For NZ Chefs, the 2026 calendar is shaping up to be a year of professional growth and development for up-and-coming chefs and local culinary creatives.
NZ Chefs President, Shannon Fryer, said the stage was set for 2026 to offer chefs opportunities to showcase their skills on a national and international level.
“Looking ahead, 2026 is set to be an exciting year for NZ Chefs. The Auckland Regional Competitions will be held in May at MIT, and we are thrilled to announce that the NZ Chefs Hospitality Championships will take place on 3, 4, and 5 October, also at MIT,” said Fryer.
These Championships will include the long-awaited return of Statics, Barista, and Front of House, a welcome revival for many members.
Other highlights on the 2026 agenda include the Worldchefs Congress in Newport, Wales, the National Restaurant Show in Chicago, the Restaurant and Foodservice Show in Sydney, Foodpro, Melbourne, and Fine Food Australia in Melbourne.
“A big well done to the Chefs Club in Auckland, where four members have been selected to attend the Billy Gallagher Forum and Young Chefs Club at the Congress in Wales. The fundraising bake sales have been a real hit, offering amazing and tasty treats. Good luck with all the fundraising efforts, and see you in Wales,” he said.
There are also plans to launch the Chefs Club in Wellington and Canterbury too. The recommended upper age limit for members of the Young Chef Club is 25 years old. There may be exceptions for Young Chef Club members exceeding the age of 25, as they may still be studying in a culinary institution or serving as a committee member of the club in a mentoring role.
Fryer added that the NZ Chefs Board for 2025/26 has some excellent ideas and events in planning as well. He also highlighted the support and guidance of the Board.
“Special thanks to new board members Andy Corder and Kenny Halloway for being first out of the starting blocks with their work on updating membership criteria. Kenny Halloway and Matt Shuker have joined Craig Lucas on the NZ Chefs Hospitality Championships 2026 sub-committee.”
NZ Chefs is proud of the many successes and accomplishments that 2025 brought. One noticeable standout saw Emily Morgan take home the gold when she was crowned the 2025 Nestlé Golden Chef of the Year.
“It’s been an honour to share the stage with such talented chefs, and I am so grateful to each of the finalists for their ongoing support and friendship throughout this experience. This is certainly a milestone moment, and I hope there will be many more to come as I look ahead to new opportunities and travel through food,” said Morgan.
Fellow Kiwi competitor Sam Kissell was also one of two treble gold winners for his performance in the competition.
A standout moment was the NZ Chefs Championships at Fine Food NZ, where the best of local culinary talent was on show. NZ Chef of the Year was won by Sam Gradowski-Smith, who had previously won the Emerging Chef of the Year. Gradowski-Smith said that gaining experience by working in modern kitchen environments was a primary career objective, and experiences like these allowed him to join the brigade of young talent in the industry.
Chef Achira Kular Kularatine, who travelled from South Canterbury, was named NZ Pastry Chef of the Year, and New Zealand Defence Force chef Blake Cranch was named NZ Emerging Chef of the year.
Glenn Stridiron, Program Manager for Hospitality and Cookery at SIT, said Kissell has been a standout student.
“It has been an honour and a privilege to work with Sam on his journey from being a student at SIT, then his first competition in the 2024 Golden Chef Hat, through to the 2025 finals, and hopefully again in the future. Sam is an inspiration to young (and older) chefs, due to his passion, commitment, professionalism and composure in the kitchen,” said Stridiron.
Rick Stephen, Global Vice President of the World Chefs Association, was also in Auckland for this year’s championships. Stephen said that competitions were incredibly important for a chef’s personal growth.
“When I used to compete in the competition, we used to train and practice, and then you try and develop techniques or different dishes that you probably would not do in a normal circumstance. So I used to always think that I'd virtually gain four years of training just from that one competition,” he said.
As a new year approaches, Fryer hoped for a busy and successful year in 2026 for all chefs.
“Stay safe and best of luck for the months ahead.”
