South Island chefs to create a very special dinner

PRESS RELEASE

16 October 2015

South Island’s most innovative chefs to create a very special dinner!

Nine South Island chefs and seven wineries join together for an exciting and unique dinner in Christchurch. At a specially created pop up restaurant in the heart of the city, the South’s exceptional food and wine will be celebrated for one night only.

Part of ConversatioNZ’s ‘COOK UP series, this dinner will be a unique collaboration where chefs, their passion and ideas demonstrate the abundance of nature and amazing ingredients.

“We have it all here!” says Giulio Sturla of Roots Restaurant, who started this collaboration .

The nine South chefs will source ingredients and bring their wealth of knowledge and skills together to feed and appeal to the hearts of the guests, with ten exceptional dishes.

Darren Lovell from Fishbone restaurant in Queenstown says “All the chefs are very excited about the South Cook Up. Our aim is to find and showcase products from the South Island wherever possible.”

The biggest line up of South island chefs in one kitchen ever seen includesBevan Smith (Riverstone Kitchen, Oamaru), Fleur Sullivan (Fleur's Place,Moeraki), Ken O'Connell (Bracken, Dunedin), Giulio Sturla (Roots Restaurant, Lyttelton), Ainsley Thompson (Sherwood, Queenstown), Jonny Schwass (Harlequin Public House, Christchurch), Paul Jobin (Annandale Costal Farm and Luxury Villas, Banks Peninsula), James Stapley (Gentil,Wanaka) and Darren Lovell (Fishbone, Queenstown).

The evening will be hosted by food and wine writer Lauraine Jacobs, who recognises the common bond these chefs share. “They all have a strong sense of pride and respect for our natural resources. It is a joy to work with them. The evening will be a rare and exclusive occasion.”

Accompanying wines, selected by wine expert Stephen Wong (Wine Sentience) are made by small and unique wineries whose practices and passion resonate with the philosophy of ConversatioNZ and its Food Manifesto. The wines from Aurum Wines (Central Otago), Mt Edward (Central Otago),Black Estate (Waipara), Tongue in Groove (Waipara), Fancrest (Waipara),Hans Herzog (Marlborough), Bellbird Spring (Waipara) will enhance the conversation, linking with the food at this exceptional dinner.

Dinner tickets are limited to 100.

The “Cook Up” series promotes collaboration all over New Zealand and raises funds for ConversatioNZ movement. The next event scheduled is “A Foraged NZ Cuisine” in Napier on 9 November 2015 under F.A.W.C Summer Series with Hawkes Bay chefs James Beck and Michael Hannah.

Tickets on Eventfinda: The South Cook Up

More information and video material is available www.conversationz.co.nz

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