Ready, prep, go. Ara's rising culinary stars set for national stage

_{Ara competitors (left to right) Olivia Wormald, Raven Cooper and Val Stupnytskyi}

The ingredients have been weighed, the recipes refined and the chef whites packed.

This weekend, three Ara Institute of Canterbury learners will head to Auckland to compete at the 2026 NZ Chefs Championships after earning top honours at the Waitaha Young Chef Competition hosted by Ara in June.

In a first for Ara, the learners are travelling to the national competition with support from the new National Pathway Support Scholarships, funded by the Ara Foundation. The scholarships cover flights, accommodation, uniforms and specialist coaching, helping talented young chefs take the next step onto the national stage.

Representing Ara are Olivia Wormald, Valerii Stupnytskyi and Raven Cooper, who were the highest-performing Ara competitors across the Trainee Chef, Young Chef and Young Pastry Chef categories at the regional competition.

As departure day approached, the trio were busy weighing ingredients, packing equipment and making final preparations ahead of the intense culinary challenge.

_{Olivia Wormald and Val Stupnytskyi compete in the Waitaha Young Chef competitions in June}

Stupnytskyi, who completed the New Zealand Certificate in Cookery (Level 4) in 2025 and is now studying the New Zealand Diploma in Cookery (Advanced) Level 5, will compete in the Emerging Chef category. His competition menu includes a miso-glazed hot smoked Akaroa salmon and a chocolate crèmeux featuring hazelnut, pear and Earl Grey tea.

“I’m just so excited to be doing something really great that will have a lot of flow on rewards for my career,” he said. “For me it’s about showing my passion for food and displaying strong kitchen skills.”

Wormald completed her Level 4 cookery qualification last year and is now also studying towards the Level 5 advanced cookery diploma. She will contest the Trainee Chef category with dishes showcasing a range of classical techniques and flavours.

Cooper's journey to the national championships began as an Ara Dual Enrolment student. After progressing through bakery training and into advanced cookery specialising in patisserie, she now works for Christchurch pâtisserie Oki Oki while completing her studies. She will compete in the pastry categories, presenting both a plated dessert and an intricate entremet.

Cooper said the tutors had put in long practice hours alongside the students.

“We’ve created our own signature dishes and have all the items and recipes down. I just need to get it done in the three hours in a kitchen I’ve never worked in before!”

Wormald said the opportunity to compete at a national level was very exciting.

“I’ve put three months' detailed planning into this and now I just really want to see what others are doing and what their take is on the criteria. It’ll be great to learn from it all,” she said.

Ryan Marshall, Ara’s Hospitality and Services Portfolio Manager said the scholarships had created an important new opportunity for aspiring chefs.

"It gives our top performers the chance to benchmark themselves nationally and gain the kind of exposure that can shape a career. It's about opening doors and making sure promising young chefs have every opportunity to grow," he said.

The scholarship initiative was developed following this year's Waitaha Young Chef Competition, with funding from the Ara Foundation enabling the top-performing Ara learner in each category to progress to the national championships with full support.

The championships attract some of the country's most promising emerging culinary talent, with competitors judged on technical skill, creativity, organisation and performance under pressure.

For Ara, the event is another opportunity to showcase the talent emerging from its cookery and patisserie programmes.

It also highlights the success of the Waitaha Young Chef Competition, which has quickly established itself as a firm fixture on the southern culinary scene since its launch in 2025.

Ara will also be represented among the judging team for the NZ Chefs Association event, with tutor Mark Sycamore recently appointed Chief Judge for the championships and Adele Hingston serving as a judge in the senior pastry categories.

From chocolate crèmeux and yuzu kosho dumplings to entremets finished with mirror glaze, the final details are locked in. Now all that's left is to step into the kitchen and let the food and finesse do the talking.

Find out more about Ara's Hospitality Food and Beverage study options here: Hospitality, Food and Beverage - Ara