Internationally acclaimed chef, Peter Gordon is popping a manu at the world champs this weekend. Video / Ryan Bridge TODAY
Acclaimed Kiwi chef, author, and restaurateur Peter Gordon ONZM has swapped the kitchen for the water as he prepares to participate in the Z Manu World Champs this weekend.
The Whanganui-born chef told Ryan Bridge TODAY he would participate in the Famous Faces contest this weekend and has his firstpractice session this afternoon.
Gordon said he was generally “good with a jump” because he grew up always near water, thanks to his fisherman father, and joked his technique will need its own name.
“Because manu means bird in Māori, and they do the coffin and they have these different techniques, I think mine is going to be called the potato,” Gordon said.
The top chef is expected to face some stiff competition in the Famous Faces category, including former All Black Piri Weepu, whose niece Zerenity Mill-Simpson is looking to win back-to-back titles in the Youth Female competition.
Chef Peter Gordon will look to make a big splash at the Z Manu World Champs this weekend. Photo / Michael Craig
Police Minister Mark Mitchell is also scheduled to take part after spontaneously joining in at the last edition of the event.
Other famous faces to appear at Karanga Plaza in the Viaduct Harbour include Charlie Pomee, K’Lee, Azura Lane and Paralympian Cameron Leslie.
American content creator JManGo, who is attempting to visit every town in New Zealand, will also be there, alongside strongman Rongo Keene, actor Bruce Hopkins and New Zealand boxing champion Lani Daniels.
Piri Weepu will feature in the famous faces division of the Z Manu World Champs this year. Photo / Zach Quin
The Famous Faces competition is held in aid of Water Safety New Zealand. A Givealittle page has been set up and donations from each participant will match their splash height.
“Water Skills for Life is about teaching people how to survive,” Gordon said, “and that’s everyone, adults and kids”.
Gordon said if you fell from a boat, it wasn’t about learning how to swim to shore.
“It’s learning how to float, how to stay buoyant, how to not panic, and that’s really important because we have a really bad drowning rate here in New Zealand, and a lot of it is people getting caught in a rip or something, thinking that they’re going to swim back to shore.
