Following an intense ninety-minute cook-off at the NZ Hospitality Championships in Auckland on the weekend, the ServiceIQ Champion Apprentice Chef is Wellington’s Liam Wilkie.
The award recognises the outstanding achievement of aspiring chefs who craft a professional career by learning as they earn in a real, commercial kitchen with all the demands and pressures for excellent standards that the fast-paced environment brings.
Wilkie beat off three other highly talented finalists with his delicious ‘Taste of New Zealand’ dish: a sumac crusted loin of venison, burnt orange kumara and butter puree, honey-glazed baby golden beetroots, sherry glazed baby carrots and beetroot tuiles. Inspiration for his signature dish came from his love of game hunting in the hills around Taranaki, he said.
“When I was growing up I hunted for possum, red deer and rabbits. I really enjoyed making dishes with the food I got for my family which is another reason I love cooking.”
The 22-year-old is perfecting his skills to be a professional chef at the Copthorne’s One80 Restaurant overlooking Oriental Bay in Wellington.
