International success A passion for food and wine has led two former StAC Food Technology students to exciting international careers.
She has ‘such fond memories’ of her Food Technology classes at St Andrew’s back in the early 2000s. “Mrs Buckley was the ultimate teacher, providing guidance, skills and fun in equal measure. Discovering my passion through her intuitive nature unveiled my determination to succeed, and a supportive team of teachers, including my House Manager Mrs Morrow, encouraged me to act on my dreams.”
Guy Stanaway (OC 2001) Head Chef at Ricky’s, Noosa Heads Chef Guy Stanaway’s appetite for a career in food was evident when he was one of the first students in the senior Food Technology programme at St Andrew’s back in 2000, says Raewyn Buckley, Teacher in Charge of Food and Fabric. “I remember Guy once raided his Mum’s freezer and brought salmon to school, and also a duck he had shot, to pluck.” After leaving the College, Guy did his training with Christchurch Polytechnic and completed his apprenticeship at The George Hotel under renowned Executive Chef Hamish Brown. He has won numerous prestigious awards, including South Island Chef of the Year at the Salon Culinaire competition (2006), Commis Chef of the Year and Canterbury Best Young Chef of the Year (2004). He aso won the prized Nestlé Toque d'Or competition alongside Melanie Ellis and was a member of the New Zealand culinary team. His job has allowed him to travel extensively while working as Executive Chef for Aman Resorts in Rajasthan, India and Bali, Indonesia. Guy now has followed the tropical weather to Noosa where he was the Head Chef at the Noosa institution Bistro C. "St Andrew's allowed me to pursue my interest in the culinary arts, which then opened my eyes to a possible career path in the industry. Raewyn Buckley was a huge influence and mentor in helping me channel a life-long passion into my future career. Life in the kitchen isn't an easy one. However if students are really passionate, a career in food offers unparalleled opportunities to travel, the capacity for creativity and invention, plus the requisite skills to make any meal a memorable one."
New accelerated learning programme Everyone is equipped with a fantastic brain that if worked the right way can do fantastic things, says Brett Clark, who along with his brother Jamie Clark is HOD of Learning Support. Brett was a recipient of the Marily Scanlon Award for Teaching Excellence in 2014 and used the $5000 prize money to undertake a two week course at Morningside Academy in Seattle, USA, which runs an internationally recognised programme enabling students who need support with their learning to ‘catch up, build up and get ahead’. Inspired by the effectiveness of the acclaimed programme, Brett was instrumental in establishing a new Accelerated Learning Programme for Year 9 and Year 10 students at St Andrew’s in 2015, based on the Morningside system. “We take a very positive approach to the students we assist, equipping them with the skills they need to become independent learners. One of the key elements of the programme is helping them to develop a thing called grit, which is the understanding they must build self-reliance and persevere to achieve a long-term goal.” Brett says huge gains can be made, particularly in the core subjects of reading, writing and Mathematics, when the students work hard and practise regularly. “It is a rigorous programme, with not a second wasted, as the brain needs to be tested and stretched in order for it to grow.” As well as developing the all-important grit and self-reliance, students build curiosity, discipline, self-esteem and courage on the programme, he says. “The biggest, most positive change is a change in attitude. Once students realise they can succeed within the support and structure of the programme, they work really hard.”
Teaching and Learning
Melanie has been in the UK for more than 10 years, joining the team at Peter Gordon’s famed The Providores and Tapa Room in London in 2006 as a chef. She played a fundamental role in transforming the wine list to the largest offering of premium New Zealand wine in the UK. In 2014, she was ‘overwhelmed’ by the support during a Kickstarter campaign when she crowd funded £42,500 in just 14 days to open The New Zealand Cellar, which brings a diverse, ever-evolving selection of this country’s wines to UK consumers. Melanie’s expertise and high regard in the industry has seen her selected on judging panels for publications including the Wall Street Journal and Decanter.
The Learning Support team. (Top from left): Emily-Jane Ullrich, Alison McCormick, Rachael Deller, Jamie Clark, Brett Clark. (Bottom from left): Cynthia Parker, Mark Hall, Shelley Broad, Suzy Duff.
19 Regulus
Melanie Brown (OC 2001) Director of The New Zealand Cellar, London A passion for the food industry and an extensive knowledge of New Zealand wine has led chef and wine expert Melanie Brown (née Ellis) to start a thriving UK based specialist New Zealand wine retail outlet and bar.
