Skills Institute Hosts 8th Australasian Tapas Competition

Skills Institute Hosts 8th Australasian Tapas Competition

Our Skills Institute Wiri campus hosted the 8th Australasian Tapas Competition on 19 August, with 39 chefs from across New Zealand and Australia competing for two places at the World Tapas Competition final in Spain.

On Wednesday 19 August, our Skills Institute Wiri campus once again opened its kitchens to some of the region’s most talented chefs for the 8th Australasian Tapas Competition. It was also the first event held in the new theatre space at Wiri, part of our recent campus renovation.

Thirty-nine chefs from across New Zealand and Australia competed on the day. Each had 25 minutes to create an original tapa, judged on flavour, innovation, presentation and how well the dish would work on a commercial menu.

Alessandro Bonfigli of Pipis Kiosk from Melbourne took out first place, with Kehna Tenisio of Ovation Hospitality from New Zealand placed second, and Aaron Rodrigues of The George On Collins from Melbourne.

Alessandro and Kehna will now represent Australasia at the 10th World Tapas Competition final in Valladolid, Spain, on [date]. They follow in the footsteps of Andrea Vignali, who placed second at Wiri in 2025 and went on to be crowned World Tapas Champion.

Our ākonga in the competition

Five of our own cookery ākonga stepped up to compete alongside professional chefs: Carlos Respuesto, Atawhai Hill, Leucina Boti, Nehasi Tai and Erick Siale.

Each built their tapa around food from home. Atawhai honoured her late mother with tītī on rēwena bread, served with pickled kūmara, watercress and kawakawa mayonnaise. Nehasi drew on lu sipi, a family favourite his late mother made with taro leaves, taro root and pork belly. Other dishes brought Solomon Islands, Filipino and Samoan flavours to the competition, from cassava and kūmara croquettes with fish to a chorizo-silog creation and oka i’a.

Competing against working chefs, in front of an expert panel, is a big step for anyone still in training. Our ākonga took it on with skill and confidence, and brought Māori and Pacific kai to an international stage.

A space for whānau and supporters

The new theatre gave whānau, friends and fellow ākonga somewhere to gather, watch the action and get behind the competitors throughout the day. For our ākonga in particular, having their support crew in the room made a big moment feel a lot more like home.

The judging panel

This year’s judges included Chef David Kamen (Culinary Institute of America), Andrea Vignali (2025 World Tapas Champion), Michelin-starred chef Matt Lambert and Sid Sahrawat, alongside Angel Moreton (Director, World Tapas Competition), Kimberly Dixon (Chief Editor, Hospitality Business), Anna King Shahab, Jinu Abraham (Executive Chef, Cordis Hotel), Wallace Mua (Executive Chef, Marriott, 2026 LION Hospitality New Zealand Awards for Excellence - Chef of the Year),  Mark Southon (Chef & TV Personality), Matt Lambert – Head Chef & Owner, Rēturn Restaurant, and Karl Seidel (Chef, Nestlé).

Thank you for sharing your time, knowledge and expertise with every competitor.

Behind the scenes

Skills Institute has hosted the Australasian Tapas Competition since 2019. Our Cookery and Hospitality team led and organised this year’s event, with support from our ākonga and kaiako across service and event operations.

Thank you to our sponsors for making the day possible: AECID, E-Spain, The Ironclad Co., Besos Margarita, EVA Air, Thermomix NZ, Olive Black, Nestlé ANZ and Nisbets.

This competition is more than a contest. It’s a chance for chefs at every stage of their career to share their stories through food and show what our region brings to the world table. Congratulations to
 Alessandro, Kehna and every chef who competed. We’ll be cheering you on in Spain!

Check out our Facebook page for photos.

Watch the highlights from the day here: https://youtu.be/7pjALT95lkU?si=S11f8yCaaqU3UVx8