A veritable feast of unforgettable Auckland gastronomic experiences is set to make the region a winter culinary destination for Aucklanders and visitors alike this July.

In an exciting addition to the more than 50 events announced for the new Elemental AKL festival, Elemental Feast will showcase Auckland’s world-class fresh produce, cuisine and dining experiences with more than 100 participating eateries around the region.

Elemental Feast will bring an exciting flavour to the month-long festival of cuisine, light, entertainment, and culture with special dishes and menus inspired by the four elements: air, fire, earth and water.

Auckland Tourism, Events and Economic Development (ATEED) has been working with Auckland-based event managers Lemongrass Productions and the local food sector to develop this exciting new programme within Elemental AKL.

ATEED General Manager Destination Steve Armitage says: “This is an exciting programme for Auckland’s thriving food and beverage industry, uniting eateries throughout the region and highlighting the calibre of Tāmaki Makaurau’s food and beverage offering.”

“Elemental Feast will offer up an opportunity to taste something new and different, and I encourage people to explore Auckland’s incredible culinary playground this July.”

Elemental Feast will see world-class restauranteurs, chefs, artisans and local food producers showcase what makes Auckland’s food and beverage scene vibrant, ever-evolving and of exceptional quality. Fine dining restaurants, cafes, food trucks, and bars are involved in bringing Elemental Feast to life.

Below is a list of highlights from the programme – be sure to check out the full Elemental Feast programme here.

Fire-inspired dishes include Red Wall 1939’s meticulously prepared 'Braised Ox Tail', served with a homemade crispy sea salt slice; and in Ponsonby, Vodka Room’s 'Campfire Lamb' will bring warmth, connection and nourishment to guests with a rosemary-smoked, triple-cooked Hawke’s Bay lamb ribs marinated in vodka and cooked over an open grill-fire. A nod to the Riverhead’s historic roots inspires the Riverhead Tavern’s 'Schmoke Me Tender' dish.

Henderson-based eatery The Grounds are plating up an earth-inspired dish 'From the Grounds Up', consisting of crispy hāngi pork belly, parsnip puree, baby carrots and spinach. Big Fish Stonefield’s 'Native Tongue' dish consists of wok-seared eye fillet rolls filled with locally sourced shredded fennel, chives, tempura enoki, togarashi taro puree and feijoa jus. La Petite Fourchette’s vegan brownie dessert ‘Tane Mahuta' will satisfy any sweet tooth, consisting of a chocolate crumble, hazelnuts and crunchy homemade praline, bringing a touch of Paris to Auckland.

Water inspires iconic Auckland restaurant, Sid at the French Café’s 'Moana' – a freshly-caught hapuka dish with charred leeks and shellfish velouté; and in the kitchen at Besos Latinos, the chefs have created a waka-shaped crispy corn tortilla, ‘Waka-mole, representing the fusion of Māori and Mexican cultures.

Inspired by the air element and magic, Cibo offer a light and fluffy 'Magical Rumbillion Cocktail', created with smoked cinnamon and fermented raspberries and adorned with petals. Meanwhile, Giapo's decedent 'Tu Kohatu – Stacking Stones', draws inspiration from a traditional Māori game, in which smooth stones are balanced on top of each other to form a tower. This playful treat is made up of 10 smooth, chocolate-coated, ice cream-filled stones of varying sizes.

Taste your way around Auckland this July, as Elemental Feast provides another compelling reason to spend time in Auckland this winter. Elemental Feast will take place as part of Auckland’s new winter festival, Elemental AKL from 1-31 July throughout the Auckland region.

© Scoop Media