Learners helping to make life a little easier

Cookery tutor Chris Fortune says culinary arts ākonga from Level 5 through to Trades Academy (secondary school) have been involved in creating the cheesecakes.

“Each class is working as a team in a production line setup that involves making the crumb, or making the cream cheese filling with lemon zest, juice and icing sugar,” he says.

All the products are donated, and Chris says the ongoing relationship with Kai with Love(external link) is an example of sustainable community support.

“In the past we have made 1000 litres of butter, 1500 chicken pies, kumara soup, ready-to-eat pasta meals, apple pies and more —it’s a great way to support the community while our students hone their production speed skills.”

Kai with Love provides thousands of people with food support every week, through a foodshare model. Founder Abigail Packer says the service has a big impact on the lives of those who receive the food boxes.

“We know receiving a food box is really important to some families—it can be the difference between eating or paying bills that week,” she says. “So, we are very appreciative of the donations of product we receive, and the food produced by the NMIT cookery students goes down very well with everyone.”