Student food truck excites and delights

Otago Polytechnic’s Level 5 Cookery ākonga held their end-of-year food truck event over three days, resulting in many satisfied customers.

Each student had a turn running the food truck, organising all aspects of the day—from menu creation through food preparation and service.

“I thoroughly enjoyed the experience and appreciated the opportunity to learn about the intricacies of running a food truck, including managing potential challenges,” says Molly Langley, whose mouth-watering Italian menu included Piadina (Italian Flatbread), Panino al Gelato (Brioche filled with Gelato), Vegan and Gluten-Free Arancini and Lemon Sorbet.

“For instance, when we ran out of flatbreads during service, we quickly adapted by using wraps instead, ensuring we could continue serving customers.”

Another cookery student, Kaeiuea—who describes herself as “a proud and loud I-Kiribati”—enjoyed her selected cuisine “because Argentinian food combines bold, comforting flavours that tell a story and appeal to a wide crowd.”

Kaeiuea’s menu included a cheesecake interpretation of Chocotorta (Chocolate Cake), Choripan, Empanadas and delicious sauces including Chimichurri, Salsa Criolla, Romesco and a Creamy Chimichurri.

“The event was exciting, but it came with challenges like stressing with time management in the kitchen. Despite the hectic moments, it was rewarding to see people enjoy the food,” says Kaeiuea.

Both students are looking forward to their futures in the industry. Molly would like to travel to broaden her culinary knowledge and experience, learning from skilled chefs and hands-on practice. Kaeiuea’s dream is to open a small business that combines a fun vibe with good food, eventually giving back to the hospitality community by mentoring younger chefs. 

Senior Lecturer in Culinary Arts, Juliane Tautz, was impressed by the hard work the students brought to the event.

"The ākonga did an incredible job organising and promoting this event. They went above and beyond by advertising their food trucks through social media, distributing flyers, and even enlisting friends to help spread the word. Their dedication and creativity resulted in a fun and engaging event that sold out every day."

Alongside the culinary students, Ruby Burke was brought on board to photograph the event. Ruby is currently completing her Diploma in Digital Media and Design (Level 5).

“I really enjoyed working with the students and teachers from the cookery program. The event had such a positive atmosphere, which made it a lot of fun to photograph. Throughout my diploma, I’ve been learning about event photography, so I was excited to put that knowledge into practice.

“I’m passionate about all aspects of photography and videography, but I’m particularly drawn to event photography because I enjoy working with people and capturing meaningful memories.”

Ruby is planning on staying in Dunedin and launching her career as a freelance photographer in 2025.

Juliane thought Ruby did a great job fulfilling her brief.

“Her photography truly showcased the energy, excitement, and hard work that went into the event,” she says.

Student collaboration across disciplines provides unique learning opportunities. And the success of events like the food truck project depends on the community showing up to support these real-world experiences. Juliane notes that there is a feedback process where customers can leave their comments, allowing students to use those insights to further develop their skills.

“We want to extend a massive thank you to everyone who came out to support us over the three incredible days. It was wonderful to see the OP community embracing the event, trying our dishes, and even coming back for more on multiple days!”