After spending the first half of his working life in the retail industry, a 39 year old Wairoa man,

Ricardo Carrol, has discovered a whole new world after completing the NZ Certificate in Cookery

(Marae Cookery) at Wairoa’s Takitimu Marae.

After being so inspired by marae cookery course tutor, chef Tony Te Nahu, Ricardo decided to take

things further at EIT’s Tairāwhiti School of Hospitality.

It was a big decision because it would involve travelling from Wairoa with frequent overnight stays in Gisborne. “There were five of us from Wairoa doing it and it took dedication and drive.”

Tony Te Nahu told them about EIT’s Te Toka Scholarship programme for students of Māori or Pasifika descent.

Most of the group were successful in getting both a scholarship for fees as well as help with transport and accommodation.

Ricardo has now attained not only the NZ Certificate in Cookery (Marae Cookery) but has also gained the City and Guilds International Diploma in Food Preparation and Cooking.

The next step for Ricardo is the advanced Level 5 programme at EIT’s Hawke’s Bay campus. He will also seek to gain more industry experience, with the level 4 programme helping through regular production events at EIT’s Toru restaurant, in Gisborne.

Once he has gained his level 5 diploma Ricardo plans to travel overseas for international experience, with his long term goal to run his own food-related business. But most importantly he wants to take his knowledge and experience back to his marae and whānau in Wairoa