Tantalising taste buds with local produce

A unique food and beverage festival celebrating Taranaki produce is set to launch this October.

The Taste Taranaki Festival will be held at New Plymouth’s Pukekura Raceway on October 21 and will showcase the top quality products produced in the region.

Event director Ron Trigg, of Mike’s Brewery, said collectively the region produced top quality food and beverage, but the products typically left the region as ingredients or components of other food and beverage products or meals.

‘‘So why can’t we get people from around the country recognising and celebrating our region for these amazing ingredients as meals and resolved products in their own right, and presented in our own Taranaki style,’’ Trigg said.

Chefs from the Nice Hotel, Okurukuru, Salt Restaurant, The Orangery Restaurant and Governors Eatery and Bar would each be preparing two dishes at the event.

‘‘The idea with the restaurants is they will be serving what we call signature dishes but as an entree sized portion.

‘‘It is essentially a degustation dinner but not in such a formal setting.’’

Trigg said each restaurant would have a bar that would provide the beverage selection to accompany the dishes which would include two different beers, one from Mike’s and another local brewery, along with an assortment of other drinks including gin, wine, kombucha, cold brewed coffee and water.

‘‘It will have very small quantity of all of those drinks,’’ he said.

‘‘We’re partnering with some of the region’s finest restaurants, food and beverage producers – large and small – to present dishes and matched beverage selections to tantalise guests with a unique flavour experience.

‘‘Think a classy day at the races tasting your way through morsels served up by some of the region’s top chefs and paired with a selection of artisanal beverages – just without horses and losing money.’’

The event would also include a beer and cheese matching session hosted by Blenheim’s Geoff Griggs, live music, street food and a fashion parade.

Trigg said local suppliers including Fonterra, Ansco, Tegal, Egmont Seafoods, Yarrows, Van Dyck Fine Foods and Egmont Honey would be providing the chefs with all of the ingredients for their dishes.

Tickets for the festival go on sale on August 1 and are expected to cost $80, which includes a commemorative Spiegelau wine glass and a goodie bag packed with vouchers and products.

Trigg said the meals were expected to be priced at $12 each with the selection of drinks costing a further $8.

A percentage of ticket sales would be donated to the Taranaki Retreat, a suicide prevention initiative in the region.

Anyone interested could keep up to date at the website www.tastetaranaki.co.nz