Rebecca Fox talks to the chefs about their success.
Once upon a time it was adventure tourism that mainly attracted tourists to Otago but now food experiences are becoming a real force to be reckoned with, Otago chefs say.
"The hospo scene down south is doing some really incredible things, and we can’t wait for more Kiwis to experience what’s on offer down our neck of the woods," Queenstown’s Sherwood executive chef Chris Scott says.
Vaughan Mabee, who is executive chef at Amisfield, which won Cuisine Good Food Awards restaurant of the year and "three hats" at an award ceremony in Auckland last week, agrees, saying the recognition he and the restaurant had received in recent years, including placing in the top 100 of World’s 50 Best Restaurants, is drawing people in from around the world to visit and work for them.
"The team’s pretty ecstatic about all the awards. We’ve had a few big world awards this year putting the spotlight, the eye, on New Zealand cuisine and it’s bringing a lot more styles of tourism as well."
Arrowtown restaurant Aosta, which won regional restaurant of the year, the rising talent award for its head chef Josh Phillips and retained two hats, paid tribute to Central Otago’s seasons and produce for being behind its success.
Chef Ben Bayly, who oversees Aosta and whose Auckland restaurant Ahi was awarded three hats, says winning this award is incredibly meaningful for the team which he believes has "truly found its rhythm" in the past 12 months after steadily evolving over the past seven or eight years.
"While Aosta draws inspiration from Northern Italy, we are, at heart, a restaurant deeply rooted in the spirit and flavours of this area. The win ... reminded us just how much this recognition means. With world-class ingredients and outstanding wineries at our doorstep, we’re fortunate to have such a rich foundation to build from."
Having Phillips also be awarded added to the honour of being named among the top 20 category winners, he says.
"I’m incredibly proud of Josh Philips, an exceptionally talented and dedicated chef, and of our entire team at Aosta."
The Good Food Awards gave out 32 "two hat" awards including to Sherwood, Aosta, Wānaka’s Kika and Dunedin’s Moiety, while seven restaurants in Otago received "one hat" — Cardrona distillery, Queenstown’s Botswana Butchery, Toast and Oak, Rata, Jervois Steak House, Oamaru’s Cucina and Dunedin’s Number 7 at Balmac.
Moiety co-owner and chef Sam Gasson says the step up is "a really scary thing for us".
"It comes with a lot of pressure, probably pressure I put on myself. And you look at the list and there’s all these people I still really look up to and I’m just amazed that we’re essentially sitting right there with them — that a small restaurant in Dunedin can sit alongside such great places."
The judges described Moiety as being all about "exceptional food and epic service, without the fuss of fine dining. Expect inventive dishes, complemented by a carefully selected drinks list featuring unique boutique producers".
Their success speaks to where the restaurant is, in a city which has access to so many great producers and produce, Gasson says.
"The winemakers, the growers, the fishermen, they all care and they’re just small people like us and we’re all together showcasing and doing something awesome in Dunedin."
While the restaurant remains for sale, Gasson still has the personal drive to constantly improve his work and remains passionate about hospitality and looking after his customers.
He is a big fan of food tourism as in general people who travel to eat really care about what they are eating and it results in bigger conversations about the environment and food cycle.
Scott says retaining Sherwood’s "two hat" rating is a testament to the team, who work hard every single day to create a great experience for guests, both front of house and in the kitchen.
"It’s an honour to be included amongst such outstanding hospitality venues across the country, and it’s fantastic to see our friends in Queenstown and the wider Otago region also acknowledged."
Mabee, who is ranked 44 in top 100 chefs of the world, is quick to point out these sort of wins are not the result of a "one-man army" and puts Amisfield’s continuing success — it held the restaurant of the year title from 2021 to 2023 — down to the passion of everyone who works there from head chef Sun Peng down.
"We’re all just super passionate about telling a story of cultural diversity around Aotearoa through our wine and our food. Everyone’s always excited and everyone keeps pushing forward."
When asked what continues to inspires him, Mabee laughs and says "I don’t know how I get them out of my mind but they squeak out every now and then.
Chef James Stapley, who owns Kika, also credits his "amazing" team for their hard work and attention to detail for achieving the award.
"It’s hard enough to get two hats let alone retain them. I’m very lucky to have them [the team]."
The team are constantly refining their dishes and developing new ones to keep their customers excited and their chefs inspired. Part of that was a recent major renovation of the restaurant’s interior.
"We finally feel the decor and ambience now truly match the food."
He says Wānaka has an "incredible" food scene with new venues opening all the time and getting recognition from the awards is really positive for the town.
Former Wānaka chef Lucas Parkinson, who now lives in Piha, Auckland, won the champion for change award for his new restaurant Aryeh where he emphasises accessible food in a welcoming atmosphere based on nature playing a pivotal role in the kitchen.
Good Food Awards
Hat ratings — 102 hats awarded
Three hats (20) Best of the best
Three hats (19) Extraordinary, approaching perfection
Two hats (18) Consistently outstanding
One hat (17) Excellent, up there with the best
