Otago Girls' High School pupil Abbie Larson prepares a Thai
beef burger in the Otago regional burger competition final
in Dunedin yesterday. Photo by Craig Baxter.
Kaikorai Valley College should probably open a burger
bar.
Pupils from the school won both the senior and junior
sections of the Otago regional burger competition final in
Dunedin yesterday.
The Beef and Lamb New Zealand-sponsored annual competition
challenges pupils to turn beef or lamb into an appetising
burger, with nutritional value, appealing appearance and
flavour harmonies.
The senior section was won by Kaikorai Valley College year 13
pupil Monique Edie (17) with a Turkish lamb burger with
yoghurt dressing, and the junior section by Kaikorai Valley
College year 10 pupil Tegan Vickery (14) with a Mediterranean
lamb burger with French dressing.
"It always amazes me that these school kids manage to produce
something that would be saleable in a decent cafe," Beef and
Lamb New Zealand nutrition manager Fiona Carruthers said
yesterday.
"There are a lot of components to a burger to get it all
together. We're looking for flavour combinations and good
texture and flavour of the meat."
The pupils had an hour to cook and prepare their gourmet
burger from scratch, while judges assessed their preparation
and working methods, before the composition and flavour of
the finished product was ranked.
"I just tried to do everything as well as I could, with lots
of flavour and colour," Otago Girls' High School pupil Abbie
Larson (14) said.
"You know the meat is right when it springs back when you
push it."
Pupils from Kaikorai Valley College, Bayfield High School,
Kavanagh College, Otago Girls' High School, Twizel Area
School and Central Southland College took part in the event.
The judges were Otago Polytechnic senior cooking lecturer
Tony Heptinstall, Pier 24 chef Michael Coughlin and Ms
Carruthers.
Monique and Tegan will go on to compete in the national final
in Auckland on September 24, with the winning senior
receiving $750, the winning junior $500 and their schools
$1000 each.
- nigel.benson@odt.co.nz
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