Caterers rise to foodie challenge of biggest job

Chef Joe Power (right) with some of his hard-working kitchen staff (from left) Casy Gilsenan, Erica Malloy and wife Heather. Photo/Bevan Conley

Providing food for the Federation of Maori Authorities' annual meeting was by far the biggest job Joe and Heather Power's Essence Catering has ever done.

The two had 30 staff working on the main day, Saturday, cooking for 350 people at the conference which ran from September 26 to 28.

The caterers did most of the work at their commercial kitchen in Aramoho, and served the meals at the Wanganui War Memorial Centre.

They got the job through previous work for the Morikaunui and Atihau Whanganui incorporations - large Maori farming businesses. And they did so well that they've been asked to cater for the Ahuwhenua Trophy BNZ Maori Excellence in Farming Award in Wanganui next year, a dinner for 600 at the same venue.

MasterChef winners Kasey and Karena Bird designed the menus for the conference dinners on the Friday and Saturday nights. They communicated with former Wanganui Polytechnic chef and tutor Joe Power a lot, and he said they were a great pair to work with.

Preparations took place weeks ahead, and there were many issues to work out along the way.

"It's not that easy receiving recipes for four portions and upsizing to 350 - that's a challenge in itself," Mr Power said.

As well as that, he had to source pikopiko - fern fronds - which he had never cooked with before. He used native kawakawa and horopito as spices and had to find many kilos of Maori potatoes and watercress.

"I've never cooked so much watercress in my life. I've only used it as a salad ingredient before."

The meat in the hangi-style pork belly main dish on Saturday was first steamed for three hours then hot-smoked over manuka chips and lightly cooked in the oven. It was served with baby carrots and a watercress sauce.

The venue was a hit, too. Mr Power said the Wanganui War Memorial Centre had been upgraded and was a credit to the district council.

Outside event managers had been stunned by its good parking, central location, helpful staff and the variety of rooms it offered, he said.