MONTEITH’S CALLS ON THE NATION’S CHEFS TO TAKE AIM AT THE COMPETITION

Kiwi culinary enthusiasts are being called on to prepare their bows and arrows – the annual Monteith’s Beer and Wild Food Challenge is back. And what’s more, the bounty has grown with $15,000 up for grabs to celebrate 15 years of courageous kai

Registrations are now open for all aficionados of gastronomy who have a hunger for adventure and a taste for the wild, to test their prowess at devising daring dishes expertly matched to Monteith’s beer and cider  

During the course of the Challenge, a panel of expert judges will travel the country in pursuit of the best entries. Head judge, Kerry Tyack, says that he will be looking for a wild food and Monteith’s pairing that tantalizes the tastebuds and pushes food frontiers.

Chris and Karren Biddles, from Te Atarangi Angus, have been named the Producer of the Decade at last night’s Steak of Origin grand final.

To celebrate 10 years of the contest to find New Zealand’s most tender and tasty steak, all results from previous competitions were tallied up to find the top performing and most consistent producer.

Kiwi culinary enthusiasts are being called on to prepare their bows and arrows – the annual Monteith’s Beer and Wild Food Challenge is back. And what’s more, the bounty has grown with $15,000 up for grabs to celebrate 15 years of courageous kai.

Innovative New Zealand wine brand Dusky Sounds has today revealed a stylish packaging refresh, further enhancing its appeal to Kiwi wine drinkers.

The Dusky Sounds range, which offers affordable and reliable wines made in a fresh, approachable style, is aimed at house pour listings in restaurants. With Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Gris, Chardonnay and Merlot varietals available, Dusky Sounds captures the essence of New Zealand and appeals to consumers who appreciate quality wine without the hefty Marketing Manager, Cathy Wansink, says Dusky Sound is a unique and magical place, with geography that gives rise to a mystical quality unlike anywhere in the world.

After being run by a succession of leaseholders for 20 years, Napier’s iconic Masonic Hotel– with 41 rooms, an apartment, two restaurants and an Irish bar – was always going to be a challenge to turn around. But it’s always been very rewarding, say owners Neil Barber and Craig Hay - and they claim hands-on management and gaining staff buy-in has been pivotal to success. 

   Preventing workplace accidents is often just a case of common sense – as Don Kavanagh discovers

Dutch-style cheeses proved the stand-out performers at the recent Cuisine NZ Champions of Cheese awards with Gouda and Edam varieties taking out the top two awards.

Meyer Vintage Gouda, produced by Hamilton-based specialist Meyer Gouda Cheese earned the Yealands Estate Champion of Champions Award for large producers while Very Old Edam from Kerikeri-based Mahoe Farmhouse Cheese took out the Cuisine Champion Artisan Award for smaller producers.

Those who sneer at sweetbreads or shun shin steak may have to step from their comfort zone to discover the magic top chefs are creating from “cheaper” cuts of meat – as Sue Fea discovers.

 More than 200 pinot noir lovers and experts from around the world converged on the Queenstown region at the end of January for the Central Otago Pinot  Noir Celebration.

The verdict was unanimous - Burgundy should be worried. And that’s straight from one of its own. Leading French winegrower, Thibault  Liger-Belair was blown away by the quality of maturing Central Otago pinot  noirs at the recent Central Otago Pinot Noir Celebration.

 A competition to add spice to the first school term is open for cookery students in Year 12 or 13 who want to be a chef. It is fairly titled as the Ultimate Work Experience, as the winners will have the opportunity to go backstage for two days to see what it is like to work in the fast-paced world of hospitality. Career portal www.nzskillsconnect.co.nz is promoting the competition to secondary schools, with a tempting prize package that will not only give the two winners a look behind the scenes of several high-profile Auckland hospitality businesses, but also see them rolling up their sleeves to help.

Training bar staff is about protecting your staff, your business and, apparently, your patrons. As more onus is put on the hospitality industry to take responsibility for drunken behaviour, and as policing becomes reportedly more “subjective”, Wellington’s Jeremy Smith discusses why his Trinity Group is opening up its training courses for others. BY KATHY OMBLER