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An Aotearoa Food Experience.

An Aotearoa Food Experience.

Posted by —
eatnewzealand

Published —
28.02.2020

We live in the most wonderous place on earth. Tucked deep in the Queen Charlotte Sound in Marlborough, lies a whimsical place called Waterfall Bay. A few weekends ago, a small crew of creatively driven humans served an intimate dinner to visitors and locals. The food was regionally sourced including clams, cheese, mushrooms and wild game supplemented with wild plants. Foraging and fire-cooking was interspersed amongst adventures such as swimming, paddle boarding and kayaking. Where else can you serve food cooked over manuka, surrounded by native bush and have a dish explained by the person who collected the ingredients? Then when the night is complete, you are led back to your bed by a continuous cicada chorus and a constellation of glow worms in the banks lighting the path. Gatherings and experiences like that of Waterfall Bay provide the opportunity to take our food into the context of our natural environment. When we do this our offering to the world is incredibly unique and no one can replicate it. It reflects our culture of being close to the source of our food and connected to the land and water it comes from. By valuing this narrative we can tell the New Zealand Food Story in an incredible and compelling way. We are so much more than a list of ingredients. The wheels are in motion for Eat New Zealand in 2020 as we work on expanding our capacity to share these New Zealand food stories with people, around the world and throughout our communities. It's all coming.

Feast Matariki 2020

If you're inspired to create your own unique NZ food experience, Feast Matariki, New Zealand’s national food celebration will be held again in July this year. Let us know if you’re planning an event in this period and we can help you tell the world!

#KnowYourFarmer + Regen Ag Research

I’ve had the chance over the past couple of weeks to talk to groups of farmers about the New Zealand food landscape and the opportunity that exists to tell their story. Firstly a group of sheep milk farmers from Canterbury and then dairy and beef & lamb farmers from South Otago. For me it was also an opportunity to listen to what they think and what their vision is. As food lovers, how much do we know about where our food comes from and who grows it? How do we ensure Aotearoa’s future includes family farms and access for everyone to good, nutrient-dense food. How do we connect these people with those who eat their food, and tell their stories in an authentic and transparent way? To that end it’s also exciting to see Beef + Lamb New Zealand undertake research around Regenerative Agriculture in New Zealand. Two years ago we started this conversation as part of the FoodHui.

We were watching the emergence of a farmer-lead grassroots movement. These were people who were looking beyond sustainability to regeneration of our land and soils. They offer solutions around biodiversity and carbon capture and allow pathways to food with positive environmental outcomes; from eggs to meat, grain to fruit & vegetables. Exciting times ahead! Read more about the Regenerative Agriculture Research here.

#KnowYourFisher

…And speaking of the 2018 FoodHui, it’s exciting to see the finalists in the New Zealand Seafood Sustainability Awards announced. Many of you will remember the three brave fishers who took to the stage and told their stories, shared their vision. All three of them; Karl Warr from Better Fishing, Scott McNeil from Awatoru Enterprises and Nate Smith from Gravity Fishing - are finalists in the Market Innovation and Value Added section of the awards. Nate is also a finalist in the Emerging Leader Award. Whatever the outcome, we’re really proud of them all. Read more about the New Zealand Seafood Sustainability Awards here.

Feast Waikato Launches for 2020

Feast Waikato kicks off on 2nd - 5th April 2020. The festivals second year includes a host of events including the progressive CBD dinner, a Waikato producers lunch, collabs and secret restaurants, community markets and how-to workshops and even free movies and family activities.

The Kitchen Takeover, a secret pop-up restaurant presents 'Hunter Gatherer', Mr Pickles presents a multi-course dessert dinner and there are foodie garden tours at the Hamilton Gardens.

Check out the full Feast Waikato program on the Waikato Food Inc website.

Take me to the Feast Waikato line up...

Upcoming #NZFood Celebrations

Feast Waikato isn't the only food festival happening around the country. Here's a round-up of diverse food and drink events happening throughout the country. Remember to make sure you share your #NZfood events with us!
  • Sunshine and a Plate Whakatāne - 29th Feb - 8th March
    • The Eastern BOP food festival kicks off this weekend!
  • Wild Stock Christchurch - Sat 29th Feb
    • Natty wines & sour beer by Cult Wine & Beer Library. Food by Gatherings.
  • Hokitika Wildfoods Festival - Sat 7th March
    • The 30-yr-old festival is back to celebrate our wild West Coast.
  • North Canterbury Wine & Food Festival - Sun 8th March
    • The 'coolest little wine festival in the country' gears up to be a gem.
  • Wild Stock Auckland - Sun 10th March
    • Wild food, beer and wine on K. Rd by Cult Wine & Beer Jerk.
  • Havelock Mussel and Seafood Festival - Sat 14th March
    • Celebrating 16yrs of delicious Marlborough seafood & Tiki Taane.
  • Beef + Lamb NZ Ambassador Series Dinner - Sat 28th March
    • Tejas Nikam of Vices & Virtues in Christchurch will host a collaboration dinner with Beef + Lamb NZ Platinum Ambassador, Darren Wright of Chillingworth Road. Tickets on sale now.
  • Feast Waikato - Thur 2nd April - Sun 5th April
    • 30+ events celebrating the most delicious parts of the Waikato from cheese workshops to secret dinners & street festivals.

Open Farms Day this Sunday 1st March

The movement to reconnect urban and rural kiwis kicks off this Sunday 1st March, if you are interested in a last minute registration for visitors head to their website and sign up here.

See you at Open Farms this Sunday 1st March

Ngā mihi o te tau hou

Angela Clifford, CEO Eat New Zealand +64 274 242 871
angela@eatnewzealand.nz www.eatnewzealand.nz

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