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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