6th Year & going strong: Hawke’s Bay Regional Signature Dish

6th Year and going strong… Hawke’s Bay Regional Signature Dish 2012

23rd August 2012

For the 6th year, the Hawke’s Bay Regional Signature Dish event kicks off on September 7th with a pleasing 37 restaurants and cafes involved. Organisers, Food Hawke’s Bay are delighted with the response from the Hospitality Industry, confirming that it is a valuable part of the restaurant and foodies calendar each year.

The general public will get the opportunity to taste some of the finest ingredients this region has to offer all on one plate, matched with a Hawke’s Bay beverage. Once again the people’s choice voting is an important component to the event, allowing the public to have their say on each dish and match. Jane Libby, Food Hawke’s Bay General Manager says “this year the prize pool for the public is the best it’s ever been, with 3 prize options on offer, Total Food Equipment are supplying a Kitchenaid Mixer to the value of $995, or Hawke’s Bay Farmers’ Market gift vouchers to the value of $1200 or a private dinner for 6 people cooked in your home by one of the winning Signature Dish Chefs!”

Following feedback from 2011, a few changes have been made, tightening up on the Hawke’s Bay Grown and produced criteria the chefs have to abide by. Libby says “it is an integral part of the competition, ensuring we are really showcasing our food producers and abundance of produce in Hawke’s Bay, most of the Hawke’s Bay chefs are pretty good at supporting ‘local’ anyway, but sometimes it takes this event to spark a few of them into researching what we have on offer.”

As always with event this one would not be possible without the support of a group of fantastic sponsors, Grande Gourmet, GEON, Hawke’s Bay Farmers’ Market, Attn! Marketing and PR, The Profit, The Breeze, and Hawke’s Bay Today are all back again with two new sponsors this year, Total Food Equipment and Think Photography. Total Food Equipment has a strong retail and commercial business with a fantastic shop in Bower Street, Napier. Mike McLay owner of Total Food Equipment sees the natural fit of the event to his business “we have always closely followed the Signature Dish and each year the competition seems to get bigger and better, as big supporters of foodies and the chefs out there we are excited to be involved this year.”

Think Photography’s Carolyn Robertson, is new to Hawke’s Bay and as a food photographer really sees this event as an opportunity to learn about how the ‘food community’ works down here. In a move from Auckland, Carolyn and Photographer husband Jeff Brass have set up shop in Napier and have a real passion for commercial product and business photography. Carolyn aims to support our local restaurants through the Signature Dish and has put together an exciting prize for the winning chefs.

Another exciting part of the event this year allows the public to create their own Signature Dish, using 5 local ingredients that are available at the Hawke’s Bay Farmers’ Market. This is launched on the same day as the restaurants start their dish and details can be sought from www.foodhawkesbay.co.nz

The category price point change this year has thrown up a few surprises in where the restaurants have slotted in, making each category even more highly contested. It is going to be a great competition!

The event launches on 7th September and runs for 5 weeks until the 16th October. Results will be announced at a cocktail function at the Hawke’s Bay Opera House on Tuesday 23rd October.

2012 participating restaurants/cafes:

Café Category (meal and beverage under $25)
• Adam & Evas, Havelock North
• At E's Café, Havelock North
• Bay Espresso Havelock North
• Bay Espresso Market Street, Hastings
• Bay Espresso Omahu Rd, Hastings
• Bay Espresso Taradale
• Bay Espresso, Karamu Road, Hastings
• Groove Kitchen Espresso, Napier
• Mega Cafe Hastings
• Pernel Fruitworld, Hastings
• The Tuki Kitchen, Havelock North
• Thyme Café, Havelock North

Casual Category (meal and beverage under $40)
• Black Barn Bistro, Havelock North
• Boardwalk Beach Restaurant and Bar, Ahuriri
• Crab Farm Winery, Bayview
• Deliciosa Tapas + Wine, Havelock North
• JARKs Café and Bar, Waimarama
• Latitude 40 South, Waipukarau
• Milk and Honey, Ahuriri
• Mister D, Napier
• Namaskar India Restaurant, Havelock North
• Pacifica Restaurant, Napier
• Shed 2, Ahuriri
• The Authentic Indian Kitchen, Napier
• Vidal Winery Restaurant, Hastings
• Westshore Beach Inn Bistro, Westshore

Formal Category (meal and beverage over $40)
• Clearview Estate Winery Restaurant, Te Awanga
• Diva Bistro & Bar, Havelock North
• Elephant Hill Winery & Restaurant, Te Awanga
• Fox on the Quay, Ahuriri
• MINT Restaurant, Napier
• Mission Estate Winery Restaurant, Taradale
• Taste Cornucopia, Hastings
• Terroir at Craggy Range, Havelock North
• The Gintrap, Ahuriri
• The Old Church Restaurant and Bar, Meeanee
• Thirsty Whale, Ahuriri

ENDS

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