Silver for Wairarapa chefs

PRECIOUS MEDAL: Silver-medal winning cooks Jodi Haustein (left), Nykyta Kuri, and Jamie Rafferty pictured at the UCOL Wairarapa with chef lecturer Damian Peeti. PHOTO/LYNDA FERINGA

Three silver medal-winning cookery students are the latest from the UCOL Wairarapa kitchens to return home in glory.

UCOL chef lecturer Damian Peeti said Professional Cookery Level 3 students Nykyta Kuri, Jody Haustein and Jamie Rafferty were part of a five-strong team from the course to compete at the 2014 Wellington Culinary Fare last term.

Ms Kuri and Ms Haustein took silver medals in the trainee class innovated soup section at the event and Mr Rafferty took silver in the trainee class chicken brunch section.

The team had been selected from a class of 20 students to compete in the capital in early May.

It was the second year a Wairarapa UCOL team had competed at the Wellington contest after cookery students from the Masterton campus last year bagged a haul of medals and merit awards at several throughout the country, including the prestigious New Zealand Culinary Fare nationals.

Mr Peeti, a past gold medal-winner at the New Zealand Culinary fare, said there was a Baking and Pastry Level 3 programme still running

"We've had a lot of success in the previous cookery programme and over half have returned for the baking and pastry, which is a good result," he said.

"Nykyta and Jodie are both back this term for the baking and pastry programme, while Jamie is looking to gain experience in the industry at Iberia Restaurant in Masterton and at Tripoli Bistro at Kuripuni.

"He'll look at coming back over to do some formal study later, and all three of them look very smart in their medals as well."