having the opportunity to go to New Zealand for a month was brilliant, learning about new types of food and the way they're produced, especially to such high standards. Not only did this competition help me with my culinary skills, it also helped my confidence and to become more independent as a person - it was a fantastic learning experience on all levels.”
The young New Zealand winner, Regnar Christensen, who won the prize to come to the UK worked in equally prestigious UK establishments including London’s Le Gavroche, St John and Marcus Wareing.
The UK-NZ Culinary Challenge is supported by the Craft Guild of Chefs and sponsored by award winning airline Air New Zealand (www.airnewzealand.co.uk), world leading tableware specialists Dudson (www.dudson.com), Hildon Water (www.hildon.com), Bramley Apples (www.bramleyapples.co.uk), New Zealand Venison (www.nzvenison.com), health and Manuka honey suppliers Comvita (www.comvita.co.uk), Trinity Hill Winery (www.trinityhill.com), The Providores and Tapa Room (www.theprovidores.co.uk), Bleeding Heart Restaurants (www.bleedingheart.co.uk) and New Zealand Trade & Enterprise (www.nzte.govt.nz).
For more details on how to enter, visit the Craft Guild of Chefs website: www.craftguildofchefs.org or the UK-NZ Culinary Challenge website: www.uknzculinarychallenge.com,
Twitter: UKNZYoungChef and Facebook: UKNZCulinaryChallenge.
Ends 17 August 2011 For more information or to set up an interview with Peter Gordon or Ben Murphy about the competition, please contact: Judith Watson, Tel: 0207 3727732, [email protected]
