British sous chef Adam Rickett first decided to work on the
skifields for a chance to snowboard, but was lured back for
a second season at the Coronet Peak kitchen by a promotion.
Photo supplied.
In our ongoing series profiling seasonal jobs on the
skifields, UK sous chef Adam Rickett tells Henrietta Kjaer
about what inspired him to come back for a second season at
Coronet Peak.
Queenstown Times: Why did you choose this job?
Adam Rickett: Originally, simply because I wanted to
snowboard in New Zealand.
QT: What made you come back for a second season?
AR: I returned due to the offer of a promotion within my
department. NZSki is a company where, if you put in the work
and show the initiative, you can progress.
QT: What sort of jobs did you do before you took up this
position?
AR: I have been catering for nearly a decade and am fully
qualified.
QT: How would you describe your job?
AR: It is
like a well-choreographed West End show - everyone playing
their roles to perfection.
QT: What is the best thing about your job?
AR: I would say the best thing is the awesome team I have
been lucky enough to have working under me.
QT: Which challenges come with the job?
AR: The entire job is a challenge, but a good one. It
takes a lot of effort to organise such a large-scale
operation. It is awesome fun, though.
QT: Which skills or qualities are needed to do your
job?
AR: You have to have time management and organisational
skills along with attention to detail and a passion to
create.
QT: Who would your job appeal to?
AR: Any chef that wants to work in a ski environment and
take on the challenge of such a large-scale kitchen.
QT: How are you settling in to life in Queenstown?
AR: I love living in Queenstown. Spend enough time here
and you cannot help but find yourself embedded in the
community. I live in a seasonal town back home in the UK, so
I am very used to the boom you see with the seasons.
QT: What is your best advice to people who move to
Queenstown for seasonal work?
AR: Get in there
early, and really make an effort to find work. Don't just
expect to be handed a job - you have to work for it in this
town.
QT: What has been your most amusing or interesting
on-the-job experience so far this season?
AR: The most interesting about my job has been working
under my head chef, Peter Becker; truly a master of his craft
and a fountain of knowledge.
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