Mountain caterer spotted in town

Waimarino Bulletin, Volume 6, Issue 245, 8 June 1988, Page 12

Mountain caterer spotted in town

Chris Wood, the newly appointed Catering Manager of the Turoa Skifields and Bridgette, his well presented 1967 Peugeot 404, have recently arrived in Ohakune and reports of sightings have been received from all around the district.

Chris says he has hardly stood still since accepting h i s appointment on May 11. He is employed b y Spotless Catering Services (NZ) Ltd, an Auckland based catering company who recently acquired the exclusive catering and bar rights at the Turoa skifields, and reports to A 1 e x White, G e n e r a 1 Manager Leisure Catering and Judy Eckhard Venue Catering Manager, both based in Auckland. Chris is energetically putting his operation together and looking forward to the arrival in town of Chef Manager Bev Reilly on June 16. He expects the remaining 28 full time,

part time and casual staff appointments to be settled shortly and hopes to draw most of them from the surrounding 1 o c a 1 communities. Whilst he expects the key members of his team to be fully qualified and experienced, he will b e happy to train and instruct others provided they show the required interest in serving patrons and are able to demonstrate the necessary aptitude towards the job says Chris. "Kiwis have the ability, and providing the atmosphere is right should be able to work hard and still have fun at the same time." "The challenge is

there in front of us all and the countdown has started to D Day, July 1." Most components of the operational plan are in place although both Chris and Bridgette are keenly looking forward to the arrival of the team's first 4WD. Constant visits to the top of the car park, sometimes under protest and after spending nights out in the cold with no garage is just not the way to treat a lady says Chris. Readying the Alpine Lodge at the top of the car park for Queen's Birthday weekend (Sunday only) t o support Turoa' s running of the Movenpick quad has meant frantic activity but that is all part of the business says Chris, and it is all go from here on, although he will b e relieved to see all the alterations to the Giant completed.

Chris was born i n real Merino country at Hay in the Riverina district of New South Wales and has been educated in Australia, England and New Zealand. He was project manager for catering and accommodation on the Motunui project during its construction phase in 1984 and before that spent time working in oil and gas exploration in South Australia and Queensland after 10 years working in accounting, insurance and financial services in Melbourne, including four years with BHP in head office. No more big city living for a while at least, says Chris, and though he still spends time each year overseas and back in Victoria, New South Wales and Queensland with family and friends, he is looking forward t o settling in the local district and becoming

an honorary Kiwi. Although he will miss the Man from Snowy River country of Victoria, the wide open plains of the Riverina

and the rough wild outback areas of south western Queensland he feels the Waimarino will do, and of course, there is the mountain!

Chris is anticipating enjoying what looks like a first c 1 a s s facility at Turoa.