Taste of Auckland to Hit Taste Buds This Week

Tuesday 15 November 2016

Taste of Auckland to Hit Taste Buds This Week

New Zealand’s biggest food and beverage festival kicks off this week

Avid foodies and restaurant aficionados will descend on Western Springs this week for the country’s biggest celebration of food and drink, Taste of Auckland in partnership with Electrolux, which launches on Thursday 17 November.

More than 30,000 mouth-watering dishes will be served to an expected crowd of over 20,000 during the four-day festival. With more international and local culinary talent on the program than ever before and new culinary experiences, organisers have touted this year’s festival as ‘the biggest celebration and showcase of New Zealand’s innovative food industry’.

Rob Eliott, Lemongrass Productions Director, said “if there’s one thing that brings people together, its food and this is the most diverse offering of NZ’s best food and beverage at Taste yet”.

“Kiwis are more interested in food than ever so we’ve endeavoured to create a celebration that showcases the best of the New Zealand food scene and the newest gastronomic trends and innovations. We have a phenomenal line-up of local culinary superstars and have attracted internationally renowned chefs such as Adriano Zumbo, Peter Gordon and Neil Perry’s Qantas Rockpool team which is hugely exciting. Visitors are in for a real treat.”

“Western Springs truly comes alive for Taste. With ten of the city’s best restaurants showcasing their magic, live cooking demonstrations and fabulous entertainment, it’s a fantastic, all-weather event for all. It’s great value for money for all from die-hard foodies to families,” Elliot said.

As part of the opening celebrations, each official Taste restaurant will vie for the coveted ‘Best in Taste’ award to be announced on Thursdayevening. The awards will be judged by gastronomic stars, Australasia’s favourite dessert king Adriano Zumbo, renowned New Zealand chef Michael Meredith and Viva magazine editor Amanda Linnell.

The award is presented to the ‘most exceptional dish served at the festival that lives up to the values and experience offered at the actual restaurant’ and must have interesting and innovative presentation and flavours that represent the restaurant. Sergio Maglione of Farina has won the award two years in a row with his simple but authentic Italian cuisine.

Best in Taste entries include:

• ARTWOK: GONGPAO JIDING Wok Fried Free Range Chicken Thigh with Chilli, Spring onions, Ginger, Garlic and topped with Roasted Cashew Nuts

• Euro: Karitane Crayfish with heirloom tomato, house cured bresaola, green olive (GF)

• Farina: [Morton Bay Bug Lobster Surprise]

• FISH: Argentinian Red Shrimp with ‘lardo di colannata’, gremolata (GF)

• Ima Cuisine: Lamb Mansaf - Slow cooked fragrant lamb on rice with nuts with Arab salad

• Miss Clawdy: Ceviche with coconut cream, tomato, red onion, shallots, celery heart, coriander & avocado cream (GF)

• Paris Butter: Clams 'Escargot'

• The Culpeper: Pork Belly Corn Dog with house barbecue sauce, pork crackling

• Tok Tok: Crispy Hapuka Dry Red Curry with fresh herbs, toasted cashews, ginger, pickled chilli (GF)

Zumbo, star of new ‘Just Desserts’ airing in New Zealand this week, will create an ‘All Black Sheep’ work of art specially for his first New Zealand food festival visit. Attendees can learn his tips and tricks as he showcases his Kiwiana creation at two live cooking demonstrations in the Electrolux Taste Theatre on Friday 18 and Saturday 19 November. Zumbo will join an already impressive list of chefs in the Electrolux Taste Theatre including Peter Gordon, the Qantas Rockpool Team, Nadia Lim and many more.

Those lucky enough to be part of the new Electrolux Chefs’ Secrets will learn the tips of the trade first-hand, creating dishes alongside some of the country’s top chefs - Monique Fiso of Hiakai (Paua Porridge), Marc Soper of Country Estate (Manuka bark smoked Ora King salmon belly), Guilio Sturla of Christchurch’s Roots restaurant (NZ fresh water crayfish Koura and smoked eel), Ganesh of The Tasting Shed (market fish), Megan May of Little Bird Organics (Vietnamese crepe).

As well as showcasing the best of the Auckland food scene, the festival will also celebrate chefs and restaurants from right around New Zealand including Monique Fiso (Hiakai), Giulio Sturla (Roots Restaurant, Christchurch) and Johnny Schwass (Harlequin Public House, Christchurch).

The Taste Hospitality Marquee will be a hive of activity with culinary experiences during the festival. Kiwi icon Peter Gordon will travel from London to attend a special 30th anniversary of the original restaurant The Sugar Club opening at the festival on Saturday 19 November. This will see Gordon joined in the kitchen by former chefs from the establishment’s various NZ and UK incarnations: Che Barrington (Blue Breeze Inn and Woodpecker Hill) and Pip Wylie (Onslow Bar & Eatery), Neil Brazier (The Sugar Club, SKYCITY Auckland).

The TSB Bank Producers Market brings together 14 artisan producers from across New Zealand showcasing luscious pickles, spreads, fine pressed oil, and so much more. It’s all about helping local, 100% NZ owned producers shine, and proving that the most passionate artisans don’t have to be the biggest. TSB Bank is running a special Surprise and Delight promotion at the event - when people swipe their TSB Bank Crown Card at the TSB Bank stand, they could win a raft of prizes including Taste of Auckland restaurant vouchers, TSB Bank Crown Cards and one lucky festival goer will win a TSB Bank Connect Plus account pre-loaded with $500.

Tickets for Taste of Auckland in partnership with Electrolux are on sale now.

ENDS

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