Sous chef Ellouise Day has claimed the top prize at Ara Institute of Canterbury’s annual Waitaha Young Chef competition, adding the Young Chef of the Year title to the Young Pastry Chef crown she won at the same event twelve months ago.

Day, who works at OGB in central Christchurch, began her culinary training at Ara in 2019 as a school student completing a Level 3 cookery certificate two days a week.

She has since added a Level 4 certificate, a Level 5 cookery diploma and a Level 5 patisserie qualification.

“I didn’t know what I wanted to do with my life and my school careers advisor suggested I do two days a week at Ara to do my Level 3. I just fell in love with it,” Day said. “Here I am seven years later, back at Ara on this amazing night with the same hat and the same necktie that my tutor gave me when I started.”

Competing against talent from several of Christchurch’s top eateries, Day presented pan seared Lumina lamb rump with pomme purée, mint mojo verde, crispy potato skin, baby carrots, broccolini and a pan sauce at the 90-minute mark, followed by a dessert of chocolate cremeux, pineapple parfait, compressed pineapple, vanilla chantilly, sable biscuit and warm ganache.

Platinum Ambassador with Beef and Lamb New Zealand and head judge Darren Wright said the margins between competitors were tight.

“Today it came down to practice making perfect. Our winning chef had put the work in and her kitchen practice was polished. She delivered a beautiful plate in the service window without any penalty points for lateness,” Wright said.

Day’s prize package includes a $500 Catering Hardware voucher, a Lumina Lamb farm tour and barbecue lunch with Wright, a Bidfood gift basket, and a billboard campaign alongside her employer. She will also be supported by United Chefs and Partners to compete at the national championships.

The Young Pastry Chef of the Year title went to Catrin Grant, who impressed judges with an autumnal entremet featuring Barkers caramel gingerbread, walnut dacquoise, chocolate mirror glaze and Queen Vanilla sable. Grant, who works at Just Desserts, won $500 worth of Silikomart equipment, a Mind Your Temper masterclass, a Bidfood gift basket and a billboard campaign alongside her employer.

In the trainee category, sponsored by Akaroa Salmon, more than twenty competitors across three heats were judged on knife skills, preparation and execution before producing a final dish of pan seared Akaroa salmon glazed with Barkers red pepper and chilli jelly. Ara learner Olivia Wormald took the title, winning a $300 Japanese sashimi knife voucher, a place on the farm tour and a Bidfood gift basket.

 

Chief judge and Ara tutor Stuart Goodall, who brings more than forty years of competition experience, said events like Waitaha Young Chef were formative for the next generation.

“For the young chefs it’s about planning, practising and knowing how much risk to take. For trainees it’s about precision and building confidence,” Goodall said.

This year also marked the launch of the National Pathway Support Scholarships, funded by the Ara Foundation, which recognise the top-scoring Ara competitors across all three categories. The scholarships provide a fully supported pathway to the New Zealand Chefs Championships, including flights, accommodation, uniforms and three months of specialist coaching. The recipients were Wormald in the trainee category, Valerii Stupnitski in the young chef category and Raven Cooper in the young pastry chef category.

Event coordinator and Ara tutor Mark Sycamore said the new scholarship pathway would change the trajectory for promising young chefs.

“It gives our top performers the chance to benchmark themselves nationally and gain the kind of exposure that can shape a career. It’s about opening doors and making sure promising young chefs have every opportunity to grow,” Sycamore said.

Day, who has ambitions to become a head chef and gain international experience, said the connection between food and people was what drew her to the craft.

“Cheffing is such an amazing, rewarding career. Seeing the smiles on people’s faces when they’re eating my food, especially desserts, is what I love most. Dessert doesn’t go to people’s stomachs, it goes to their hearts,” Day said.