Ashleigh Kerr, a member of the winning 2014 Nestle Toque d’Or team from Otago Polytechnic Cromwell Campus.
The country’s top hospitality students are hard at work putting their finishing touches to menus and completing some last minute prep work, as they prepare to compete at this year’s Nestlé Toque d’Or event.
Celebrating a milestone 25th anniversary, Nestlé Toque d’Or has grown to become a highlight on the hospitality calendar, with the top award hotly contended.
Set within the Auckland Foodshow this year, the hustle and bustle of the live kitchen cook off will attract onlookers from around the country all eager to watch the teams in action.
The event which has always remained true to its origins offers a ‘tried-and-true’ formula that has resonated with competitors throughout the years. It pits the country’s top talents against each other with only one team emerging as the clear winner at the end of the day.
Competing teams are made up of two culinary and one restaurant service students who are selected from each of the country’s top training institutes. This year, 12 institutes have registered for the fast-paced event. They include teams from: Christchurch Polytechnic Institute of Technology; Auckland University of Technology; Eastern Institute of Technology; Wellington Institute of Technology; Aoraki Polytechnic; Otago Polytechnic Central Otago Campus; North Shore International Academy; Universal College Of Learning; Western Institute of Technology at Taranaki; New Zealand Defence Force; Bay of Plenty Polytechnic; and Waiariki Institute of Technology
Right up to the day, menus and practice routines are a closely guarded secret, as they could provide a team with that upper edge on the day.
While the menus and training sessions may have changed over the years, what has always remained the same is that hard work, top skills, teamwork and the ability to work well under pressure will ultimately win out on the day.
Teams battle the clock and their nerves in a live cooking arena that replicates a working restaurant. From the moment the bell rings, competitors need to work seamlessly to deliver six covers of a three course meal within an allotted timeframe.
Adding extra pressure to an already tense situation is a team of top industry judges who converge on the scene. This year, there are also judges from Australia who are keen to add their input and see what New Zealand hospitality students can do. They will mark the students against a tough World Chefs’ judging criteria and when the scores are tallied the winners will be known.
While the teams other than the winning one just might feel like throwing their chefs’ tunics in, all is not lost because the event offers much more than an opportunity to compete against others. It showcases the talents and skills of competitors in a public way where onlookers are often scouting for future culinary talent. Many careers are made overnight at the awards party, on the back of slicing and dicing and a well-executed sous vide.
When the ovens are turned off and the plates cleared away, it’s the dedicated sponsors – Nestlé Professional, Beef + Lamb New Zealand, vegetables.co.nz, Akaroa Salmon, House of Knives and Moffat – who will be left behind to prepare and plan for next year’s contenders.
Make sure you don’t miss out on the hospitality event of the year – Nestlé Toque d’Or 30 July at the Auckland Showgrounds.
Nestlé Toque d’Or Hall of Fame
1991. Auckland Technical Institute
Chefs Bernhard Langer & Alan Thompson
1992. Christchurch Polytechnic Institute of Technology
Chefs Wendy Rushworth & Darren Wells
1993. Wellington Polytechnic
Chefs Sonya Paget & John Allred
1994. Christchurch Polytechnic Institute of Technology
Chefs Nathan Sandes & Stephen Boyles
1995. Waikato Institute of Technology
Chefs Lisa Woodward & Adrian Merrilees with Deidre Williams
1996. Christchurch Polytechnic Institute of Technology
Chefs Darren Potaka & Athol Hurst with Michael Hyde
1997. Christchurch Polytechnic Institute of Technology
Chefs Hamish Brown & Stacey Paulin with Georgina Murfitt
1998. Christchurch Polytechnic Institute of Technology
Chefs Andrea Marett & Sarah Hampton with Georgina Murfitt
1999. Aoraki Polytechnic
Chefs Julie King & Kirsten Hickey with Susan Salisbury
2000. Christchurch Polytechnic Institute of Technology
Chefs Darrell Van der Slys & Johnathon Reid with Jannelle Frost
2001. Christchurch Polytechnic Institute of Technology
Chefs Hamish Watson & Rebecca Driscoll with Justine Williams
2002. Christchurch Polytechnic Institute of Technology
Chefs Glenn Wright & Rebecca Densem with Nathan Gudsel
2003. Christchurch Polytechnic Institute of Technology
Chefs Guy Stanaway & Melanie Ellis with Kristine Pereira
2004. Wanganui Universal College of Learning
Chefs Amy Peck & Scott Keenan with Carmel Hughes
2005. Christchurch Polytechnic Institute of Technology
Chefs Cameron Davies & Natalie Trethowens with Lauri Bower
2006. Southern Institute of Technology
Chefs Thomas Hishon & Joseph Clarke with Fina Kristen Pirie
2007. Christchurch Polytechnic Institute of Technology
Chefs Damon Griffin & Taryn Phaal with Fina McGovern
2008. New Zealand Defence Force Joint Service Catering School
Chefs Stephen Hogan & Makere Lee with Kirsty Lister
2009. Christchurch Polytechnic Institute of Technology
Chefs Ryan Lynch & Sara Chang with Nicole Carlson
2010. Christchurch Polytechnic Institute of Technology
Chefs Gavin Larson & Bonnie Smith with Rhys Barrington
2011. Wellington Institute of Technology
Chefs Lillian Poulgrain & Eun Yu with Melissa Lind
2012 Wellington Institute of Technology
Chefs Wei Jun Lee & Beth Christieson with Iain Charlton
2013. Christchurch Polytechnic Institute of Technology
Chefs Hannah Grieve & Daniel Hoare with Gina Johns
2014. Otago Polytechnic Cromwell Campus
Chefs Emma Evans & Erin Fenemor with Ashleigh Kerr
