Peter Green
Cookery and Culinary Arts
In his 27 years, Peter has fit in many adventures. This year
will be no different with a move to France to pursue his dream of
becoming an internationally renowned pastry chef.
Peter from Oamaru did a Pilot training internship in Queenstown
where he flew Fiordland for two years, he then moved to Australia,
operated a pizza restaurant before going back to flying as a
Charter Pilot in remote North Western Australia. "I flew back to
New Zealand to Aoraki's Open day with Journalism in mind for a
career change - I ended up having a good chat to one of the Cookery
tutors and decided to enrol in a Certificate in Cookery
instead."
That decision proved to be an excellent one, with Peter carrying
on to complete his Certificate in Culinary Arts and being selected
for a Scholarship to the French Champagne district in France. The
annual exchange ran for the first time in 2011 and enabled Peter to
secure a job to go back to. He studied for three weeks at St
Joseph's Hospitality School followed by a three week internship in
the Chateau de Fere pastry Kitchen. "I want to head back later in
the year and have been offered an internship in a Patisserie
kitchen."
While studying in Timaru, Peter also secured a position as the
junior Patisserie chef at Riverstone Kitchen in Oamaru, the
prestigious 2010 Cuisine NZ restaurant of the year. "Initially I
did work experience there organised by Aoraki and ended up being
full-time ever since. I feel privileged to work under Bevan Smith
and some really talented people who have experience from all over
the world. At my last count I have learnt over 135 different
patisserie dishes since I've started out."
In France, Peter will stay with the family he stayed with on the
exchange then will live with a recent St Joseph graduate in Paris,
"they are all happy and excited to have me back and I left some of
my gear over there to come back too. My French mother worries a lot
about her Kiwi son!"
Peter wants to gain some invaluable skills and knowledge in
France then return to New Zealand to open his own French style
Patisserie bakery. "It has been hard work to achieve as much as I
have so quickly in a new career and I am grateful each day of the
excellent support and mentoring I receive from my Tutors,
colleagues and supporters both near and far who drive me to
excel."