If you like a challenge and have a competitive spirit, then you’re in the right place.
School of Food and Hospitality staff and students consistently enjoy success, winning national and international awards, either as individuals or as part of a team.
The Restaurant Wine and Bar team including Kathryn Fortescue, Cheryl Stokes, Katrina Fisher, Frances oberg Nordt heather Dyksma, Susan Taylor, Kent Slocombe and Jenny Ritchie were awarded a CPIT Excellence in Teaching Award for their work in embedding embedding literacy and numeracy in their programmes, and their long term commitment to improving the student learning experience.
They have developed a collaborative team environment, combining critical analysis with mutual support. Acting as a real community of practice, they worked together on a shared purpose, developing the expertise of the individuals within the team based on modelling best professional practice.
The work of the team has received recognition through presentations at national literacy and numeracy conferences including the 2011 Symposium at the National Centre of Literacy and Numeracy for Adults.
CPIT students won the 2010 Nestlé Toque d’Or culinary competition at the New Zealand Culinary Fare in Auckland. This was the 13th time we've won top honours in the competition's 20 year history.
Toque d’Or is a showcase competition that gives young, up and coming talent the opportunity to shine in front of their peers plus a gruelling panel of expert judges. We were very proud of our students Bonnie Smith, Rhys Barrington, Gavin Larson, Sanjay Prajapati and Christine Mallinson.
The Toque d’Or team was supported in Auckland and trained prior to the event by staff members Stan Tawa, Cheryl Stokes and Marcus Braun.
CPIT tutor Neil MacInnes managed the New Zealand Culinary Team that won the NZCA Gourmet Pacific Challenge 'Battle of the Tasman' Trophy and Gold Medal.
This competition between New Zealand and Australia was held at FineFood New Zealand in Auckland. This was the first time that the New Zealand and Australian National Culinary teams have competed head to head.
Carlita Alexander-Campbell, a second year CPIT cookery student was a bronze medallist in the Gourmet Pacific Young Professionals Challenge Competition held at the same event.
Congratulations to David Tame from Professional Cookery who was a recipient of the 2010 CPIT Excellence in Teaching Award. The annual award is presented on behalf of the CPIT Management Team and the Academic Board in 'recognition of excellence in teaching'.
Congratulations to Stan Tawa after his success in the Southern Stars Culinary Challenge at the South Island Hospitality Show earlier in the year.
Stan stepped up to the mark and took on some of the big guns in the local hospitality scene in a 60-minute challenge to produce four plated portions of a main course dish. He worked at a frenetic pace within that time to incorporate as many different skills as possible and produce a dish of outstanding flavour.
Local blue cod was paired with a rich bisque sauce, mousseline potato, prawn ravioli, baby fennel, corn and a citrus fennel salad.
The $1,000 first prize is sound recognition for the time and effort that Stan has put into this competition and is an achievement of which he can be justifiably proud. Our Toque d’Or team was in good hands when the coach can ‘walk the walk’ as well as ‘talk the talk’.
Amongst the City & Guilds examination results for our chef students was a special acknowledgement. Naoka Hibino, a Certificate in Professional Cookery student, gained top marks in the City & Guilds International Certificate in Food Preparation, and was presented with a gold medal at a special function.
Marvin Ang, the Sales and Business Development Manager (Australasia) City & Guilds International travelled to Christchurch from Singapore to make this presentation.
Our representative Toque d’Or team of Sara Chang, Ryan Lynch and Nicole Carlson were successful at the competitions in Auckland by winning two gold medals and the overall Nestle Toque d’Or trophy.
The meal produced and presented by the students comprised a starter of Akaroa Salmon tapas, followed by a main of pan seared New Zealand Beef Sirloin with a herb crust. Dessert was a lemon tart with praline topping.
Emily Ross also competed in the event as a reserve cookery student and received a gold medal in the Junior Live Pastry event.
The third such award the CPIT School of Food and Hospitality has received in a five year period.
At the NZBG National Cocktail Competition held in Christchurch, CPIT Bar tutor Cheryl Stokes poured everything she had into her drink. She achieved third place in the finals and was awarded a Special Technical Award for her flawless technical skills.
The School of Food and Hospitality's Barista Tutor Luciano Marcolino won the prestigious title of 2005 Robert Harris National Barista of the Year after competing against eight finalists.
Professional Cookery students, Cameron Davies and Natalie Trethowens and Lauri Brouwer, a student of the National Diploma in Hospitality Management, had two and a half hours to prepare, present and service a stunning three course meal to four invited guests.
Enjoying supreme success, they were coached and managed by chef tutor, David Spice and restaurant tutor, Heather Dyksma.
The CPIT team of Phillip Amtman, Mike Davies and Simon Sheffield was coached by Marcus Braun, our patisserie tutor. They spent hours practising their presentation around the theme of 'Christmas' hoping to defend the title won last year in Melbourne.
Luciano Marcolino, one of our part-time Barista tutors gained C4 Coffee South Island Barista of the Year at the CPIT Salon Culinaire and Southern title of the 2005 Robert Harris National Barista Awards.
The passion of tutor Katrina Fisher, to develop practical, exciting and innovative Barista training was recognised by Hospitality Standards Institute, presenting the School of Food and Hospitality with the national award for 'Innovative Teaching Resource of the Year' at the National Conference in July 2005.