Three student chefs from a tourism and business school in China are at NorthTec for a month in their quest to create a new cuisine culture. They also want to draw attention to aspects of their Chinese food culture which is under threat. Martin Liang, Zachery Zhu, and Matt Ma were broughtto New Zealand with the help of the Chinese Government to learn about New Zealand-style cooking. They will combine these insights with traditional Chinese methods to create a new style of cuisine culture, said Justin Chen, who helps bring Chinese students to NorthTec under the Chefing Exchange Programme. "After they have finished, they will be able to create their own fusion-style food," Mr Chen said. The students, whose school is in Guang Zhou, the capital of Guang Dong Province, are in their final year's study. While here they are also eager to draw attention to social change in China which is threatening ancient cooking traditions, such as making noodles by hand. The process which has been a Chinese food and cultural staple for a thousand years but is under threat from cheaper mass-produced noodles, Mr Chen said. Although almost three times more expensive, people prefer the healthier hand-made noodles, he said. Mr Chen is a senior chef with 20 years' experience and is general manager of the Hospitality Training Centre in China. He also runs businesses in New Zealand and China. The students' visit to NorthTec is the second leg of their field trip. They have spent time at Palmerston North, Wanganui and Wellington.
