NZ Food Communicators Scholarship 2025
The annual New Zealand Food Communicators Scholarship is a unique 12-week programme offering tuition, support and mentoring for two emerging food communicators.
The scholarship is a rare opportunity for those at the start of their food career to watch, learn and get involved alongside some of Aotearoa’s leading food communicators.
The programme will explore many facets of food communication, including nonfiction writing, food journalism, food reviewing, recipe and nutrition writing, food and travel writing, food photography, food styling, social media and personal branding.
Applications open for the 2025 scholarship programme on Monday, 24th February 2025 and close on Monday, 17th March.
Contact us
kathypaterson@xtra.co.nz for general enquiries
kate.fleur.u@gmail.com for social media enquiries
Instagram: @food_communicators_scholarship
The New Zealand Food Communicators Scholarship is governed by a charitable trust known as The NZ Food Communicators Trust.
Our purpose
To inspire career development within the food communication industry in New Zealand.
To provide in person and online support and mentorship sessions and workshops that foster career development within the communication industry in New Zealand.
To encourage people from all cultural backgrounds to utilise the trust’s programme and to respect their culture and to work cooperatively with others in the education area to promote the food industry whilst maintaining the highest standards of professionalism and integrity.
Who we are
ko wai mātou
The New Zealand Food Communicators Trust is a voluntary Board of Trustees who bring a wealth of knowledge and experience to our Scholarship.
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Kathy Paterson
FOUNDER & SCHOLARSHIP CHAIR
Kathy, a former teacher at Le Cordon Bleu, is a writer, recipe developer, food stylist and photographer.
Her work can be seen on Beef + Lamb New Zealand, the New Zealand Herald, the Outstanding Food Producer Awards and in Nourish magazine.
Kathy has contributed to and written several cookbooks, including the New Zealand classic, Meat & Three. In 2022, she edited the award-winning The RNZ Cookbook.
Kathy is a past president and life member of Food Writers NZ who works energetically to engage others in professional food writing.
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Catherine Bell
Catherine has nearly 50 years’ experience in food as a cook, food writer, cookery teacher, cookbook author, magazine publisher and business owner.
Best known for the Epicurean Workshop, she also co-founded Dish magazine and established the Garden to Table programme in New Zealand fifteen years ago.
Catherine believes passionately that everyone must know where their food comes from and how to feed themselves well. Food communications play a vital role in this, hence her support of and involvement in this scholarship programme.
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Julie Le Clerc
Julie is a passionate cook, award-winning author, food stylist, photographer, presenter and former café owner. Her food is accessible, ingredient-driven and flavour-forward. With a strong leaning towards the craft of patisserie Julie’s baking books are all best sellers.
Her deep love for visual storytelling led her to further develop her skills behind the lens to bring food to life through her own imagery.
Julie is currently the food editor for NZ House & Garden magazine and thrives on creating inspiring culinary content for readers each month.
Julie has been an integral part of the scholarship from the beginning and is responsible for both the food styling and food photography sessions and workshops for the programme.
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Kate Underwood
Kate is a freelance food writer and storyteller with over a decade of experience in communications and events across New Zealand food. As the communications specialist for Eat New Zealand, she also leads the Eat New Zealand Kaitaki, a collective of next-generation food leaders telling the Aotearoa food story.
By night she is the Restaurant manager and host at Forest, an award-winning vegetarian restaurant on Dominion Road in Auckland. With an endless enthusiasm for sharing engaging food stories and experiences, she loves that through this scholarship she can support others to do the same.
Kate is a tutor for the social media workshop and will be at the helm of our social media content.
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Lucy Corry
Lucy is an award-winning journalist and food writer who has written for a wide range of publications across New Zealand, Australia and the UK. She is the co-author of Hiakai: Modern Māori Cuisine, and the author of Homecooked: Seasonal Food for Everyday. Lucy is a past president of Food Writers New Zealand and currently works at RNZ.
Lucy brings a wealth of knowledge and her brilliant journalism skills to the scholarship and is one of our student mentors.
Advisor to the Board
Nadia Lim ONZM
Nadia Lim is a household name in Aotearoa. After winning Masterchef in 2011 she went on to write a collection of best-selling cookbooks and develop meal kit delivery service My Food Bag.
She and husband Carlos Bagrie now own Royalburn Station, near Queenstown, which they run according to regenerative farming principles. In 2025, the pair were recognised in the New Year Honours for their services to the food industry.
Our Sponsors
Beef + Lamb New Zealand sponsored the Scholarship programme in 2024.
“Beef + Lamb New Zealand was thrilled and honoured to support the inaugural Food Communicators Scholarship. We had worked alongside Kathy Paterson in various capacities over the years, and knowing her passion for this project, it was a privilege to help bring her vision to life in its first year.”
“Most of all, it was inspiring to see the enthusiasm and talent of the first recipients. Zoe Lloyd and Anh Do Ngoc, as they complete their three-month journey of expert-led workshops. Their impressive recipes, storytelling and photography, now featured on our recipes.co.nz website, are a testament to their creativity and skill. This scholarship is a valuable opportunity for the industry to nurture the next generation of food communicators, and we’re proud to be part of such an impactful initiative.”
Kit Arkwright
Chief Executive Officer
Beef + Lamb New Zealand Inc.
www.beeflambnz.co.nz
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Sabato
Sabato, a fine food importer, distributor and retailer. A family-owned business, Sabato also stocks an impressive range of locally grown and produced foods.
www.sabato.co.nz -
The Outstanding Food Producers Awards
Marvellous Marketing/The Outstanding Food Producers Awards, is a specialist food, drink and lifestyle marketing communication agency.
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Epicure Trading
Epicure Trading imports and distributes a range of highly sustainable single-use tableware and serve items and a beautiful selection of carefully curated items for the kitchen and table for both the hospitality and retail sectors.
Media supporters
Cuisine Magazine are offering the opportunity to produce a feature and Kelli Brett will work with them to publish and print on Cuisine’s platforms.
Shepherdess Magazine are offering the opportunity to submit a feature for both print and digital platforms.
Supporters
Ironclad Pan Company –www.ironcladpan.co.nz
Cook & Nelson – www.cookandnelson.co.nz
4 & 20 Bakery – www.4and20.co.nz
How you can sponsor
The New Zealand Food Communicators Trust Board is committed to growing the diversity and calibre of voices within food communication in Aotearoa. We hope you will share in our ambition to ensure the next generation of food storytellers are well-equipped to succeed in the industry.
We’d love to invite you to support the New Zealand Food Communicators Scholarship. Your sponsorship will ensure we can deliver a robust educational programme for our new emerging food communicators.
Please contact: kathypaterson@xtra.co.nz for our sponsorship opportunities.
Our scholarship alumni
"I found the content of the sessions to be practical, engaging and involved excellent mentoring. It has helped me to feel fulfilled and joyful about my future in food."
Anh Do Ngoc, Auckland
"My experience of the 2024 scholarship was exciting, rewarding and interesting. I left feeling inspired, supported and empowered to move ahead in my career."
Zoe Lloyd, Wellington
