Meet New Zealand’s best young chef

Sweet taste of success – William Mordido

The winner of this year’s Chaîne des Rôtisseurs competition held early this month at Le Cordon Bleu New Zealand Culinary Institute in Wellington was William Mordido of Chiko’s Restaurant and Café Auckland.

All going to plan, William will be the candidate representing New Zealand at the 2016 international competition, taking part in the next Jeunes Chefs Rôtisseurs Competition – that’s finding the best young chef – organised by the National Bailliage of Great Britain to take place next  September, and held in Manchester, England.

In second place behind William was Blake Haines from Bracken Restaurant in Dunedin; and placed 3^rd was Ashley Baty from Pen-y-bryn Lodge in Oamaru. The other three contestants taking part were Steven Bertie, Tequila Mockingbird, Christchurch; Zayne Bussell from The George in Christchurch and Benjamin Horn, CQ Hotel, Wellington.

Each competitor was required to produce four identical plates of three courses (entree, main and dessert) within three and a half hours. The items for these meals were presented to the contestants in a ‘mystery box’ – the contents of which were only disclosed at the beginning of the competition.

The biennial event offers young chefs the opportunity to demonstrate their culinary skills in a competitive environment with their peers. The competition is open to chefs up to 27 years of age with less than five years professional experience and they must be employed at a member’s establishment at the time of competing and must remain an employee of a member establishment to compete at the international competition.

New Zealand has a proud history of past competitors who have not only represented themselves well at the international competitions but have also gone on to achieve incredible success in the industry both nationally and internationally.

Kitchen judge Steve Morris said these six young chefs were some of the best he had seen in this type of competition. 

This year’s competition jury members were chairman, Marc Soper, Wharekauhau Country Estate, Wairarapa; kitchen manager, Sebastien Lambert, Le Cordon Bleu, Wellington;
assistant kitchen manager/kitchen judge, Francis Motta, Le Cordon Bleu, Wellington;
kitchen judge, Steve Morris, Epicure Catering, Westpac Stadium, Wellington; kitchen judge,
Scott Campbell, Weltec School, Wellington; and the three tasting judges, David Burton, Le Cordon Bleu,  Wellington; Rebecca Rosie, The Canterbury Club, Christchurch; and Shaun Clouston, Logan Brown Restaurant, Wellington.

If anyone would like to know how they can be involved with sponsoring and/or getting involved with Chaîne des Rôtisseurs, please contact Marc Soper on mdsoper@hotmail.com