Top food, wine, hospitality and tourism award

MEDIA RELEASE
March 19, 2004

Top food, wine, hospitality and tourism award

A $10,000 prize win two years ago caused a schoolteacher to give up his job and become a full-time saffron producer.
“It changed my life,” says Eight Moon Saffron’s Errol Hitt of Rangiora.

Errol won the inaugural Cuisine/Matua Valley Wines Award for Innovation and Excellence and devoted his energies to building his company, the first producer of saffron in New Zealand.

Now Matua Valley Wines and Cuisine are looking for a small to medium-sized operator in the food, wine, hospitality or tourism business to award another $10,000.

“We want to meet entrants who strive for the excellence that builds the fine reputation for quality food, wine, hospitality and tourism that our country enjoys both here and internationally,” says Cuisine editor Simon Wilson and Matua Valley Wines’ Ross Spence.

In addition to the winner, 20 further businesses recognised by the panel of expert judges will be profiled in the September issue of Cuisine.

The panel of expert judges includes culinary ambassador for New Zealand Trade and Enterprise, Graham Brown; founding publisher of Cuisine, Julie Dalzell; award-winning food writer, Lauraine Jacobs; culinary author and teacher, Ray McVinnie, award winning caterer, columnist and cook school owner, Ruth Pretty; Ross Spence of Matua Valley Wines and independent consultant, Dan Tait-Jamieson.

The supreme winner will receive $10,000 and a weekend for two in Marlborough staying at Matua’s Shingle Peak Cottage and dinner at one of New Zealand’s finest restaurants, Herzog Luxury Restaurant.

All winners will receive framed certificates and will be profiled in the September issue of Cuisine.

Entries must be received by April 5. For further details on how to enter or nominate an entrant see the latest issue of Cuisine, Issue 103, Hot Stuff.
On Sale February 16.

ENDS

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