East meets West for upcoming NeXt Crew event

Enter the Dragon

The NeXt Crew is back… and this time it’s cultural.

It’s been one year since the NeXt Crew embarked on their mission to celebrate the best of Auckland’s young chef talent. And what better way to celebrate than with a good old-fashioned East meets West culinary showdown?

This month, the trio of head chefs, Nick Honeyman (Cru at Sale St), Hayden McMillan (TriBeCa) and Mark Southon (the Foodstore) will take on three top young Japanese chefs, Makoto Tokuyama (Cocoro), Kazua Yamauchi (formerly Rice and Cibo) and Seishiro Takaoka (Time California Kitchen, Japan).

The challenge? To swap cuisines and see who does it better.

While the three young stars of kiwi cuisine sharpen their sashimi swords and chopsticks, three Japanese masters will be dusting off their whisks and firing up the Bain-maries.

After taking a brief hiatus to re-stock their artillery of ideas, the NeXt Crew say guests should be prepared for some of their most adventurous dishes yet.

“Last winter we took on the Australians, now we’ll be giving the Japanese a run for their money,” says Nick.

He admits there will be some formidable competition however with Makoto’s prowess earning Cocoro the Cuisine award for best Asian Restaurant in 2011, while Kazua is in the final stages of opening his newest fine-dining Auckland venture, Restaurant Kazua.

Seishiro will travel directly from his restaurant Timer California Kitchen in Saga, Japan especially for the event.

“I spent three months training as an apprentice in Tokyo,” says Nick.

“There is a real technical skill and art to Japanese cooking that takes many, many years to perfect.”

At the two dinner events on March 18 and 19, in the zen-like surrounds of Cocoro restaurant, guests will be treated to a surprise seven course degustation with matching wines.

The chefs will be joined by some of Auckland’s top service and wine staff, keeping the evening up to the impeccable standard NeXt Crew fans have come to expect.

When: March 18 and 19, 7.30pm.

Where: Cocoro, 56a Brown St, Ponsonby. Meet at 7pm at the art gallery next door "Independent Saints" 56B Brown St, Ponsonby

What: $200 for a 7-course degustation with matched wines, canapés on arrival and Japanese beer, plum wine and sake available all night.

How: Tickets are available from www.iticket.co.nz from Thursday, March 8 at 9am. For more information visit www.thenextcrew.co.nz or on Facebook http://www.facebook.com/#!/TheNextCrewArt

ENDS

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