Corey Hume

Corey joins us from one of the most highly awarded lodges in the world, Blanket Bay where he was Executive Chef for eight years. As a highly experienced Executive Chef and Manager, Corey is also passionate about mentoring young chefs to compete in culinary competitions, who have gone on to win National titles of Commis Chef of the Year and Pastry Chef of the Year. In 2017, Blanket Bay was awarded by the World Luxury Restaurant Awards as the Best Luxury Restaurant in New Zealand. During the 2018 season, he had modernised the pastry section significantly in a hands-on role. In 2016, he was sent by the owners of Blanket Bay to Stagier in some of California’s best Michelin starred restaurants for staging, including the three Michelin starred, The Restaurant at Meadowood. Corey is also very passionate about community charities such as the Ronald McDonald Supper Club which are some of the community projects The Rees Hotel will continue to support.  Chef Corey Hume was born and raised in Christchurch, New Zealand. He trained at Christchurch Polytechnic and won a scholarship to further his training at Johnson & Wales University in Rhode Island, Providence, USA in the year 2000, on the Dr. Bill Gallagher Global Scholarship, awarded to 20 of the best young chefs in the world at the time.

Throughout his career, Corey has and continues to win numerous local and international awards, has been a representative for New Zealand, Australia and Australasia (as a whole) numerous times and was a member of the Fonterra New Zealand Culinary Olympic Squad that competed at the Culinary Olympics in 2016, and the Australian Olympic Team in 2004, held every four years in Germany. In 2020, Corey was awarded as The Best Hotel Chef in Australasia and the Pacific region, being nominated again in 2021 for the same award, by Hotel Management Magazine. 

Corey was the Executive chef for one of the world’s most exclusive and well-regarded lodges, Blanket Bay Lodge Glenorchy. There he and his team cater to some of the most discerning guests who all have the highest expectation in service, wine and of course cuisine. Blanket Bay Lodge has won numerous international awards. Most recently for its Spa and Food and Beverage, as the only NZ establishment awarded the NZ Winner of the World Luxury Restaurant and Spa Awards for 2017. Whilst running the day to day operations of the Blanket Bay kitchen, Corey still finds time to foster, train and mentor his team not only in their careers but also in the culinary competition arena where he has helped train New Zealand “Commis Chef of the Year” as well as New Zealand “Pastry Chef of the Year”. A true testament to his passion for cuisine, competitions and the hospitality industry. Corey is a Trustee of The New Zealand Culinary Arts Academy and the current Board Member and former Coach of the Bocuse d’Or Team New Zealand, a role which he is eager to enable Candidates and Commis competitors to be their absolute best during the Bocuse d’Or Asia Pacific selection, and World Finals in Lyon, France at Syrah.