The Countdown is On To Savour New Zealand

THE COUNTDOWN IS ON TO SAVOUR NEW ZEALAND

It is time to go shopping for New Zealand’s culinary master classes

New Zealand’s unique culinary master classes (6-8 May 2005)

If the idea of catering for a dinner party of eight is enough to send you into a panic … imagine catering for a weekend of gourmet food and wine for 500 of the world’s leading foodies. Savour New Zealand is a weekend of master classes aimed at showcasing New Zealand’s finest gourmet food and wine for food lovers and chefs from New Zealand and abroad. Sixteen classes over the weekend with a total of over 80 recipes being prepared by eight chefs over two days; it is cooking around the clock with a staggering array of ingredients. With international chefs and food experts, as well as New Zealand’s best home-grown talent, demonstrating their diverse talents and range of expertise the list of ingredients is mind-blowing. Add to this a cocktail party and a gala dinner and you have quite a shopping list. A glimpse at the list reveals ingredients that are both extensive and exotic including:

- Eight different types of oil from sesame to grapeseed; canola to sunflower
- 870 pinches of salt
- three different types of a total of 725 onions
- 20 piquillo pimientos
- 5500 servings of Regal salmon
- 30 packets of kawakawa rub
- 200 g Piko Piko
- 18,500g Gruyere cheese
- 1032 Pacific Catch mussels

Then once it’s prepared there’s the service involved to satisfy the delegates.

- 8200 pieces of cutlery
- 3600 wine glasses
- 2400 coffee cups
- 360 tablecloths

Tina Duncan, organiser of Savour New Zealand says, ‘It’s countdown time, with only days to go we are frantically trying to source out-of-stock shitake mushrooms, there’s a farmed-rabbit shortage and the right lentils are proving elusive. Our chefs are perfectionists and only the very best natural ingredients will do.’

Just the presenters’ specific equipment requirements have left organizers scouring the length and breadth of New Zealand for potatoes ricers and the perfect wok.

International presenters include New York-based superstar chef Anthony Bourdain, rising star Melissa Perello, East West fusion hero Cheong Liew and middle eastern food guru Greg Malouf as well as renowned food writers Caroline Campion and Patricia Wells. Joining them are the best in the business from New Zealand including Simon Gault, Tony Astle, Judith Tabron and Darryl Maffey. With this level of expertise, the exotic and extensive list of raw ingredients; there’s a lot to savour about Savour New Zealand.

ENDS