9 January ry, y 2026
Students chefs avo go As thousands of people dance, eat and drink up the vibes at tomorrow’s Katikati Avo Fest at Uretara Domain, a group of Katikati College students would be doing the hard yards behind the scenes helping to cater for the event. But the gig was more than just cooking, it’s a chance to dive into the real-life
world of hospitality, which could spark a first step toward a lifelong passion or career. Year 10 students Alexis Cook, Dani Hudson and Pippa Meekings, pictured, were among the group of eight that would get turns at being rotating souschefs to work alongside Kiwi celebrity
chef Chelsea Winter at her cooking demonstrations inside the festival’s kitchen marquee. They would serve up their food to corporate tent guests. Katikati College hospitality department head Karyn Williams said the experience would show her students there was so much more to hospitality than cooking or
making coffee. “Seeing it come to life through a professional like Chelsea makes it real – students witness the creativity, discipline, and teamwork involved, and many walk away thinking: ‘I could do this’. Read more on page 3. Photo / Merle Cave