Embark on a journey of discovery of the native flora, fauna and marine life in New Zealand, as nature intended – with the addition of inspired touches of French finesse.
Visa Wellington On a Plate, returns August 10 this year, with 17 days of 100+ dining establishments presenting over 180 bespoke burgers, cocktail concoctions paired with carefully crafted canapés and something that’s tickling our culinary fancy, is the Chef’s Collaboration series. As the name suggests, this collaboration series presents once-in-a-lifetime, bespoke experiences which bring together top culinary talent from New Zealand and around the world – proving that you can never have too much talent in one kitchen.
Wellington’s designer hotel QT Museum Wellington has partnered with the Festival to sponsor Chef’s Collaboration series. As a destination for culture and ingenuity, QT Museum Wellington’s Hippopotamus Restaurant and Executive Chef, Laurent Loudeac welcomes Vaughan Mabee and Adam Harrison, Executive Chef and Head Chef of Queenstown’s Amisfield Bistro. The duo is well-known around in the country’s culinary scene for spearheading the ‘Trust the Chef’ tasting menu concept which showcases native New Zealand foods through hunting, fishing and foraging. If you haven’t had the absolute, indulgent pleasure, the Bistro’s signature ‘Trust the Chef’ menu is an intimate dining experience that will set the scene for two nights during the Festival.
Hippopotamus, together with Amisfield have designed an eight-course journey centred on a connection for quality produce and aligning food philosophy to create with fresh, local and in season.
Guests will be treated to finest New Zealand cuisine, as both kitchens work to draw inspiration from French gastronomy, molecular play and native New Zealand ingredients. Laurent has given rise to dining at Hippopotamus over the past decade and he thanks his unwavered culinary philosophy throughout the years, putting focus on “fresh, balanced, simplistic and good combinations of flavours” to produce the highest quality French cuisine.