Whanganui students find winning recipe

Whanganui Girls' College students Alyse Price (left) and Libby Young, with their food and hospitality teacher Nina Barbezat and chef Phil Healy. PHOTO/BEVAN CONLEY

FOUR Whanganui Girls' College students have scooped several major awards at a secondary schools cooking competition in Palmerston North.

The UCOL-run competition was held in Palmerston North on June 12.

The students' mentor, chef Phil Healy, said the standard of cooking was extremely high - much higher, in his opinion, than a recent tertiary student and open chefs competition in Hawke's Bay.

"These are girls who are not professional chefs and have never competed in any cookery competition before," Mr Healy said.

Nicole Ede won a gold medal and top-of-class in the static muffin category, with her lemon-and-poppyseed muffin.

Mr Healy said Nicole's score of 97 out of a possible 100 points was "near-perfect".

Also scooping a gold medal and top-of-class was Libby Young in the live chicken category.

Live chicken means the dish must be cooked in front of the judges within one hour.

Libby's dish was grilled rosemary chicken with a bacon and leek risotto and sauteed spinach and rosemary creme, and for that she got 91 points out of 100.

Two other students, Dakota Barry in the static muffin category and Alyse Price in the live chicken category, collected silver medals for their culinary efforts.

Mr Healy said the four students had exceeded his expectations.

"I basically told them the criteria for judging, and I gave them a few tips - but they did it all on their own.

"They should be very proud of themselves," he said.