How does a spiced beetroot and goat cheese mousse, served with a sparkling sour apple and mint jelly sound for an entrée? What about poached chicken stuffed with ‘Christmas' for a main?

Otumoetai College Year 13 food technology students Laura Blair and Micah Winiata are hoping their dishes will impress, as they go head-to-head in a live regional kitchen cook-off in the National Secondary Schools Culinary Challenge.

Otumoetai College Culinary challenge competitors Micah Winiata, 17, and Laura Blair, 17. Photo by Tracy Hardy.

Laura and Micah have to produce four entrées and main meals in just 90 minutes in the Hamilton round at Waikato Institute of Technology today.

Otumoetai College food technology teacher Lauren May says the students have worked hard all year for the competition, as part of their food technology assessment.

'They've practised all their different elements individually and now they've put them together.

'I've had to stand back and try not to talk to them. So for me it's been quite stressful,” laughs Lauren.

She's not worried though, because their meals taste ‘amazing'.

'The beetroot is this beautiful, earthy, sweet taste.” The ‘sweet' comes from Whitaker's chocolate. 'That's their secret weapon.”

The duo originally entered in the Auckland regional competition after learning the Hamilton regionals required an entry of three students. But they were the sole entry, so Laura and Micah automatically advanced to the National Final in August.

They were given an exception to enter the Hamilton round for practice, although they'll still be judged.

The rule is each entrée recipe must contain beetroot.

Laura and Micah have created a spiced beetroot and goat cheese moose served with a sparkling sour apple and mint jelly and beetroot soil.

Soil? 'Well it looks like soil made from beetroot,” says Lauren. 'It's kind of like a garden.”

Lauren says the main had to include chicken and three vegetables, including potato.

'They've made poached chicken, stuffed with what they call Christmas. It's a date, orange and cranberry stuffing.”

The chicken is served with baby carrots, green beans and a potato dish called pommes boulangere. 'It's French,” says Lauren. 'It's like a potato bake.”

Laura and Micah are cooking up a storm at WINTEC's hospitality block from 9am-12.15pm today.