Rising talent shines at Ara’s Waitaha Young Chef Competition

_{OGB's Ellouise Day at work during the competition at Ara Institute of Canterbury}

Waitaha has a new Young Chef of the Year.

Ellouise Day, sous chef at OGB in the heart of Ōtautahi, has taken out the top award at the annual Ara Institute of Canterbury Waitaha Young Chef competition.

Her win builds on last year’s success when she claimed the Young Pastry Chef title.

_{Ellouise received her award from Alliance Group Brand Ambassador and competition judge Darren Wright}

Day began her training at Ara in 2019 as a Dual Enrolment ākonga (student) completing a Level 3 Cookery certificate. She’s gone on to gain a Level 4 Certificate and Level 5 Cookery Diploma followed by her Level 5 Patisserie qualification.

“I didn’t know what wanted to do with my life and my school careers advisor suggested I do two days a week at Ara to do my Level 3. I just fell in love with it,” she said.

“Here I am seven years later, back at Ara on this amazing night with the same hat and the same necktie that my tutor gave me when I started.”

The Young Chef and Young Pastry Chef categories are open to chefs and trainee chefs aged 25 and under. This year’s lineup included talent from top Christchurch eateries.

_{Ellouise Day's winning Young Chef of the Year plates}

Ninety minutes into Monday’s competition Day presented her first course of pan seared Lumina lamb rump with pomme purée, mint mojo verde, crispy potato skin, baby carrots, broccolini and a pan sauce. At the two-hour mark she followed with a dessert of chocolate cremeux, pineapple parfait, compressed pineapple, vanilla chantilly, sable biscuit and warm ganache.

Day's win earned her the Young Chef of the Year title along with a $500 Catering Hardware voucher, a Lumina Lamb farm tour and BBQ lunch with head judge Darren Wright, and a Bidfood gift basket. She will also appear in a billboard campaign alongside her employer.

Wright, Platinum Ambassador with Beef and Lamb New Zealand, said the winning margins were tight. “I think today it came down to practice making perfect. Our winning chef had put the work in and her kitchen practice was polished. She delivered a beautiful plate in the service window without any penalty points for lateness,” Wright said.

Day has plans to be a head chef someday and to gain some international experience along the way.

“Cheffing is such an amazing, rewarding career. Seeing the smiles on people’s faces when they’re eating my food, especially desserts, is what I love most. Dessert doesn’t go to people’s stomachs, it goes to their hearts.”

_{Catrin Grant at work in the Ara kitchens completing her award wining dish}

This year’s Young Pastry Chef of the Year title went to Catrin Grant, who impressed judges with an autumnal entremet featuring Barkers caramel gingerbread, walnut dacquoise, chocolate mirror glaze and Queen Vanilla sable.

Her prize package included $500 worth of Silikomart equipment, a Mind Your Temper masterclass and a Bidfood gift basket.

Grant has also won a billboard marketing campaign alongside her employer, Just Desserts.

The trainee category, sponsored by Akaroa Salmon, was open to learners studying cookery at Levels 3 to 5. More than twenty competitors lined up across three heats where they were judged on knife skills, preparation and execution. Their final dish featured pan seared Akaroa salmon glazed with Barkers red pepper and chilli jelly.

_{Olivia Wormald at work and (right) receiving her award alongside Nik Mavromatis from Akaroa King Salmon}

The winner, Ara learner Olivia Wormald, received a $300 Japanese sashimi knife voucher, a place on the farm tour hosted by Darren Wright and a Bidfood gift basket.

Chief judge and Ara tutor Stuart Goodall, who has more than forty years of competition experience, said events like Waitaha Young Chef help shape the next generation of chefs.

“For the young chefs it’s about planning, practising and knowing how much risk to take. For trainees it’s about precision and building confidence,” Goodall said.

The event was coordinated by Ara tutor Mark Sycamore who thanked sponsors for their ongoing support. “They bring incredible product for the young chefs to work with and sponsor top quality equipment for prizes. We’re grateful they’re part of the legacy of cooking competitions in Canterbury.”

For Ara ākonga the success didn’t end with the major titles. This year marked the launch of the National Pathway Support Scholarships, funded by the Ara Foundation, which recognise the top scoring Ara competitors across the three categories.

The scholarships provide a fully supported pathway to the NZ Chefs Championships including flights, accommodation, uniforms and three months of specialist coaching.

The winners were Olivia Wormald (Trainee Chef) Valerii Stupnitski (Young Chef) and Raven Cooper (Young Pastry Chef). Sycamore said the new pathway was a game changer for young talent.

Ara Portfolio Manager for Hospitality and Services Ryan Marshall thanked Sycamore for spearheading the idea and securing the scholarship funding.

“It gives our top performers the chance to benchmark themselves nationally and gain the kind of exposure that can shape a career. It’s about opening doors and making sure promising young chefs have every opportunity to grow,” he said.

Ellouise Day will be supported by United Chefs and Partners (UCAP) to attend the national competition.

Waitaha Canterbury Young Chef Awards winners:

Young Chef of the Year (Sponsored by Catering Hardware)
1st Ellouise Day
2nd Valerii Stupnitski
3rd Daniel Sears

Young Pastry Chef of the Year (Sponsored by Silikomart)
1st Catrin Grant
2nd Ellouise Day
3rd Shayani Withanage

Trainee Chef of the Year (Sponsored by Akaroa King Salmon)
1st Olivia Wormald
2nd Valerii Stupnitski
3rd Nukutai Rupene

National Pathways scholarship winners (Supported by the Ara Foundation)
Olivia Wormald
Valerii Stupnitski
Raven Cooper

Find out more baout Ara's Food and Hospitality programmes here:Food, Hospitality and Tourism - Ara