SKYCITY's Young Apprentices Take Out Awards

SKYCITY’s Morgan Matich took out the Hospitality Standards Institute (HSI) Front of House Apprentice of the Year Award on Sunday 5 July, at the Manuakau Institue of Technology. Jodie Coetzee, Sonia Carter Amani and Alex Kramarenko also made it into the final. The results were anounced at The HSI Dinner on Monday 6th July.

Competitors completed a written presentation based on their hopes and dreams for their career in the hospitality industry as well as attending an interview to support their presentation, along with testimonials from their managers.

The competitors worked from a mystery box and unknown menu to prepare a full lunch service for four people. Finalists then blind tasted five New Zealand wines to identify varietals, regions and vintage.

The judging panel included Cameron Douglas from AUT, Janet Blackman from Sommelier Services, Ann Black from The Langham hotel and Roy Assadi from The Westin hotel.

The SKYCITY competitiors are now training for the New Zealand Culinary Fare being held from 23 – 25 August 2009.

SKYCITY’s General Manager SKYCITY Hotels Group Auckland, Simon Jamieson says, “It’s great to see our team gaining recognition in the hospitality industry and excelling across multiple disciplines. We wish them all the best for the upcoming New Zealand Culinary Fare in August.”

 

Other SKYCITY successes:

• Alex Kramarenko, SKYCITY’s Front of House representative in the junior skills team had recent success in the HSI awards picking up a bronze in the Northland competition. Alex will be representing SKYCITY in the next Junior Team skills event to be held in August.
• Freya Colah won silver for Tablesetting at the regional competitions held at AUT on 4 July. Ms Colah then went on with Nessa Blackler both winning bronze in the Barrista section. Both Ms Colah and Ms Blackler are SKYCITY Front of House apprentices, who every ten weeks rotate through SKYCITY’s different food and beverage outlets.