Junior chefs let loose

Twenty-six Ngataki School pupils put their health and nutrition classroom lessons to the test when they were let loose in the Waiora Marae kitchen last week for the Ngataki Junior Master Chef competition.

They were divided into four groups, with having to prepare and present a different dish, the junior pupils producing fresh fruit kebabs.

The dishes ranged from butter chicken to chicken fried rice, each group also researching the country of origin of each dish.

Principal Patrick Andersen, himself a trained chef, said nutrition had been this term's theme.

"We wanted to build these life skills and get the kids aware of them," he said, adding that the children had also learned about budgeting, none of the dishes costing more than $20.

Whakawhiti Ora Pai donated $200 towards the cost of food supplies, with Waiora Marae donating the use of its kitchen for the day, Mr Andersen saying many parents and helpers had also been invaluable.

The judges were professional chef Dan Evans, Karen Karaka (a cook for 15 years) and school chairman Reno Matiu, whose qualifications included being the chief cook for a household of ten kids.

The judges awarded marks out of ten for flavour, presentation and nutrition, the India group taking top honours, the panel commenting on the execution and flavour of their butter chicken.

All the young cooks had been very professional and displayed excellent food knowledge, they added.

It wasn't only the children who enjoyed themselves either. Kuia Tata Norman said she had enjoyed the day, and had picked up a thing or two herself.

"It's a learning curve for me too. I've never made these types of dishes before," she said.

Pupil Clinton Frost, whose all-boy group had the task of making Italian pizza, said he didn't do much cooking at home but was enjoying himself.

"Cooking is fun, but my eyes are sore from chopping the onions," he said.