Students serve Decadent feast

TABLES SET: Emily Fiu-Poufa, 17, puts the finishing touches on table settings. PHOTOS/SUPPLIED WTA230913SUPCOLLEGE03

Tantalising aromas have been wafting from the Wairarapa College kitchens.

Cindy Veitch, Wairarapa College head of food technology, said the delicious smells drifting about the school early last week had been Year 13 hospitality students preparing dishes for their restaurant Decadent.

The scheme was part of an annual Year 13 restaurant that had 20 diners on Monday and Tuesday nights last week as a way for students to showcase skills they had been working towards during the year.

She said the experience also gained NCEA assessment credits for students and was a special occasion for the student chefs.

The restaurant had a theme of A Night at the Oscars and had been weeks in the making, with students first selecting six to eight starter dishes and mains for taste-testing by lunchtime guests.

The guests gave their feedback on the food and the most popular dishes were selected and put together to make an interesting menu, Ms Veitch said.

"They look at plating, cost and particularly timing - the courses all need to be served together."

Students prepared the meals in groups and individually and also covered front of house.

Diners had a choice of two entrees, three mains and two desserts with after dinner coffee made by Year 12 baristas, Ms Veitch said.

Dishes included parmesan and parsley encrusted baked salmon, vegetable lasagne, lamb cutlets, popping chocolate gateau and a tasting plate of meringues, apricot tarts and citrus cheesecake.