Dutch-style cheeses proved the stand-out performers at the recent Cuisine NZ Champions of Cheese awards with Gouda and Edam varieties taking out the top two awards.

Meyer Vintage Gouda, produced by Hamilton-based specialist Meyer Gouda Cheese earned the Yealands Estate Champion of Champions Award for large producers while Very Old Edam from Kerikeri-based Mahoe Farmhouse Cheese took out the Cuisine Champion Artisan Award for smaller producers.

Those who sneer at sweetbreads or shun shin steak may have to step from their comfort zone to discover the magic top chefs are creating from “cheaper” cuts of meat – as Sue Fea discovers.

 More than 200 pinot noir lovers and experts from around the world converged on the Queenstown region at the end of January for the Central Otago Pinot  Noir Celebration.

The verdict was unanimous - Burgundy should be worried. And that’s straight from one of its own. Leading French winegrower, Thibault  Liger-Belair was blown away by the quality of maturing Central Otago pinot  noirs at the recent Central Otago Pinot Noir Celebration.

 A competition to add spice to the first school term is open for cookery students in Year 12 or 13 who want to be a chef. It is fairly titled as the Ultimate Work Experience, as the winners will have the opportunity to go backstage for two days to see what it is like to work in the fast-paced world of hospitality. Career portal www.nzskillsconnect.co.nz is promoting the competition to secondary schools, with a tempting prize package that will not only give the two winners a look behind the scenes of several high-profile Auckland hospitality businesses, but also see them rolling up their sleeves to help.

Training bar staff is about protecting your staff, your business and, apparently, your patrons. As more onus is put on the hospitality industry to take responsibility for drunken behaviour, and as policing becomes reportedly more “subjective”, Wellington’s Jeremy Smith discusses why his Trinity Group is opening up its training courses for others. BY KATHY OMBLER

Two very different venues with diverse target markets face the same design challenges when it comes to set up and transformation. Working with structural and budgetary constraints and developing a consistent theme while keeping the customer top-of-mind are pivotal for a successful outcome with any venture. For existing venues, regular customers need to be taken along with any changes while working on gaining new customers and new ventures need to read the market well to ensure custom from day one. Hospitality magazine talks to two operators creating successful spaces for their customers. BY JESMA MAGILL

Kiwis may be more conscious about what’s in their food and their wallets, but even in tough economic times they’re still forking out the dough for breads, pies, desserts and cakes, However, chefs at the forefront of new baking developments and retro trends say there’s definitely a demand for slightly healthier options.

We all know how popular single malts are these days, but the innovation and leap in quality hasn’t just been confined to whisky’s aristocracy.

Restaurants and takeaways in the Taranaki region are being investigated by the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry (MAF) for participation in the illegal fish trade. According to MAF, local fishery officers became aware of breaches of the Fisheries Act when they undertook surveillance of some restaurants and fish-and-chip shops in New Plymouth and the surrounding area in late 2011.

Las Vegas monument to bad taste and shoddy health, the Heart Attack Grill, has grabbed another dodgy headline with news that a customer has had a heart attack while on the premises. The man, said to be in his mid forties, was partway through a Triple Bypass Burger estimated to hold at least 6000 calories, when his heart decided to go on strike.