Ask Peter LA catering

Imentioned a few weeks ago that I had recently catered an event for 130 people in Los Angeles for the New Zealand Film Commission. The aim of the event was to showcase the New Zealand screen industry, including the fact we have such a variety of diverse locations in close proximity. We’re one of only a handful of countries that can offer that, along with the technical skills of our craftspeople and a community that invests a huge amount of effort and pride showcasing the country to the rest of the world. The guests were primarily non-New Zealanders from within the screen industry we hoped to woo to make their next film or television show in New Zealand’s film studios, including Auckland’s new Kumeu Film Studios, as well as the great outdoors. But of course we were also showing off our home-grown talent, from directors and producers through to actors and technical folk. As we sung our waiata Te Aroha in front of the assembled crowd, I was acutely aware that we are a unique people on the world stage. I’m yet to witness any other country line up and sing together in the way we so easily do for anything other than a national anthem.

In order to get the food made for the event, which I’d spent a good many months working towards, I’d teamed up with a Los Angeles based catering company called Heirloom, having flown in from London only a few days earlier. The business is owned by Matt, an ex-Detroit chef, and staffed mainly by a team of fabulous and hardworking Mexican chefs and cooks. The menu I’d devised was based on the four geographical zones that were the focus of the night: Coastal, Forest, Alpine and Urban. As the food was served, the projections on the screen above the swimming pool changed, from coastline and oceans through to forests and rivers, high country and snow covered landscapes, and our cities. The event was held in the leafy suburb of Brentwood, at the New Zealand Private Residence, with the Consul-General Maurice Williamson happily entertaining the guests and making the Kiwis feel right at home. Fortuitously for me I’d figured out how to turn the ice machine on in his newly installed Fisher & Paykel fridge, plus I’d made a batch of cheese scones (for which I shared the recipe in Bite recently) earlier in the day, so I was in the good books and felt right at home.

From a Bite perspective, I guess I’m keen to give a shout-out to the New Zealand companies and producers that supported the event, and therefore New Zealand, on the night. Our wines came from various vineyards, with Michael Seresin’s biodynamic Marlborough vineyard a fitting one — he being one of the world’s best DOPs (Director of Photography — the camera man), alongside New Zealand actor Sam Neill’s vineyard Two Paddocks, Quartz Reef, Kumeu River Village, Craggy Range, Trinity Hill, Giesen, Garage Project beer and Antipodes water. New Zealand indigenous herbs, seaweeds and manuka smoked salt were sourced from Great Taste New Zealand. Various US distributors helped us source our New Zealand meats and super-fresh trevally.