Even better than a draw at the world cup

The two nations’ minnow status mean it’s unlikely New Zealand will have the opportunity to get its football revenge against the Aussies on South Africa’s World Cup fields.



However our top chefs went a long way this week to rebuilding our competitive self-esteem against our trans-Tasman cousins – thanks in part to New Zealand’s superior salmon species.



The New Zealand International Culinary Team cooked its way past its Aussie counterparts in a trans-Tasman gastronomic showdown at the Fine Food NZ exhibition in Auckland on Tuesday (15 June). And Regal King Salmon could just be the dish that brought home the gold.



The “Battle of the Tasman” was part of the Gourmet Pacific Challenge featuring the New Zealand Chefs Association senior culinary team against a team of top Australian chefs.



While the judges are not releasing the score line, according to one Kiwi competitor it was a close-run thing. Defence force chef Lance Corporal Stephen Hogan says the result was “much better than a draw”.



Both the Australian and New Zealand teams were awarded gold medals in the competition, but the New Zealanders won on points.



“The teams are judged 60-40 on taste versus kitchen work on each of the four courses. I’ve been told we creamed them on the taste and flavour side of things as far as the entrée and main are concerned but it was much closer on the cheese and dessert side,” Corporal Hogan says.



The Kiwi team’s four courses comprised an entrée of Regal Smoked Salmon, a pork dish, a cheese course and dessert.



The salmon entrée featured gin-marinated, pressed hot smoked Regal King Salmon with caponatta and avocado and a warm crab and gruyere tart accompanied by fennel, citrus and baby beet salad.



The Kiwis’ secret weapon could well have been the salmon, Corporal Hogan says.



“King Salmon is a species not found in Australia and it has a superior taste, colour and texture to the more common Atlantic salmon farmed across the ditch. Perhaps that was the difference.”



Regal King Salmon Marketing Manager Stephen Gibson congratulated the team and complimented the Kiwis on a good job.



“We’ve been scoring a few over the Aussies lately, especially on the salmon taste tests. Even their own chefs are backing NZ King Salmon and our salmon is a runaway success at the Sydney Fish Market, the world’s second biggest.



“So well done to the New Zealand team – and we admit to being biased when we say it may have been our salmon that swayed the judges.”