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\nPaige Nicholls, centre, during the winning announcement. Photo \/ Tourism Bay of Plenty<\/p>\n
Budding chef Paige Nicholls has made Battle of the Snack history, taking out both Judge\u2019s Choice and People\u2019s Choice at a packed event at Saltwater, Mount Maunganui.<\/p>\n
Working under mentor Ian Harrison of The Grocer, with whom she shared the double win, Nicholls became the first mentee in the competition\u2019s four-year history to claim the two top honours for the snack platters she created on the night.<\/p>\n
Nicholls\u2019 Spice Girls snack \u2013 featuring a cauliflower bhaji, apple kasundi, coriander and jalape\u00f1o aioli, pickled onions, and mint \u2013 tickled the taste buds of event host Cuisine editor\/owner Kelli Brett, who declared it the Judge\u2019s Choice winner.<\/p>\n
Harrison said Nicholls\u2019 determination to create a deep-fried snack was an interesting choice, but when his wife tested a sample before the event and declared it a \u201cbanger\u201d, he was convinced they might have a winning recipe.<\/p>\n
Diners\u2019 votes determined the event\u2019s People\u2019s Choice winner, with Nicholls\u2019 Bambi \u2013 a Venison Wellington spring roll, portobello, walnut and truffle mousse, spinach, prosciutto and blackberry fluid gel snack \u2013 proving the most popular.<\/p>\n
\u201cI just tried to come up with something really yum, and here we are!\u201d Paige said as she stood in front of the crowd to accept her double-award win.<\/p>\n
\nPaige Nicholls, centre, during the winning announcement. Photo \/ Tourism Bay of Plenty<\/p>\n
Brett said Nicholls and Harrison had followed the brief to produce bite-sized snacks. Other entries lost marks if they were tricky to eat due to their larger size.<\/p>\n
Brett congratulated all mentees and mentors for their Battle of the Snack efforts, highlighting the way they had supported each other to professionally create and present 2000 event snacks in just a few hours.<\/p>\n
All four mentee chefs \u2013 John Trongoy, Paige Nicholls, Giancarlos Burrows, and Pfeifer McIntyre \u2013 will now feature in an upcoming edition of Cuisine magazine.<\/p>\n
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\nEvent chef mentors and mentees. Photo \/ Tourism Bay of Plenty<\/p>\n
The annual Flavours of Plenty Festival runs from April 16 to May 3, featuring more than 50 different foodie events across the Coastal Bay of Plenty, from Waih\u012b Beach to \u014chope.<\/p>\n
It\u2019s the fifth year the award-winning festival has been held.<\/p>\n