Lamb and duck snacks win BOP battle

A snack made of spiced lamb, salsa, and tapioca crackers has won over a top food critic in New Zealand. The snack was created by Aditya Raut, a sous chef at Sugo restaurant in Tauranga, with the help of his mentor Shane Yardley from Toi Ohomai Institute of Technology. The pair won the Judge’s Choice Award at the Battle of the Snack finale, which was part of the annual Flavours of Plenty Festival.

The editor of Cuisine magazine, Kelli Brett, praised the snack for showcasing Aditya’s Indian heritage and his culinary training. Aditya has also trained at Toi Ohomai and has worked in several popular restaurants in Auckland and Tauranga.

The Battle of the Snack competition was created to recognize and encourage young chefs. Aditya and Shane will be featured in the September issue of Cuisine magazine for their win.

Meanwhile, the People’s Choice Award was given to Kristian So’e, a junior sous chef at Papa Mo’s, for his curried duck croquettes. He was supported by his mentor Neil Sapitula, the executive chef at Saltwater Seafood Bar & Grill and Solera.

The Flavours of Plenty Festival, which is managed by Tourism Bay of Plenty, includes nearly 50 different food events across the coastal region. The festival director, Rae Baker, said the Battle of the Snack was one of the first events to sell out and that guests enjoyed trying 12 different snacks. The event was held at Saltwater, and local producers donated beverages.