Amazing Amayjen
A Feilding restaurant has taken out best dish and people’s choice award in the Plate of Origin competition.
Amayjen’s wild fallow and blue-lipped mussel dish was announced the winner by Cuisine Magazine on May 12.
Ten Manawatu chefs paired with chefs from throughout New Zealand to compete in the second year of Plate of Origin, which took place in Palmerston North in March.
Amayjen paired with Arbour from Marlborough and used mussels, wild venison, black garlic and honey from the region to create a refined spin on surf and turf.
Amayjen co-owner Jenni May said she was shocked to find out the dish had been announced the winner after they also won people’s choice award in March.
‘‘It’s just outstanding’’, she said.
‘‘We were up against a lot of really good chefs.’’
Chef and co-owner Andrew May said he was ‘‘chuffed’’ with the win.
It was a combination of hard work, getting people into the restaurant and having fun, he said.
About one third of diners during the five-night event tried the Plate of Origin dish.
‘‘We actually had people who don’t like mussels or venison try it and say they loved the combination.’’
One person ordered the dish and planned to pawn off the mussels to his wife, but ended up leaving just a clean plate, he said.
Cuisine Magazine editor and competition judge Kelli Brett said choosing just one dish across such a diverse group of chefs and regions was not easy.
‘‘Each had its own unique combination of food memories, unique flavours and regional ingredients.’’
Amayjen’s dish was ‘‘thoughtful and respectful’’ and inspired by a strong connection to the people who grew the produce in Marlborough, Brett said.
Brett said it was a ‘‘standout because of the unique story behind the ingredients on the plate’’.
Chef and owner of Arbour, Bradley Hornby, said the bluelipped mussels were used to show people that a product considered a pest by some could be commercially viable.
Blue-lipped mussels were known to ‘‘bully’’ green-lipped mussels and had a softer shell, which could break easily.