Last weekend was the National Culinary Fare - they were earlier this year due to the Rugby World Cup coming up in September of this year. Due to being pregnant, I didnt enter the class I have done for the past two years running, its a very costly class for me as my designs I go all out with instead I entered into the Mystery Box Table Setting - it was a class I watched my first year at the Nationals in 2009 and Gina wanted me to enter it last year but due to the status of Innovative Table Setting changing from Junior to Open it was more expensive so I didnt enter it last year as planned. However due to costs of Innovative this year I decided to go with just entering a class where I only had to pay the entry fee.
My class was 9am on Monday 18th, and the plan WAS to get up or at least leave at 7.30am to get ready and head over to the showgrounds however both me and mum slept in waking up at at 8am instead, this meant a huge rush to getting dressed and ready and off into the car. We hit heavy traffic half way there, and took the main road after getting stuck on the motorway. I started to accept that I wasnt going to get there on time, I had to get my stuff out of the car, and check in at registration and then go to the arena - by the time we got to the showgrounds it was 8.55am, and by the time I got to the arena it had JUST gone 9am and they had already started before 9am......! I burst into tears even though I accepted it on the way over I wouldnt get to compete. I cried even more when Gina saw me and gave me a hug....THANKFULLY I was allowed in by the chief judge, it just meant I had 5mins less to everyone else. Im forever greatful to him for allowing me in..!
I managed to get my table set and do something with what we were given in our mystery bags - I didnt know how much time I had so I went as fast as I could, I tried to be professional at the same time and show that my arriving just a little late did not effect me at all. As it was a finished before everyone else did, but it because I knew I wasnt feeling well....I had the TVNZ crew from TV1 News who just barged on in and decided heeey lets just sit down on Bronwyn's chairs for her setting she is trying to set up, and lets oh put our coffee cup on her table....and lets just get this angle of the girl next door doing something amazing with wire on her vase and block Bronwyn's way to her table she is in the middle of trying to lay cutlery and glasses down on...yea..ohh thats right - they ended up getting kicked out for that..!!
By this point I had started to feel it was just all against me - to add to all of that, I had NO entree forks in my set up they supplied, as a result I didnt lay the entree knives down...and I had a main fork instead of a dessert fork....which I put down anyway...it was fustrating as I was trying to get the judges attention to say hey hello I havent got all my cutlery here....AND i also had a different vase to everyone else..!! My mind was going what on earth is going on here??? I did my best with what I had though and got something set up..I wasnt overly happy with my napkin fold as the napkins just werent started enough for that fold...it was after I had done them that I thought hmmmm should of just gone with a simple roll and made napkin rings out the wire I was given. The Oprah Fold wasnt working.
It was after I finished my setting that I thought argh...I should of made a runner and sashes with the paper supplies and plastic table cloth...and should of added a bit more height with the white bowl given - but then I saw that a couple of others had done that and didnt want to look like I was copying them. I was just over it after that - I did the best I could, and I decided then it would be a good time to collapse.
I hadnt eaten, I hadnt had anything to drink for a few hours... and Amelia was just starting to wake up and move a bit. I was removed and sat down, given water, food and a paramedic checked me over. After an hour I was all better and went home for a few hours before going back for prize giving. I had figured out I would get either a merit for entering or a bronze medal. And I was right with getting a bronze. Im not sure on the score numbers as it wasnt put up...I think possibly because its a class that compulsary for those doing Waiter of the Year. So I dont know where I ranked per say in the class over all.
This class is usually one that later in the day and usually the same day as Innovative Table Setting but this year it was different. I guess I had a point to make - that pregnancy wasnt going to stop me from doing what I love and have a big involvement in. Next year I plan to do more, enter the same class for a bit of fun, maybe do Innovative Table Setting as well....and start getting into judging.
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