Wakatipu Youth Trust youth worker Nathan Baxter (left) with budding chefs (from left) Alice Ward, Tessa Kennedy, Cassey Strachan, Joel Pratt and Haruka Arai, all of Wakatipu High School, with Crowne Plaza Queenstown executive chef and mentor Ricky Isnanto, have a charity dinner night on the menu for the community at the hotel's award-winning Threesixty restaurant on July 9.
The young people had not stepped inside a professional kitchen until they started the trust's five-week ''Beyond the Basics - Top Chef'' mentoring programme.
The budding chefs learned from Mr Isnanto, plus Martin James, of Wai, Danny Miller, of Skyline, Ian Sherwood, of Bella Cucina, and Jason Moss, of Waitiri Creek.
The team will prepare pan-seared New Zealand scallops on butternut puree with a fresh green salad, pan-seared local venison on polenta, with an autumn baby vegetable salad finished with honey truffle dressing, slow-braised beef cheeks with butternut, cavolo nero, pine nut and raisins, and a dessert to be revealed on the night.
Tickets are available before the event from Crowne Plaza and cost $65 per person for three courses and a glass of Peregrine Saddleback Pinot Noir.
Proceeds will go to the Wakatipu Youth Trust to help the charity run similar programmes in the future.
