It’s official! Paris Butter Head Chef Zach Duxfield is Australasia’s top tapas chef, and will soon be jet-setting his way to Spain to represent the region at the World Tapas Competition at Valladolid City Hall from November 11 – 13 this year.
Zach wowed judges with his sensational ‘mince and mushrooms on toast’ at the Ignite Skills Australasia Tapas Competition, transforming a classic Kiwi favourite into a bite-sized taste sensation.
Zach’s slow-cooked beef tongue (glazed and charred) was the star of the show, complimented by milk bread toasted in aromatic beef fat, poached mushrooms, chardonnay vinegar gel, mushroom crackling and a smoked chive powder. A side of mushroom consume provided the finishing touch.
“This dish is inspired by my childhood comfort food – I wanted to capture the essence of a tapa but with a Kiwi spin,” says Zach. He clearly achieved all that and more, taking out the grand title from 27 other talented chefs from both sides of the Tasman.
All Expenses Paid Trip to Spain
The win, which includes an all expenses paid trip to Spain to compete at the Worlds in November, is a massive thrill for the 27-year-old chef.
“This is a huge win for me. It gives me confidence and also the opportunity to show the world what we are doing over here in New Zealand.
“Going to Spain to cook almost doesn’t feel real! I think once it starts getting closer to the time it will start to really hit me. I’m excited and nervous, but I think I have a reasonable chance at the top three. Showing the world what I remember as ‘Kiwi cuisine’ will be really special and I’m looking forward to tasting and exploring the history of a country like Spain. It’s going to be incredible.”
Duck Liver and Chocolate Pate
Hot on Zach’s heels came second place getter Manoj Deigiri, Executive Pastry Chef at Pullman Hotel. Originally from Sri Lanka, the 41-year-old chef’s ‘duck liver and chocolate pate’ was a show-stopper, complete with crystal croissant bread, white chocolate chilli snow, Pamplona chorizo, Spanish onion puree and coco nib tuile.
Third place went to Mr. Morris Chef Chetan Saini who created a crunchy potato spaghetti-wrapped smoked fish brandade, presented in a smoke-filled bespoke box. Among the panel of judges was Celebrity Chef Peter Gordon who described Chetan’s masterpiece as “fantastic”.
Other stand-out chefs included Makarand Karkhanis, who took out the Most Fusion Flavour Award, Jamie Johnston (Most Innovative Tapas Award), and Melbourne-based chef Miguel Rios (Most Creative Tapas Award).
Chef Simon Gault has been judging the competition for the last three years and is a huge fan.
“The Australasian Tapas Competition is like the Olympics of the culinary world,” he says. “Every year the dishes get better and better. In the early days of this competition the dishes were too big, but now chefs are really understanding the concept of tapas, and they are creating incredible dishes that are just one or two bites.”
Sixth Year
Now in its sixth year, the Australasian Tapas Competition was brought to New Zealand by Chef Jasbir Kaur, Head of Global Education Partnership and Business Development at Skills Group. It is sponsored by Ignite Skills, E-Spain, UNOX, HTT (Hospitality Training Trust), Great Taste NZ, Nestlé, Puhoi Distillery, Chefi, Martinez Charcuteria, Olive Black and Raglan Food Co.
“This annual event has become a calendar highlight, and is currently the biggest cookery competition in the country,” Jasbir says. “It is an unbeatable way of supporting our Kiwi chefs, giving them opportunities to showcase their skills on the global stage, and of course also promoting Aotearoa New Zealand’s unique and world-class produce.”
Seven of the ten judges pictured with competition organiser, Chef Jasbir Kaur, Head of Global Education Partnership and Business Development at Skills Group, Ignite College.
From Left: Chef Simon Gault; Karl Seidel, Commercial Advisory Chef at Nestlé Professional, Hyatt Executive Chef Brent Martin, restaurateurs and Chefs Sid Sahrawat and Peter Gordon, and Chef Todd Thorburn from UNOX. Food industry writers Kim Knight and Kimberley Dixon completed the judging team led by Angel Moreton, the Director of the World Tapas Competition.
