Download Welcome from the Head of School of Hospitality

Welcome from the Head of School of Hospitality
This August/September issue of WelTec’s School of Hospitality newsletter
brings you exciting news of our win at Toque d’Or, and the opening of the
new campus at Cuba Street at the end of this month, with a look behind the
scenes for secondary schools and members of the public to follow on 28
September.
WelTec has featured in the media recently with our secondary schools Chef
for a Day initiative and Wellington Regional Schools’ Culinary Fare, which was
held at our Petone campus. Both events were reported in the local paper and
tutors Jim Collins, Toby Sanderson and Ray Morrell were very pleased with
the high standards achieved by those involved.
In this issue we profile Anthony Dey who is the General Manager of the
Brentwood Hotel in Wellington and who shares his insights on a career in
Hospitality Management. Our own Ben Shadbolt who is the Programme
Leader in Cookery, Patisserie, and Food and Beverage Service at WelTec
School of Hospitality also features.
We have a story on WelTec Chef Jim Collins who enjoyed a taste of the
spotlight himself recently appearing as a guest chef in a television cooking
show which is screening in the Cook Islands at present. Jim Collins has
recently returned with other staff from teaching at WelTec’s Hospitality
Tourism Training Centre in Rarotonga.
Finally we have some pictures from the night of our well received Annual
Secondary School Information and Network Evening at the Te Papa Icon
function room at the end of July which featured the latest on the new campus.
Everyone was impressed with the efforts of our own WelTec students who
delivered excellent service as waiters on the night.
Cherie Freeman
August 2012
Back to Back Wins for WelTec in the Prestigious
Toque d’Or Competition
WelTec has emerged victorious for the second year running at the national
Toque d’Or cooking competition.
Students Beth Christieson and Wei Jun Lee went head-to-head in the kitchen
with 20 other culinary students from around New Zealand and the Pacific to
create six covers of a three-course meal in just two-and-a-half hours.
The team’s front of house competitor Iain Charlton then served the dishes
to VIP guests. A panel of judges comprising of leading chefs and culinary
professionals scrutinised the teams every move throughout the event before
declaring them the overall winner.
“I am so happy that we won, all the weeks and weeks of practicing were all
worth it,” Iain Charlton, the font of house student said.
The team’s innovative menu featured New Zealand Beef Roasted in Porcini
dust and for dessert a rich chocolate marquise with tamarillo jelly.
“Our menu drew inspiration from international restaurants and culinary events
that I visited earlier in the year. The dessert was inspired by a similar one the
Queen’s personal chef created,” WelTec tutor and mentor Scott Campbell.
WelTec tutor and chef mentor Ray Morrell was thrilled with his teams efforts
and said the most important factor in the team winning was team work.
“Our students were supported not only by all the staff within the School of
Hospitality, but also by our industry partners such as Shaun Clouston from
Logan Brown.”
Head of School Cherie Freeman was thrilled with the efforts of both
the students and the staff who mentored them. “The students have all
demonstrated extremely high levels of skills winning this competition, they are
a credit to both their tutors and the institution.
The win comes on the eve of the School of Hospitality moving into its new
purpose built, state-of-the-art facility in central Wellington.
After 22 years Nestlé Toque d’Or is New Zealand’s longest running and most
prestigious student cookery and food service event. It is held in 17 countries
around the world and has launched the careers of several world-famous
chefs, including Jamie Oliver.
Campus Blessing
80 visitors attended the Maori blessing of the new campus by Te Ati Awa on
10 August 2012.
The dawn ceremony signals the way for staff from Le Cordon Bleu NZ and
WelTec staff to move into the new campus.
Pictured below are Linda Sissons (WelTec Chief Executive), Cath Hopkin
(LCB NZ Director), Hinemoa Priest (Kaiwhakahaere Maori), Teriu Lemon
(WelTec), Roger Sowry (Council Chair), Suzanne Snively (Councillor)
The WelTec School of Hospitality Showcase
The WelTec School of Hospitality Cuba Street Campus will open its doors to
the general public for the first time on 28 September.
The new central city campus is situated on the corner of lower Cuba and
Manners Streets and boasts four state of the art teaching kitchens complete
with LCD TV screens. There is also a 100 seat training restaurant and
production kitchen which will eventually be open to city diners, a training bar,
latte lab and lecture theatres.
