June 2025
Ringo Hora Workforce Development Council
Level 3, Tower B, 49-61 Tory Street,
Wellington
Tena koe,
Feedback on Proposed Draft Culinary Skills Standards from the Restaurant Association Training and Skills Development Advisory Group
Since 1972, the Restaurant Association has worked to off er advice, help and assistance in every facet of the vibrant and diverse hospitality industry, covering the length and breadth of the country. We’re passionate about our vibrant industry, which is full of interesting, talented and entrepreneurial people.
We welcome the opportunity to provide feedback on the Culinary Skills Standard Drafts: this feedback has come from our Training and Skills Development Advisory Group made up of various members from different hospitality businesses across the motu.
In general, the feedback we have received is support of the proposed standards, and that these culinary standards will allow for flexible demonstration methods centred around principles instead of strict recipes, reflecting modern industry practices, and allowing for workplace-based training to be reflective of the workplace in which the student is working at. Feedback was positive about the mandatory inclusion of communication, teamwork and food safety.
Some of the advisory members also indicated that they thought all of the elective standards would be great for someone entering the industry, and wanted further clarification on what would happen if a student picks their electives for level 3 worth 40 credits, and then further down the track decide that they wanted to upskill in areas that they did not study for. They could see both sides of elective vs mandatory – mandatory provides the opportunity for general knowledge that helps the student decide which area they want to focus on in further study and qualification levels, and electives provide the opportunity to tailor learning to the workplace they currently work in and any current interests. However, they needed clarification as to what happens if a student wanted to do ALL the electives, would this be possible, and what would that entail?
Consensus was that Allergens needs to be included from level 3, and as a stand-alone mandatory standard, not as an elective or embedded into only some of the elective standards. This is to avoid inconsistent allergen coverage, risking student’s readiness for food service roles.
In the Food Safety standard, there is no explicit mention of temperature control, especially with deliveries, and would also be good for complying with the food control plan to be further elaborated to specifically state the “Know, Show, Do” framework.
One element that could be included specifically in Apply cookery techniques in a culinary environment under Core Cookery Techniques is knife skills. and that ‘Importance of mastering basic techniques for culinary success’ does not describe what those basic techniques are. Positive feedback was shared however that this standard is more flexible and caters to a wider variety of hospitality establishments and workplaces.
Thank you for the opportunity to provide this feedback and contribute constructively to the ongoing development of the Culinary Skills Standards.