Massey High cooks off to Oz

Cooking champs: Katrina McIver, left and Rachel Kim are among Massey High School pupils preparing for a culinary challenge across the Tasman

Photo: BEN WATSON

By LEANNE WARR

Ten students at Massey High School are spending much of their spare time in the kitchen. Samantha Etherington, Nicole Maguire, Shannon Stewart, Rachel Kim, Ayse Eren, Emma Robinson, Katrina McIver, Stefanie Martin, Nina Suliafu and Akanesa Fusi are preparing for the Royal Melbourne Show's secondary school culinary challenge.

Their school is the only one in New Zealand to go.

"For us to be chosen to do it is fantastic," teacher Nicole Price says.

The students are now trying to raise money to pay for the trip to Melbourne on September 19.

They have been holding sausage sizzles,  pot luck lunches and quiz nights are still short on the total needed.

The culinary challenge will pit them against the best secondary school teams in the southern hemisphere.

Mrs Price says the students will also be able to talk with top chefs from all over Australia.

"It's a chance in a lifetime," she says.

"These are students who are passionate about doing this as a career."

The competition will run over two days.

Western Leader