Staff will be on hand from 10.30 am to 5.30 pm with course and enrolment
information.
The WelTec School of Hospitality Showcase
48-54 Cuba Street, Wellington
28 September, 10.30am - 5.30pm
An Interview with Anthony Dey
General Manager of Brentwood Hotel, Anthony Dey, admits that as a
teenager his first career choice was to be an air-force pilot. However, not
being able to claim 20/20 vision saw him opt for his second choice in hotel
and catering administration. Following a career path in hospitality is a move
he’s not regretted.
“It’s a vibrant industry, every day is different,” says Mr Dey.
A member of WelTec’s Hospitality Advisory Committee since 1998, Mr
Dey believes WelTec’s strength as an education provider lies in the strong
relationships and rapport it maintains with the industry.
Story continued next page >>
Mr Dey began his own career working part-time in the banquet department
at the then Plaza International Hotel in Wellington. He soon moved into a
supervisory role gaining experience in the banquet and conferencing which
saw an amalgamation of his skills and training, explains Mr Dey.
A move to Australia followed in 1990 to the Regent Hotel in Melbourne.
Working in the premiere establishment in the heart of the city was a fantastic
experience, Mr Dey explains. The size of the hotel was impressive with 380
rooms and ballroom facilities for up to 600 people. Mr Dey worked as head
waiter and senior supervisor and says he enjoyed meeting and serving a
variety of high profile people in the Australian business community.
After a break in the United Kingdom Mr Dey returned to New Zealand where
he accepted what was supposed to be a year long position at the Brentwood
Hotel in Wellington as a conference co-ordinator.
“Seventeen years later and I’m still here,” Mr Dey says. After working as an
executive assistant manager for several years Mr Dey moved into the role of
General Manager in 2010. His time at the Brentwood has seen him face the
challenge of an extensive refurbishment and renovation project as well as a
review of the hotel’s processes and customer services.
Mr Dey manages 83 staff in total and believes in applying a management
style which caters to the needs of staff, bringing out the best in people who
then pass this on in a way to that ensures top quality service to customers.
Mr Dey says he receives a great sense of achievement and satisfaction from
customers who leave the Brentwood happy and wanting to return.”
Mr Dey has high enthusiasm for WelTec’s School of Hospitality and the
campus which is soon to open in the heart of Wellington’s hospitality sector.
“Relocating will be a big challenge but it’s a positive way of moving forward,”
says Mr Dey. “The new campus is very exciting and will add more strength to
WelTec’s programmes.”
WelTec Chef gets a taste of celebrity – Cook Islands Style
WelTec Chef Jim Collins will have a taste of being a Cook Islands celebrity
this month when he features in a television cooking show. Mr Collins will
appear as a guest chef on Rarotongan presenter Shona Pitt’s A Taste of
Cooks which runs as a five part series on Cook Islands Television over the
next few weeks.
Mr Collins says he was invited to appear on the show while he was in
Rarotonga for WelTec teaching at the Hospitality Tourism Training Centre. He
demonstrated a version of a dish which earned him Gold in the 2009 New
Zealand National Culinary Fair, Island Foods category. Mr Collins raised a few
eyebrows among the local chefs with his dish which he described as “seared
tuna steamed in banana leaves with a paw-paw salsa and frothy coconut
sauce”. Mr Collins says he made use of fresh affordable local ingredients. “I
was even able to pick up many of the ingredients for free, literally off trees,”
says Mr Collins.
The Hospitality and Tourism Training Centre runs two level four courses for
Cookery and Food and Beverage. Mr Collins says there are twelve students
in each course with a wide age range of pupils aged between fifteen and
50. With tourism and hospitality being the main industries on the islands the
students are dedicated to finding employment, says Mr Collins. “They are
very respectful and have good practical base skills.”
Story continued next page >>
Mr Collins says working and teaching in a hot and humid climate can be
challenging. A running joke in the school is to call the walk-in pastry and
chocolate fridge the New Zealand room, says Mr Collins. Some ingredients
which are easily accessible in New Zealand are often hard to come by, such
as a daily fresh milk supply.
Mr Collins has travelled to the Cook Islands for WelTec at least 21 times in the
last four years. He says has already become a celebrity of sorts in the island
community.
