If you can eat it, Eddie can probably cook it. Eddie Bleach a Chef Tutor at UCOL | Te Pūkenga in Wairarapa started out by training at Townhouse Hotel in Oriental Bay Wellington.
From there he moved on to Head Chef at the Woolshed Restaurant and a stint as 1st cook in the very prestigious, The Summit Room at the top of the Williams Building on Boulcott St.
“Black pants and the type of hat told a story back then, it showed others in the kitchen what your rank was and how long you have been in the profession. I still remember earning my high hat and black pants and wear them with pride.”
Leaving Wellington Eddie then moved to Tauranga and met my wife. “While I was there I worked as Head Chef at the Southern Cross Hospital, Head Chef of the Charthouse Restaurant. Following five years my wife and I managed Harrington’s and Alexanders Nightclubs while bringing up four children and in 1991 we decided to take on the challenge of opening our own eating house, The Peppertree Restaurant.”
With all the knowledge and experience he had gained Eddie then made the move to Levin in 1995 to take a role of Chef Tutor at Horowhenua Learning Center.
“With the experience I had gained in the various roles I had been in, I was really looking forward to getting into the classroom and sharing my knowledge. I still wanted to keep my foot in industry though so I ran my own catering company, Two Chefs Catering, until about 1999ish when I took on the role of Head Chef at Massey University in Palmerston North and went on to become catering Manager, then in 2001 my wife and I started Murryfield Clydesdales, The Stables Café on the Shannon Levin Highway.”
Teaching proved to be a calling for Eddie and after moving on from HLC in 2004, he started working as a Chef Tutor for Whitireia Polytech in Porirua, he also worked as site manager during the summer break for the Organic River Festival for 5-6 years before moving to the Wairarapa to and taking this current role at UCOL | Te Pūkenga.
“
UCOL | Te Pūkenga is a great place to teach, the facilities allow me to show the students what and how to do the skills they require for the industry, but as always, advice is easy to give but - It only works if you do.”