The legacy of well-known Southland Hospitality/Cookery tutor and mentor, Scott Richardson, is being enthusiastically championed by the next generation, which bodes well for the continued success of his annual Memorial Dinner and Fundraiser, and helps perpetuate his influence with local students planning a career in the hospitality industry.
The Scott Richardson Memorial Trust held ‘A Dinner for Scott’ on Saturday 10th August at Hansen Hall, Southern Institute of Technology, Invercargill, where 150 diners were treated to sumptuous food, prepared by some of New Zealand’s top chefs – some of whom had benefited from Mr Richardson’s mentoring. Michael McMeeken, Tom Hishon, Brit MacDonald, Jess Granada, Zane Neustroski, and Long Prawn from Melbourne - Fred Mora and Lauren Stephens.
The chefs spent two days paying it forward to a group of more than 60 local secondary and tertiary students, who gained invaluable industry insights. Mr Richardson was widely known through his teaching roles at SIT School of Hospitality and Cookery, and later, Southland Boys’ High School.
Now in it’s third year, the dinner raises funds for The Scott Richardson Memorial Scholarship, as well as a secondary school prize. Dinner co-organiser and board chairperson of the Trust is Chef Ethan Flack, who benefited from Mr Richardson’s mentorship as a high school student. “It’s really important to recognise the event has so many ripple effects and supports the training pathway - secondary to tertiary to industry,” he said, adding students have this amazing opportunity to tap into the incredible industry knowledge from the guest chefs who’ve flown in from across the country.
This year the event reached out to secondary schools and got 36 students involved: James Hargest College, Southland Boys’ High School, Central Southland College, Northern Southland College and Aurora College were in the kitchen, with Aparima College, Menzies College, St Peters College and Fiordland College setting up the hall as part of their gateway/trades programme.
The mentorship Mr Richardson was known for and which so many young chefs gleaned from in their formative years, was being encouraged in the environment of events like this. “It’s getting students enthused and grows their passion for the industry here in Southland,” Mr Flack added.
Mr Flack stated the Secondary School Prize had a lot to offer motivated students. “They have to apply for it themselves and the monetary prize contributes to their tertiary education.” And he was equally as positive about the scholarship. “Our role in the trust is to organise this and .... make it happen,” emphasising how important it was “to get these scholars into the places they dream about,” to pursue their culinary speciality and bring that passion back with them.
The first recipient of The Scott Richardson Memorial Scholarship is Invercargill business owner and sourdough baker, Brit MacDonald, of Flour Bro. She’s recently returned from a “mind blowing” eight-week trip overseas – just over five weeks in Europe and three weeks in San Francisco - to further her baking skills, and is still buzzing from the experience. “I’m still trying to comprehend it, it’s very surreal,” she said.
The former pre-school teacher, with a growing business making artisan sourdough, was inspired as she rubbed shoulders with other bakers from world-renowned bakeries, who were so passionate and innovative about their craft. “It filled my heart being surrounded by people who spoke the same language as me.” Ms MacDonald said the trip had many highlights; one was learning how to make baguettes, a skill she had long wanted to master.
She added the scholarship “felt like a once in a lifetime opportunity” and “because someone actually saw the potential I had, and had faith in me”, it was very encouraging. While she’d received help and support from family, friends and the wider community, Ms MacDonald said she had largely “done this on my own. Getting to this point is something I never thought was possible. It’s had a lot of challenges but also a lot more successes, and I appreciate all the support.”
SIT Hospitality / Cookery Programme Manager, Glenn Stridiron, endorsed the positive outcomes for all who got on board with the event. For SIT, supporting community involvement was a priority, and it was a great exercise for the students. “Our students gain insights into culinary trends, through connecting with leading chefs.” SIT provided the venue - Hansen Hall, the training kitchens, 26 Hospitality and Cookery students, and tutors. “It’s one of two major events we do every year; it’s all hands on deck,” Mr Stridiron explained, and acknowledged the hard work put in by staff and students to help support the dinner’s success.
The final words go to Event Co-organiser, Lee Richardson, who “grew up in the SIT training kitchens” because of his father’s role. Through his involvement in organising the dinner, he could see all the “good stuff” happening in the background – students getting to work with top chefs - which was what it was all about.
“Dad set this blueprint up in the late nineties... it’s very special; it’s exciting to keep building on what he began.” His father “saw the big picture” with food, hospitality, wine and more, and was ahead of his time, able to imagine things into being, long before this style of event was fashionable.
A graphic designer by trade, Mr Richardson focused on “the look and the vibe” of the event, and carried a vision to grow it. He was working on “getting the longevity into [it]. How can we make it a week? How can we make it a winter school?” he suggested.
Mr Richardson said arranging the dinner was a serious amount of work. “There’s some tension; there’s some nice crunchy moments,” he admitted, but it was all worth it. They were creating a strong network of top chefs who’d been here and were connected to the southern region and its producers. They now had a firsthand taste of the produce, the passionate people behind the products and the abundance of Southland. “The experiences we can offer here are unique ... “I’m very, very lucky to be able to do this.”