Hosting Aotearoa’s
Largest Food Festival

On the 26th of August, Le Cordon Bleu New Zealand was proud to host the final judging of the Burger Wellington Award, part of the Visa Wellington On a Plate (WOAP) food festival. Our kitchen facilities and restaurant space provided the perfect environment for our guest chefs to cook and present their entries.
 
WOAP is one of the largest food festivals in the southern hemisphere. Now in its 18th year, the month-long festival brings together restaurants, chefs, producers, brewers, winemakers, and food lovers from across the greater Wellington region and internationally. It’s an opportunity to celebrate the creativity and diversity that define Wellington’s title as the culinary capital of New Zealand.

From left to right; festival director Beth Brash, Burger Wellington winner Chef Archie Juant, guest judge chef George Motz (left),
alumnus Varun Toorkey representing Bellbird Eatery (right).

The core spirit of the festival is to encourage experimentation. Burger Wellington challenges chefs to take the familiar burger format and transform it into something distinctive, often drawing on different cultures, techniques, and locally sourced ingredients. With hundreds of entries and thousands of diners participating, it creates a rare opportunity for chefs to take bold creative swings, showcase their craft, and connect directly with the public.

Visa Wellington On a Plate has helped launch new culinary ideas and provided a platform for emerging hospitality businesses, with several successful festival concepts going on to become permanent Wellington establishments. Like Vaibhav Vishen’s Chaat Street, a Bachelor of Culinary Arts and Business alumnus that transformed a popular Indian street food popup into a successful and award-winning restaurant. 

Chaat Street's cosy dining space (left), Vaibhav back in campus for an alumni event (right).

This year featured George Motz as an international guest judge, Motz is a celebrated chef, author, photographer, and filmmaker. Titled the ‘foremost authority on hamburgers’ by The New York Times, Motz was the perfect fit to judge the 5 best burgers in the region. Among the 5 constants was our close industry partner, Chef Chetan Pangam, Chef-Owner of Bellbird Eatery and a Beef and Lamb Ambassador Chef. Alongside Chetan was our alumnus Varun Toorkey, currently a Chef de Partie at Bellbird, to assist in preparations for the event. We are proud of their accomplishment in earning 2nd place out of 244 entries. Next month Chetan will return to provide an exclusive demonstration for our students and judge our upcoming Beef and Lamb Contest.

Bellbird Eatery’s entry, ‘Lamb-da Rassa Pao’ (left), Chetan and Varun presenting their submission (right).

For Le Cordon Bleu New Zealand, being chosen to host the final judging was a fitting opportunity to support the people and businesses who make Wellington such an exciting food destination. As a culinary school dedicated to developing the next generation of chefs and hospitality professionals, we are proud to be part of a city where creativity, collaboration and a passion for food are such an important part of its character. Thank you to festival director Beth Brash and the team behind Visa Wellington On a Plate for collaborating with us.