New Zealand begins quest to find the UAE's best chef

‘2015 Taste New Zealand’ Culinary Competition set to excite as entries open for professional chefs across the UAE’

UAE, Sunday 4 March 2015: UAE chefs once again have the chance to battle it out, as the 2015 Taste New Zealand culinary competition kicks off, inviting professional chefs across the UAE to compete and create imaginative dishes that showcase New Zealand produce at its best. With entries now officially open until 20 March 2015, the competition invites chefs to vie for the coveted title and a chance to become the Taste New Zealand champion 2015 and win a return trip to New Zealand.

The annual Taste NZ competition challenges professional chefs to broaden their culinary horizon and work with new ingredients in creative ways to showcase the quality and variety of New Zealand produce. The theme for this year’s competition is Create, Plate, Picture.

Participating chefs must submit an image of a dish they have created using a NZ ingredient. Ten finalists will be invited to a cook-off at the competition final on 11 April 2015 at The International Center for Culinary Arts (ICCA) in Dubai.

Haylon Smith, New Zealand Trade Commissioner to the UAE, expects to see innovative and exciting dishes crafted from New Zealand ingredients. “Taste New Zealand is a celebration of New Zealand food and beverage and offers professional chefs the opportunity to learn more about New Zealand produce in a competitive format. This will be the third year that we host the competition and we’re excited to see what this year’s contestants bring to the table,” says Smith.

Judging this year’s competition is a panel of some of the best known names in UAE food circles, including last year’s judges, Reif Othman, Executive Chef at Zuma and Robin Padgett, Emirates' Senior Vice President  Dnata Catering. Two new additions to the judging panel include; Colin Clague, Executive at Chef Jean George Dubai and Bruce Woolner, Operations Manager at Chef Middle East. The judges will use their unique perspective and individual experience to evaluate different aspects of the entrants’ Create, Plate, Picture dishes, and again at the final cook-off for the top ten on 11 April.

This year, the ten finalists will be invited to nominate a professional chef partner to assist them in the kitchen as the competition heats up. Last year saw Praba Manickam, Area Head Chef for Food Fund International earn the Taste New Zealand winner’s title. His winning dish featured Firstlight Venison French Rack encrusted with pistachio, received the highest recognition from the judges.

Commenting on the competition, Manickam said, “It was such an amazing experience and honour to win the Taste New Zealand Chef Competition in 2014. I got to enrich my knowledge and expertise with the diversity and quality of New Zealand food and drink produce, and the competition also allowed me to fly to New Zealand and experience the country’s rich culture and tradition”.

The Taste New Zealand chef competition aims to raise awareness of the diversity and quality of New Zealand food and drink products available in the UAE among participating chefs as well as buyers, food service and retail industry leaders.