A Food Festival To Put Taupō On The Map Is Here – Welcome Treats Of Taupō!

A map of New Zealand highlighting our most delicious destinations got Fleur Wolstenholme fired up. Although relatively new to Taupō, Fleur was disappointed to find her adopted home wasn’t represented on the map at all. 

“It showcased the wines of Hawke’s Bay, kiwifruit of Bay of Plenty and the whitebait of the west coast - but there was a huge gaping hole where Taupō is and I couldn’t believe it, because our food scene here is unreal.”

Fleur arrived in Aotearoa New Zealand from the United Kingdom in 2016, and the digital strategist, who had grown up in and around the British pub scene, says once she landed in Taupō she knew she didn’t want to leave. Now, she’s founded the region’s first independent food festival, which kicks off on 28 September.

Treats of Taupō is a platform for local producers, eateries and chefs to share their talents – and wonderful food – with New Zealand, and Fleur is counting the days until launch. “We have such a rich and varied cuisine scene here, from our breweries and distilleries to our growers, farmers, organic meat and honey, coffee roasters and chocolatiers, not to mention globally acclaimed restaurants and chefs,” says Fleur. 

Held during the first ten days of the school holidays, Treats of Taupō offers 24 food events ranging from exclusive and ticketed, to free and walk-up – something for every local, visitor, preference and budget. 

“The Treat Degustation Tour is a standout event where ticket holders visit five of the best eateries in Taupō across one night. Each eatery – Embra, The Bistro, Plateau, The Brantry and Lionel’s – hosts a course and drink match,” continues Fleur. “The Market Takeover is a great way to meet our local suppliers, plus it’s free to have a walk around with specials available for purchase on the day. Personally, I love Indian cuisine so am looking forward to the Indian street food night, Taste of the Streets. And for parents looking to fill an afternoon, we have a cupcake decorating contest with Simple Bakes Taupō and a scavenger hunt with Kona Kones.”

Other highlights include a cooking demonstration hosted by popular foodie and content creator Vanya Insull from VJ Cooks, a Kinloch Honey-themed high tea and a coffee roasting and barista skills workshop at Sacred Grounds. 

Fleur says she was driven to establish Treats of Taupō after reading what seemed like an endless stream of negative news stories covering the struggling hospitality sector. “I was quite fed up with the doom and gloom approach – stories about restaurants closing, how rising costs are crippling businesses and Kiwis have less money to spend. Although it’s obviously true, it’s not the whole story and there’s still plenty of positive news within hospo that’s not so readily picked up. 

“Treats of Taupō is trying to change that narrative and showcase how amazing our local suppliers, producers, owners, operators and staff are!”

Fleur describes how Taupō’s local food producers draw inspiration from their surroundings, and that the pristine water, volcanic earth, and lush pastures of the region set Taupō’s food apart. “Lakeman Brewing and 5 Mile Distilling both credit the quality of water in Taupō with the quality of their beer and gin. And others such as Taupō Beef, Opepe Milk and Kinloch Honey say they owe their flavour-packed produce to the lush landscapes.”

Fleur’s also keen to point out how lucky the locals feel to call Taupō home. “It’s a small town brimming with interesting people. I love it here because there’s everything you could possibly want – stunning scenery, great hikes, proximity to the snow, the water, the bigger cities and an amazing social life. Since the pandemic there’s been a real influx of young professionals and families, which has been fantastic, and many of them have founded foodie ventures too. It’s been such a fun process to unearth all the amazing things we make and produce here in Taupō.”

With the clock ticking to the Treats of Taupō food festival launch, Fleur says the town is buzzing and some events are already at capacity. “I’m urging people to jump online, peruse the programme and get booking to avoid disappointment.”

If it’s a success, she’d like to replicate the festival in 2025, and would look to double the number of events on offer. “There’s no reason why we can’t – we have so many hidden gems in Taupō along with the talent, the passion, the service and the atmosphere to create something really special.

“It's high time we put Taupō on the food and drink map!”

Treats of Taupō, from September 28th to October 6th 2024 at various locations around Taupō. For details, the programme, and to book see 

https://www.treatsoftaupo.co.nz/

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