Opinion: Joelle Thomson

Joelle Thomson

Journalist, wine writer and author joellethomson.com

NZSFW marks 25 years

There was cause for celebration just before lockdown as the New Zealand School of Food and Wine marked a quarter century – a milestone worthy of admiration, says Joelle Thomson

CAN YOU imagine having a job you loved so much that you never wanted to leave?

Can you also imagine celebrating 25 years in that same business, having watched your children grow from toddlers to becoming part of the company where you’ve trained more than 20,000 people?

That’s become a reality for Celia Hay this year as she and her family celebrate a quarter of a century of the New Zealand School of Food & Wine.

Based in downtown Auckland for several years now, the business began life in Christchurch where it remained until the devastating earthquake of 2011. The damage to the school’s building was so great that Hay had to move. The decision to relocate to Auckland was easy in rational, practical ways but was a big wrench for her family, who were all born and bred in Christchurch.

The Canterbury connection remains a strong one though. The family farm at Pigeon Bay on the Akaroa Peninsula is still their home and they visit it regularly. The land has a special place in Hay’s heart; she considers herself the kaitiaki (guardian) as it’s been in the family since 1843.

Hay first opened the doors to the New Zealand School of Food & Wine (NZSFW) in 1995 in Victoria Street, Christchurch, and has seen over 20,000 students since then. That’s no mean feat in a country the size of New Zealand, where small businesses can boom and then go bust due to low numbers, strong competition and lack of planning. But if anyone knows how to plan for the future, it’s Celia Hay.

Her resumé contains an impressive

“I felt back at the start, as I still do today, that we needed to bring more professionalism to the sector so that people have a better understanding of what and why they were doing these tasks.”

list of qualifications – from a Master’s degree in education to the highest level in the Wine & Spirit Education Trust wine qualifications, the Level 4 Diploma, with numerous other credentials in-between.

“My goal from those very early years was to develop better courses and qualifications for the hospitality industry, which not only met the changing demands of employers, but also inspired young people to become more curious about our world,” says Hay.

“Sensing and identifying aromas, discovering new ingredients, mastering cookery techniques, learning to taste and savour fine food and unravelling the customer service experience are all part of what we teach. Above all, I wanted to encourage people to climb the career ladder as baristas, chefs, general managers, sommeliers and also as entrepreneurs, setting up their own businesses. I felt at the start, as I still do, that we needed to bring more professionalism to the sector so people have a better understanding of what and why they were doing these tasks.”

In March, Hay and her family celebrated 25 years in business at their Auckland headquarters. It was also a chance to celebrate the newest qualification – the new NZQA-accredited micro-credential, Certificate in New Zealand Wine. Hay is hopeful the Certificate will provide an opportunity for staff in restaurants, winery cellar doors, wine sales and marketing, as well as wine lovers, to learn more about local wines.

So let’s raise a glass of a great New Zealand wine to those first 25 years – and toast the next 25 too.