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31 October 2006
Fourteen of NZ Army’s top chefs and stewards entered the NZ National Culinary fare, held in Auckland in early October. This event is the largest of its kind in the southern hemisphere; this year it attracted over 1,000 industry professionals to compete for the many prizes on offer in the Live Kitchen and Restaurant Service, Static Kitchen, Cocktail and Barista events.
The NZ Army contingent, comprising teams from JSCS, TRSB, 3 Log Bn and 2 Log Bn, achieved phenomenal success, eclipsing all previous Defence records. The contingent proudly held 16 medals: five gold, six silver, and five bronze.
Industry professionals remarked that it was great to see the Army supporting these events, and to see the competitors striving to achieve excellence in their valuable craft.
Nestle Toque d’Or
The prestigious Nestle Toque d’Or is a team event where competitors produce and serve a three-course meal, accompanied by matched wines, under the heavy scrutiny of top industry professionals. 
Each year, 12 polytechnic and university teams compete for the Toque d’Or as part of the NZ National Culinary Fare. The 2006 NZDF team comprised of two chefs, LCPL Farrow (3 Log Bn), PTE Dal Din (TRSB), and a steward LCPL Chittenden (3 Log Bn). The chefs performed brilliantly, taking home the silver, while LCPL Chittenden excelled to earn a gold medal. These were awarded to the team at a sponsored private dinner, where participants were entertained by band Nesian Mystik.
Medals awarded at the National Culinary Fare are based on a competitor’s standard of performance, rather than their finishing position.
Bronze = 70–79%
Silver = 80–89%
Gold = 90–99%
People who finish with 100% performance are awarded Gold with Distinction.
People who perform well and finish on 69 points may be awarded Merit certificates.
This system ensures a high standard of performance; even if there are only three competitors in the category, they can only earn a medal if they perform to the required standard. However, there can only be one winner.
Competitions entered by Army in 2006
NZ Junior Team Skills
Run along the same guidelines as the Nestle Toque d’Or, the NZ Junior Team Skills is a junior team event open to all hospitality trainees in New Zealand. This was entered by PTEs Lee, Nooroa and Whitehouse, of 2 Log Bn, and PTEs Patau, Turnbull and Tupaea of TRSB.
NZ Junior Food and Beverage Serviceperson of the Year
This two-day competition is open to all restaurant service trainees in New Zealand, and involves four individual classes: classic cocktail making; wine and beverage service; barista café beverages; and table setting and clearing skills.
LCPL Josh Comerford, and PTEs Whitehouse, Maidens and Tupaea all entered this event. LCPL Comerford took home one each of gold, silver and bronze. PTE Maidens earned two silver awards, and PTE Tupaea earned silver and bronze. PTE Whitehouse also earned a bronze. The classic cocktail class was won by LCPL Comerford, who took home a Finlandia Vodka prize pack in addition to his gold.
NZ Professional Waiter of the Year
This two-day event is open to all hospitality industry professionals in New Zealand, and involves five individual classes. Day one consists of a NZ Wine exam, in which competitors must identify and evaluate two New Zealand wines “blind”, and answer a New Zealand wine questionnaire. The next class is a wine service class with four diners.
The top eight competitors then continue onto day two, where they are required to silver serve a three-course meal with aperitifs, wine and liqueur coffee, followed by a food and wine matching exam. The event concludes with a “table setting” challenge, where, after being given a trunk full of equipment, competitors must set an appropriately themed table within 30 minutes.
SGT Coulton, JSCS, won this event overall, gaining three golds and a bronze. He was awarded $2,000 and a week’s work experience at Sofitel’s Vomo Island Resort, Fiji.
LCPL Mandy Hall of 3 Log Bn, who entered five events over two days, displayed great skill and dedication. She walked away with a Certificate of Merit for her margarine sculpture buffet centrepiece. LCPL Shontelle Scott, of 2 Log Bn, also performed well in the “live beef main course”, against some highly experienced opposition.
Special thanks must go to the coaches and organisers behind the Defence contingent, particularly WO2 Russell, SSGT Nisbet, and SGT Green of TRSB; SGT Bright and CPL Prime of JSCS; and SGT Lucas of 2 Log Bn, for their support of the competitors during the competition.
The NZ Culinary Fare is a great way for soldiers within the trades of chef and steward to achieve excellence in their fields. The results this year reflect the skill and dedication of NZ Army competitors, and their desire to perform beyond the required standard. We look forward to 2007, where we aim to include more competitors, and achieve even greater results.
This page was last reviewed on 03 November 2006 and is current.
