This week we talk to the chefs at Carrick Winery, Waipiata Country Hotel, Pitches Store and Danseys Pass Hotel about their entries in Eat.Taste.Central 2021.

Meet the chefs behind this year’s delicious Eat.Taste.Central dishes. Discover their inspiration, and learn why you should try out their dish ahead of Peoples’ Choice voting.

Chef Gwen at Carrick Winery in Bannockburn has designed and entered a special Bannockburn platter in this year’s Eat.Taste.Central.

“In spring we start to crave some fresher food, however nature is just reawakening after winter.  

“In Central Otago we have spring frosts and some days are still a tad on the chilly side.  

“This menu reflects both the produce available in spring and the changeable weather - the Bannockburn Platter is a great sharing dish, particularly for warmer days.”

The platter has a variety of foods that work well together, and all pair well with their Bannockburn rosé. Alongside Carrick Winery’s own organic wines, olive oil and egg, it includes Perigold black truffles from Bannockburn, a traditional Spanish-style chorizo made in Cromwell, local produce and Forage and Gold honeycomb created right here in the wilds of Central.

And the platter is completed with crispy agria potatoes - a nod to our Scottish and Irish settlers.

Chef Gwen has also created a local twist on looking after our environment.

“Rabbits have long plagued our area; presently they are under control. 

“I’m happy to help by cooking a few and turning them into tasty croquettes.”

Chef Gwen says a good team in the kitchen and the incorporation of local, seasonal produce is key.

“I love creating food which makes people feel happy and facilitates them celebrating or spending time with friends, family, or colleagues.”

Waipiata Country Hotel chef Mark has created a main dish of Kakanui Merino Lamb Oyster Shoulder - and it’s designed to share with someone special.

It is a succulent merino lamb oyster shoulder, carefully slow cooked on the bone for 12 hours, and served with rosemary potatoes, sauteed button mushrooms, seasonal vegetables, grilled greens and finished with a red wine jus.

The lamb is a Silere Alpine Origin Merino oyster shoulder.

“When you're eating your merino shoulder out on the deck, you look over the Kakanui Range. 

“It's also the area where merino was first farmed in the Maniototo.”

Chef Mark says he loves to focus on showcasing the local area when creating dishes. It is important to him to present dishes with tradition and flavour that match the local wines and beers.

Avi is head chef at the Pitches Store in the historic gold-mining town of Ophir. He has taken inspiration from his Israeli heritage and created it with fresh, local produce.

The result is a broad bean falafel main, with house-made lahukah (a sourdough) pancake, hummus, salsa, harissa and lavosh. The wine match is a Hinton Riesling.

“It’s a traditional dish in my culture.

“I used our own broad beans that we grow - it is the grain I prefer to use.”

Chef Avi says he likes to use fresh ingredients, and to make as much as possible himself, from scratch.

“I like to see clean plates coming back from the diners to the kitchen.”

James is the chef at Danseys Pass Hotel. For this year’s entries in Eat.Taste.Centra he created two lamb dishes, the first a main of slow braised, local Provenance lamb shoulder, served in filo with parsnip puree, honey roasted carrots, pine nuts and feta.

“The lamb shoulder in filo was created as a warm, hearty winter dish to be eaten on those cold and sometimes snowing Central Otago winter nights by our open fire, using slow cooked local lamb and root vegetables,” he explains.

For James’ second dish, he created a pulled Provenance lamb shoulder flatbread, with caramelised onions,tahini, mint, yoghurt, tomato sauce and mozzarella cheese, all designed to compliment the slow braised lamb, but creating a lighter meal option.

“What is important to me as a Chef,” he says, “is preparing food simply and with respect.” 

“That allows me to showcase the amazing local ingredients in Central Otago and New Zealand which are some of the best in the world, and reflects the hard work of our producers and growers.” 

Get out and Eat.Taste.Central by trying these amazing dishes created by the best of our local chefs, using local produce. You won’t be disappointed!

We’re in the final countdown, so make sure you vote for your favourite by clicking Taste, Rate, Win.

Images supplied