Guest Chef Ethan Flack heads a team of SIT Cookery students as they prepare dessert for the Famous Young Chefs Degustation Luncheon, held recently. Supplied photo. Southlanders in the know were living large recently when they were treated to a smorgasbord of .
It also gave 23 students from the Southern Institute of Technology and Southland Boys’ High School the chance to experience a busy commercial kitchen while learning from top chefs. Flack, who had resettled in his hometown of Invercargill, said his culinary idols had taught him about the importance of cooking with locally sourced, seasonal food. “There’s a connection between the plate of food and what s happening around you,” he said, adding that campaigns like Savour the South encouraged people to get to know their local producers. The luncheon meant students could learn from five different chefs with different experiences and mindsets,” Flack said.
Actor Oscar Kightley and TV host Stacey Morrison will host the night.
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Diners watch on as the carnage unfolds in the kitchen at last year’s event at the Christchurch Town Hall. So far this year, $92,247 total has been donated, with Whalan leading again at $17,845. Whalan said he was competitive by nature and loved a challenge. He hoped to be top of the fundraising come Saturday. “There’s a lot of fundraisers doing good work, but I definitely want to put the most money in the tin come the end.” He said being involved in the event again was an “extremely easy” decision, given the worthy cause to give children a helping hand.