Forget patatas bravas, croquetas and empanadas. Spain may be the birthplace of tapas, but the Australasia Tapas Competition promises more than a dash of Kiwi flavour.
Kicking off at Ignite Colleges cookery school in Auckland on August 27, the highly anticipated culinary contest has become a launchpad for aspiring tapas chefs keen to inject local flair into Spain’s traditional and much-loved fare.
Tapas Spotlight
From venison, cacao, suet and harakeke sausage rolls to Turkish-inspired baklava made with New Zealand King salmon – and even the humble Southland cheese role, elevated with prawns, scallops, onion ash and black garlic – this is an event that sees chefs from Down Under challenge the norms of what can be combined in a single dish.
“This is an opportunity for chefs to shine the spotlight on New Zealand and Australian ingredients, it’s a chance for them to innovate and push the boundaries of tradition,” says Chef Jasbir Kaur, competition organiser and Head of Global Education Partnership and Business Development at Skills Group.
“We have so many unique and amazing products in this part of the world and this competition provides the perfect platform to celebrate them on the global stage.”
Sponsored by Ignite Skills, E-Spain, UNOX, HTT (Hospitality Training Trust), Great Taste NZ and Nestlé, the competition is now in its sixth year, and draws top chefs from both sides of the ditch, each vying for the coveted title of Australasia Tapas Champion – and the chance to represent Australasia at the prestigious World Tapas Competition in Valladolid, Spain.
Competition Judges
The high-pressure competition gives each competitor just 25 minutes to create eight portions of show-stopping innovative tapas. Each dish will be judged on flavour, presentation, originality and business potential by an esteemed panel of judges including celebrity chefs Peter Gordon, Sid Sahrawat and Simon Gault, Hyatt Executive Chef Brent Martin, Chef Jasbir Kaur, E-Spain founder Angel Morton, and Hospitality Business Editor, Kimberley Dixon.
Think you’ve got what it takes to wow the judges? To register and secure your participation, fill out the registration form using the following link: https://form.jotform.com/241691840989371
Entries close August 5. Or join us at 9am, August 27 at Ignite Colleges (98 Kerrs Road, Wiri) to watch all the action.
