For the last day of their academic year, Level 3 Cookery students at the Manukau Institute of Technology were rewarded with a training, cooking and tasting session about the art of deep frying hot chips. Chef Lecturer Craig Lucas worked with The Chip Group to organise a fun and interactive day of learning as their treat for working hard during the term. 
“We had a great turn out from the students at the session and many were really looking forward to learning more about chips“, mentioned Craig. The training kicked off with a theory lesson – where students watched the series of ten Chip Group training videos, each covering a different topic about cooking hot chips. Kate Underwood, Training and Education Manager gave examples and explanations about what and why cooking hot chips is not as simple as it seems. Students completed a series of multi-choice questions following each video clip, recapping the main points or ‘Industry Standards’ about each aspect.
There were a number of questions from students with many mentioning they found the information very interesting and also achievable. Upon completion each student was rewarded with a personalised Chip Group Training Certificate, a training badge and a summary poster to help remember the important ‘take-home’ messages. As with many chefs and those in the food industry, at some stage in their careers they will inevitably find themselves behind a deep frying, so learning these skills early on will help in their future career paths. Students were encouraged to include their certificate in the C.V. when looking for future employment opportunities.
After the theory session, the students had the chance to put their newfound skills to the test and headed into the kitchen for a practical chip-frying cooking and tasting session. The oil was set to temperature, scoops were weighed, baskets were filled and timers started to ensure perfectly fried chips. Mr Chips kindly provided us with 13mm straight cut chips for students to practise with, so everyone had a chance to cook (and eat) their own expertly prepared chips.
Students left with full stomachs and new knowledge, but also feeling empowered about the importance the role of deep fryer has on the outcome of the chips, and ultimately the health of the recipient eating them. ”
The Chip Group look forward to working closely with Craig and his MIT students, as well as other Tertiary Institutes throughout NZ.
Kate Underwood
Training and Education Manager
The Chip Group.