JAPANESE INSPIRATION, NEW ZEALAND FLAIR

AARON BALLANTYNE COOKS SIX DAYS A WEEK AT THE AWARD-WINNING NELSON RESTAURANT BUT THAT DOESN’T STOP HIM ENJOYING MAKING SUNDAY- NIGHT DINNER AT HOME WITH SILVER FERN FARMS

SILVER FERN FARMS Restaurant of the Year head chef Aaron Ballantyne, of Hopgood’s Co in Nelson, says he loves cooking even on his days off. “But on work days, when I get home late at night after a long shift, I’m grateful for my wife Satomi’s good food. Many chefs, especially when they’re young, live off two-minute noodles,” says Aaron, ever appreciative of his Osaka-born wife’s skill with nutritious food. Not only did Hopgood’s take the supreme award but Aaron also won Best Venison Dish for his autumn-inspired Silver Fern Farms venison, chestnut polenta, caramelised celeriac, fig and wild mushroom tapenade. When shopping for those home-based Sunday dinners, Aaron still veers towards Silver Fern Farms’ cuts of meat in the supermarket. “It’s the product’s consistency that makes it such a oy to work with. Every time we open the packet we know it will be quality, that there’s no chance of a hit-and-miss product.” His end- of-week supper offering is an adaptation of a common Japanese dish, Menchi Katsu. “Satomi used to have a food stall in Singapore before she came to Wellington where we met. And her bento boxes contained this, which is a bit like a deep-fried burger patty.” Aaron says the breaded, minced- meat patties are traditional Japanese comfort food but, in using venison mince instead of the more usual beef, shallow frying instead of deep frying and pairing the meat with a fresh salad, they hit the tasty but healthy mark. “The Japanese flavours still shine through but, even though it’s comforting, it’s a delicate, flavoursome dish which captures the spring lift in the palate.” Aaron and his restaurant partner Kevin Hopgood buy seasonally and locally. Not only Silver Fern Farms products, but also at the local Nelson markets sourcing fresh vegetables, fruits, cheeses and breads to serve diners. He says they are blessed with great local growers who will even grow to order for him. Aaron is as seasonally driven with home cooking as he is developing the menu at the restaurant. “We change our menu in response to what is available at the markets, sometimes twice a week and we are always looking to other cultures for inspiration. Our customers are well-travelled these days and most know Japanese flavours and even Japanese ingredients. They appreciate that our dishes are bringing the world to them.” Since winning the supreme accolade at this year’s Silver Fern Farms Restaurant Awards Aaron says the restaurant is even busier than usual and the whole team is very proud.