“They call me Papa Jim,” says Mr Collins. “I’ve spent so much time on the
islands I feel Cook Island on the inside.” Mr Collins says he enjoys integrating
with the local community during the time he visits the islands taking part in
events and judging culinary competitions along with other WelTec staff.
An Interview with Ben Shadbolt
Programme Leader
Cookery, Patisserie and Food & Beverage Service
Ben Shadbolt was only ten years old when he decided he wanted to become
a chef. “I was dining at my uncle’s country club in the U.K. and I enjoyed the
atmosphere,” Mr Shadbolt says. “All the staff were very friendly and efficient
at ensuring diners had a fantastic experience, but they were also enjoying
what they were doing.”
Prior to any formal chef training Mr Shadbolt found part-time work at the
Swan Hotel in Lavenham, a 15th century establishment, which operated a
classical kitchen structure. In the early days he put his hand to everything he
could. “I started at five in the morning lighting the fires,” explains Mr Shadbolt.
“I’d wash the dishes, do room service, porter and work in the restaurant,
anything just to get an understanding of the industry.”
After gaining his formal City and Guilds qualifications, Mr Shadbolt’s first
opportunity as a Sous Chef came for Ipswich Town Football Club in the
eighties. These were high times for the club, explains Mr Shadbolt, and as a
19 year old football fan the chance to cater for top players and personalities
in the sport couldn’t have been better.
In the following years he gained a myriad of experience working in seaside
bistros to premier hotels. A high spot was two years as Sous Chef at St Pierre
Park Hotel in Guernsey. It was at the conference and banqueting resort hotel
where he began to realise that it was the structure of a traditional system in
a large quality establishment that appealed to him. “What I like about the
industry is the ability to move sideways or even down a level in order to move
up in the ranks. This provides a great opportunity to develop different skills
and gain invaluable experience which builds nicely on formal hospitality
training.” It was at the St Pierre Park Hotel that Mr Shadbolt first became
interested in travelling to New Zealand.
“One day in the middle of winter one of the management team came
through the kitchen sporting a suntan. He told me he had just come from
New Zealand.” Mr Shadbolt felt the lure of a warmer climate and packed his
bags. “My goal was to come to this side of the world and work my way back
across, a bit like a traditional kiwi O.E. but in reverse.”
Story continued next page >>
Mr Shadbolt’s next Christmas saw him serving buffet lunch to almost 1000
diners at the then International Hotel in Rotorua. Mr Shadbolt found the
opportunity in New Zealand and the work life balance (he became very keen
on trout fishing) too hard to pass by. After a brief return to the UK with a year as
Sous Chef at the Park Lane Hotel in London’s West End, he returned to New
Zealand and eventually settled here. After that came a time as Head Chef at
Tongariro Lodge in Turangi, Executive Chef for Millennium Hotels and Resorts
in Christchurch, and then Mr Shadbolt moved to Wellington and took up the
position of Executive Chef at the West Plaza Hotel.
While at the West Plaza Mr Shadbolt became active on the advisory board of
Hutt Valley Polytechnic. In 2001 he came to WelTec as a chef tutor and became
Programme Leader for Cookery and Patisserie and Food & Beverage Service
in 2009.
A great advocate for giving back to young people in the industry, Mr Shadbolt
is looking forward to the opening of the new Hospitality campus in Wellington’s
CBD, something he believes will bring new learning opportunities for students,
teachers and industry. Mr Shadbolt says he leads a fantastic team at WelTec
and thoroughly enjoys getting back into the teaching environment when he has
the chance.
Annual Secondary School Information and Network Evening
Te Papa Icon Function Room - 31st July
Top Left: Jeanne Lomax, Francesca Bradley and Nicola Grant from St Bernards College
Top Right: Cherie Freeman presents to invited guests
Bottom Left: Sonia Tiatia (Hospitality Standards Institute), Helen Miner (Upper Hutt College), Sarah O’Neil and Cherie Holmes (Wainuiomata College)
Bottom Right: Tim Baxter, Mary Brien and Lynda Carter from Sacred Heart College
continued next page >>
Left: Cherie Freeman with Anthony Dey - General Manager of the Brentwood Hotel and Ruth Pretty - WelTec’s Hospitality Advisory Committee
Chairperson
Right: Ruth Pretty presents to invited guests