That is thanks to a partnership between fishing charter company Catch a Fish and Ardmore St restaurant Arc, which allows fishing charter customers to take their catch to Arc where it can be prepared by the restaurant’s chefs.
For the owners and operators of Catch a Fish, Oliver Garland and Sanne Keurentjes, being in and around the water was second nature. Previously scuba diving instructors in Australia, the pair wanted to give the best customer experience while reducing the waste of fishing for sport, Ms Keurentjes said.
‘‘We believe that for people to come here and use their valuable time to experience the lake with us is such an honour and it was a no-brainer to ask somebody who is super skilled to carry on that experience for our customers.
‘‘Arc was one of the restaurants at the top of the list because they fit the experience we were looking for and have similar values,’’ she said.
The couple, who have lived in Wānaka for five years, take pride in the sustainable factors of their business, collecting data for Fish & Game and using an electric trolling motor to power their boat.
Arc co-owner and head chef Sam Cooper said the partnership harnessed the similar philosophies of the two businesses which sought to delivery high-quality experiences that ‘‘showcase what this place has to offer’’.
Arc changes its menu on a monthly basis to make the most of the seasonal ebb and flow of local produce.
Fish caught by customers were vacuum packed and kept on ice below 5°C. It replaced the current protein on the restaurant’s set menu.
‘‘We have a few tricks up our sleeves if the flavours on the menu don’t match with the fish.
‘‘One of my favourite ways to cook fish is beurre monte (in a butter sauce). We prefer to cook them skin on, bone in because it keeps it super, super juicy.
Mr Cooper said there were a number of legalities involving the fish which made the partnership tricky.
‘‘We knew it was going to be quite tricky ... but thought it's worth all the messing about because its such a cool thing to be able to do.
Mr Cooper said that in New Zealand you were not able to commercially catch or sell trout. The only loophole was if customers caught the fish and brought it in to be cooked.
