NZ Kitchen Brigade of the Year 2025

Kitchen Brigade of the Year 2025

NZ Chefs, in association with Ara Institute of Canterbury, is proud to bring you a team-style kitchen competition to find the best Kitchen Brigade of the Year 2024. Competitors must produce a three-course menu of four covers under Worldchefs competition rules within a specified time frame.

Date: TO BE CONFIRMED

The following is how the 2024 event ran, and yet to be updated for 2025

Entries close on 10 June 2025

Location: tbc Ara Institute of Canterbury, Madras Street Campus, Christchurch

Time: Cooking Start time 1.00pm

Mystery Box viewing time: 12 midday

Entry Information: Download entry form  Then submit to info@nzchefs.org.nz

Further Information: Contact Mark Sycamore on 0276998900 or mark.sycamore@ara.ac.nz

NZ Chefs Brigade of the Year – Class Criteria

This is a team-style event consisting of two (2) chefs who must prepare, cook, and serve a THREE-course menu of FOUR covers within TWO hours following Worldchefs' competition guidelines. The title will be awarded to the team achieving the highest score based on the Worldchefs' competition marking criteria.

This event is open to all chefs with no age limits on competitors.

Please Note: To be awarded the Kitchen Brigade of the Year title, competitors must achieve a minimum standard of silver medal.

More information on the Worldchefs' competition guidelines at Culinary Rules - Worldchefs

The Cook Off

Competitors are to prepare, cook and present a THREE-Course menu, individually plated for FOUR covers within 2hr 00min under Worldchefs' competition guidelines. The menu should be suitable for serving in an upmarket restaurant.

Course 1: – (to be presented at 45 minutes into the competition)

Entrée featuring Lumina Lamb Oyster Shoulder, fresh NZ vegetables, and at least one (1) of the following Nestlé Professional products – Maggi vegetable booster or Buitoni Tomato Coulis

Course 2: (to be presented between at 1hr 30mn and 1hr 45min into the competition)

Mystery Box main course – a balanced dish featuring suitable protein, starch, sauce and showcasing fresh NZ vegetables.

Competitors will receive a list of ingredients 1 hour prior to the start of cooking. The list will feature a selection of compulsory ingredients along with a shared pantry list that will be available for use.

Course 3: (to be presented after the main course but before the 2hr mark of the competition)

Dessert to be individually plated and must feature at least one (1) of the following Nestlé Professional products – Nescafe Coffee or Nestlé Docello Royal Dark Chocolate Couverture, plus Queen Vanilla Paste and a minimum of 1 fresh fruit/fruit product.

Note: ALL elements for Course 1 can be brought in pre-prepared to allow competitors to showcase some of the more time-consuming techniques such as dehydrating, curing, fermenting, pickling etc. However, the dish MUST be assembled during the competition and all pre-prepared items MUST be the work of the team competitors. ALL elements for Courses 2 and 3 MUST be fully prepared in the competition arena during the stipulated timeframe.

General Rules

- Entry fee per team is $45 for NZ Chefs' members and $75 per team for non members.

- Competitors must report to the competition reception by 11.30am on the day of the competition.

- At 12 noon the team competitors will be given access to the Mystery Box ingredients to plan their dish. (No Mise en place can take place at this time.)

- Competitors will have access to the competition kitchen at 12.30pm. Between 12.30pm and 1.00pm general set up can be completed along with weigh up of ingredients from the shared pantry. NO COOKING is to take place during this time.

- Team's dishes must be completed within the stipulated completion times. Competitors violating this rule will be penalised as per Worldchefs' competition rules.

- Please note that to be awarded the overall title and full prize package the competitors must achieve a minimum standard of SILVER MEDAL.

- Competitors will be provided with the following products on the Friday prior to the competition day and these must be used in the production of your menu. These can be picked up from Ara Institute of Canterbury, Madras Street Campus.

• 1x bone-in Lumina lamb oyster shoulder
• 1kg Nestlé Docello Royal Dark Chocolate Couverture

The remaining sponsors' products will be available on the day of the competition.

- Competitors must bring their own ingredients for Course 1 and 3, all small kitchen equipment and plate wares.

- The following must be submitted at the start of cooking:

• Two (2) full sets of recipes for the 1^st and 3^rd courses.
• Two (2) menu cards to be displayed on presentation table and available for Judges.
• One (1) menu description card for the main course must be presented with the dish (this can be handwritten).

Please be aware that no external produce is allowed to be used in the production of the Course 2 Mystery box. Doing so may lead to disqualification from the competition.

Kitchen facilities

Competitors will be provided with the following equipment for use in the kitchen.

• 1x s/s bench 200cm x 60cm approx
• 1x MOFFAT 4 burner gas stove top with electric oven
• 1x single power point
• Waste containers, cleaning products, 2x tea towels and wiping cloths
• 1x sink with dishwash liquid

The following equipment is available for shared use:

• Electric salamander
• 8 tray steamer
• 2x Deep fryers
• Pasta roller
• Shelf in fridge
• Blast chiller + freezer space
• A range of black and white plates (however, competitors may bring their own)

All other equipment should be provided by the competitors. Anything that does not fit into a knife box will need to be approved for use the by host venue and chief judge.

Prizes:

The winners of the NZ Chefs Kitchen Brigade of the Year 2024 title will receive:

• - Trip to Akaroa to visit the Akaroa Salmon farm site including lunch at a local restaurant.
• - MOFFAT E23D3 oven and SK23 stand for their workplace filled with sponsors' products.
• - $500 Southern Hospitality voucher.

2^nd, 3^rd and 4^th place will receive a $100 Southern Hospitality voucher

Download Recipe and Dish description cards here