Kiwi Chef Zach Duxfield has won the Australasian Tapas Championship, and is on his way to representing the region in Spain.
A unique twist on a Kiwi favourite - mince and mushrooms on toast - has earned Paris Butter Head Chef Zach Duxfield the grand title of Australasia Tapas Champion, and with it, an all-expenses paid trip to Valladolid, Spain, to represent the region at the World Tapas Competition in November.
The Australasia Tapas Competition took place at Ignite Skills cookery school in Auckland on August 27. It brought together 28 talented chefs from both sides of the Tasman and a panel of esteemed judges, including World Tapas Competition Director Angel Moreton and celebrity chefs Peter Gordon, Sid Sahrawat, and Simon Gault.
Duxfield wowed the judging panel with his glazed and charred slow-cooked beef tongue accompanied by milk bread toasted in aromatic beef fat, poached mushrooms, chardonnay vinegar gel, mushroom crackling and a smoked chive powder. A side of mushroom consume provided the finishing touch.
“For this competition, I wanted to capture the essence of a tapa but with a Kiwi spin,” said Duxfield.
“My dish was inspired by mince on toast, which was my childhood comfort food.”
The accolade comes as a “huge win” for the 27-year-old, who has 12 years of cheffing experience behind him. It gives me confidence and also the opportunity to show the world what we are doing over here in New Zealand.”
Duxfield added that going to Spain to cook almost didn’t feel real.
“I think once it gets closer to the time it will start to hit me. I’m excited and nervous, but I think I have a reasonable chance at the top three. Showing the world what I remember as ‘Kiwi cuisine’ will be really special and I’m looking forward to tasting and exploring the history of a country like Spain. It’s going to be incredible.”
Judge Peter Gordon said the award-winning dish was a real standout.
“It was a great play on the Kiwi classic mince on toast, but taken to the next level. Zach created a beautifully tender sliced ox tongue and mushrooms on a delicate brioche toast, with a hearty yet delicate mushroom broth to accompany it. It was well balanced and perfectly seasoned,” said Gordon.
Now in its sixth year, the Australasia Tapas Competition was brought to New Zealand by the Head of Global Education Partnership and Business Development at Skills Group, Chef Jasbir Kaur.
“This annual contest has become a calendar highlight, and is currently the biggest cookery competition in the country. It is an unbeatable way of supporting our chefs, giving them opportunities to showcase their skills on the global stage, and of course also promoting New Zealand’s unique and world-class produce and cuisine,” said Kaur.
The event challenged competitors to showcase Antipodean ingredients in innovative and exciting new ways, and Chef Sid Sahrawat was just one of the judges who was impressed with the calibre.
“It’s a very professional competition, and I can’t wait to judge it again next year,” he said.
While there could be only one tapas champion, there were plenty of other exceptional chefs who made their mark. Executive Pastry Chef at Pullman Hotel, Manoj Deigiri, was awarded second place with his mouth-watering duck liver and chocolate pate, while Mr Morris Sous Chef Chetan Saini earned third place for his fish brandade tapa presented in a smoke-filled bespoke box, which Peter Gordon described as “fantastic”.
Special awards went to Makarand Karkhanis (Most Fusion Flavour), Jamie Johnston (Most Innovative Tapas), and Melbourne-based chef Miguel Rios (Most Creative Tapas).
The 2024 World Tapas Competition takes place at the Valladolid City Hall in Spain from November 11 to 13.
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