Alumni Connections

Alumni, staff, and current students connecting.

On the 17^th of October, we had the pleasure of welcoming back many of our alumni to our Wellington campus. After extensive renovations this year, it was special to see them react to the changes made and reflect on past lessons learned and friends made.

Cheryl and her layered matcha sponge.

While most alumni in attendance remain close to Wellington, we were fortunate to welcome back Cheryl Gunawan, Bachelor of Culinary Arts and Business alumna and winner of MasterChef Indonesia season 9. Cheryl has always stayed in contact with our campus and her peers since graduating, for this visit she went above and beyond to host a pâtisserie demo class for students and the public. With Technical Director Sebastien Lambert at her side, Cheryl led an informative session that highlighted how to get rich flavour and colour using matcha. The final layered matcha sponge was exquisite, and Cheryl’s insights throughout the evening exemplified her expertise.

Students and staff welcoming our alumni.

During our alumni gathering, our current students had the opportunity to hear updates on our alumni’s growing careers, including mistakes to avoid and insights into the future of the hospitality sector. Forming bonds and participating in frank discussions with industry professionals enables our students to effectively navigate the industry post graduation.

Alumni reconnecting.

We will continue to expand and strengthen our alumni network with more events and opportunities for our alumni to participate in our students’ education and share their accomplishments. We look forward to seeing more familiar faces return in the future.