NZ-UK Link Foundation Culinary Exchange Awards
27 November 2008
The NZ-UK Link Foundation Culinary Exchange presents the chance of a lifetime for two young chefs each year.
This reciprocal award was set up five years ago and has gone from strength to strength. The driving force behind it is New Zealand celebrity chef Peter Gordon who has restaurants in London, New York and Auckland and a former NZ-UK Link Foundation Trustee Pat Alston, who is also the wife of a former British High Commissioner to New Zealand. Initially funded by a donation from Toast New Zealand, the award is now funded by a variety of sponsors. Our associates in New Zealand are the Hospitality Standards Institute, the industry's training organisation, and in Britain, the Craft Guild of Chefs.
Each year the winner of the competition in both countries is sent to the other country to work four or five stages in some of the top restaurants in that country. In New Zealand, a young British chef has worked in Sky City Auckland, Logan Brown and Zibbibo in Wellington, the Bon Bolli in Christchurch and in Blanket Bay, Glenorchy. In Britain, a young Kiwi chef has worked in The Providores, Locatelli, the Savoy Grill Le Manoir aux Quat’ Saisons and the Fat Duck at Bray.
Chris White of Claridges Hotel in London was the winner of the 2008 NZ-UK Link Foundation Culinary Challenge (pictured receiving his award from the Foundation's Patron HRH the Princess Royal at the awards function in London in November the same year). He traded countries with Thomas Townsend of SkyCity Restaurant in Auckland - New Zealand's 2008 NZ-UK Link Foundation Modern Cookery Apprentice of the Year.
Previous winners have included:
- 2007 - Selin Kiazim from Westminster Kingsway College was the winner of the British Culinary Challenge award. She exchanged places with Porsha Fraser of 35 Degrees South Aquarium Restaurant & Bar in Paihia, the New Zealand Culinary Exchange winner.
- 2006 - NZ-UK Link Foundation Cookery Modern Apprentice of the Year was Heather Kanuik from dine by Peter Gordon restaurant in Auckland. Her Kiwi counterpart was Chris Hagan of Baslow Hall Restaurant in Derbyshire.
- 2005 - the NZ winner was Carl Wills, formerly of Sail Rock Cafe in Mangawhai Heads in Northland, while Sophie Wright of Westminster Kingsway College in London was the British Culinary Challenge award winner.
- 2004 - Logan Turner of Sky City Restaurant, Auckland, New Zealand swapped with Mark Dixon of the Imperial Hotel in Great Yarmouth, Norfolk, England
- 2003 - Kiwi Craig Crocombe of Wellington's Duxton Hotel swapped with Brit Eddie Raines from the Castle Hotel in Hereford.
For entry into the NEW ZEALAND competition - the NZ-UK Link Foundation Modern Cookery Apprentice of the Year award - visit Hospitality Standards Institute for entry criteria and an application form.
For entry into the sister competition in BRITAIN - the NZ-UK Link Foundation Culinary Challenge - click here for competition rules, dates and the experiences of former winners.
Files
- Carl Wills Report
- Download: Carl_Wills_Report_1.pdf (143.84 KB)
- Chris White (2008) report
- Download: Chris_White_2008_-_Report.pdf (104.38 KB)
- Logan Turner Report
- Download: Logan_Turners_Experience_in_the_UK.htm (30.61 KB)
- Luke Fouracre Report
- Download: Luke_Fouracre-2009_NZ-UK_Culinary_Challenge_Report.pdf (137.42 KB)
- Mark Dixon Report
- Download: UK_chef__s_NZ_experiences-Dixon.doc (33 KB)
- Thomas Townsend Report 2009
- Download: Modern_Apprentice_Chef_Trip_-_Thomas_report.pdf (14.39 KB)