NZ Anchor Food Professionals L-R Stephen Le Corre, Richard Hingston, Darren Wright, Corey Hume, John Kelleher and Mark Sycamore
The New Zealand Anchor Food Professionals’ team of chefs has taken out silver at the 2016 Culinary Olympics in Erfurt, Germany.
The team won the silver medal in the all-important Hot Kitchen section with their New Zealand-focused menu of salmon entrée, lamb loin main course, and South Pacific-inspired dessert.
This comes on top of winning two bronze medals in the cold Culinary Arts section two days earlier. Pastry chef Ganesh Khedekar created a chocolate centrepiece featuring Gollum which was a huge drawcard for the crowds.
Fonterra’s director of Global Foodservice Grant Watson was with the team in Germany and congratulated them on the silver medal which was thoroughly deserved.
“It has been 28 years since New Zealand last competed in the Culinary Olympics here in Germany and what’ they’ve accomplished is nothing short of amazing. Their hot dishes were exquisite and loved by the 110 guests and judges who were at the dinner.”
Entrée: Pan-seared Akaroa Salmon – showcasing crayfish, oyster mushroom and fennel sausage, with Manuka smoked salmon cream, salmon and crayfish croquette, picked cucumber vinaigrette and beetroot gel
Prior to heading to Germany, the team honed their skills and the menu at a series of regional ‘feasts’ up and down the country, while also practising for their cold table presentation.
NZChefs’ president and chef de mission to the New Zealand team, Graham Hawkes, says the team is thrilled with the result. “The chefs have put everything into this competition. The food they served up to a sold out service really wowed the guests and the judges, and gave them a real taste of New Zealand,” Hawkes says.
The chefs who competed in the Hot Kitchen section at the Culinary Olympics are Steve Le Corre, Mark Sycamore, John Kelleher, Darren Wright, Richard Hingston and Corey Hume, aided by kitchen technician Anita Sarginson.
