It may not be Gordon Ramsay's kitchen, but culinary flair and customer satisfaction are not missing from Bayfield High School's restaurant, in Dunedin.
The lunch-time operation is a term 3 staple for the school's staff, pupils and guests who fill the 12-seat dining room.
Two year 12 catering classes run the restaurant, complete with kitchen and wait staff, twice a week for six weeks, and receive unit standards for their efforts.
Diners chose between Pistachio's and Twenty Chefs, each with a choice of three mains and three desserts, all for $10.
The only requirement was meals had to be pre-ordered to help the pupils fit preparation, service and clean-up into a lunch-hour.
Head of food technology Judy Anderson said the initiative was not uncommon in secondary schools and while a complete restaurant was not set up, they decided to "go with what we've got" and it worked well.
Pupils received positive feedback from customers and "they generally get a nice sense of achievement", she said.
Rebecca Ryan said working in the restaurant was "incredibly fun" and "very hectic at times".
Diner Katherine Curran said the restaurant was great and the presentation was "fantastic".
