The bold flavours of cherry sauce, a house-made venison patty, fresh rocket, smoked cheddar and gherkin, locally sourced and all tucked into a brioche bun, tickled the taste buds of many of their cliental during May, propelling the Bushman into the finals of the Monteith’s Wild Food Challenge.
JJ and Mel, who have owned Saints Cafe, Restaurant, Bar for 18 years, and head chef Yash Rawat. will now wing their way to Auckland, as one of five finalists all voted into the top spots by the public — three of them from Canterbury. They will now battle it out for top honours in a cook-off on Wednesday, June 18.
JJ says Hanmer Springs is right on the doorstep of two of New Zealand’s biggest high country farms — Molesworth and St James.
‘‘We’ve got to know the locals, hunters and farmers who frequent these farms daily.
‘‘So when we asked them what dish they thought would be perfect for the Monteith’s Wild Food Challenge, the consensus was clear,’’ he said.
He says they wanted to showcase local products wherever possible, bringing together simple, yet bold flavours in a burger that you could ‘‘wrap ya laughing gear around’’, and the Bushman appeared to hit the spot.
‘‘We chose golden lager because its smooth, full-bodied flavour pairs perfectly with cherries and venison every day of the week — and twice on Sundays,’’ JJ says.
He says the response was incredible.
‘‘We’ve received loads of great feedback and sold heaps of burgers throughout May.
‘‘Our chefs and staff have loved every minute of it.’’
JJ says after nearly two decades owning Saints, making it to the top five in the country ‘‘means the world to us’’.
‘‘We are incredibly proud to be flying the flag for North Canterbury in (thsi) week’s finals.’’
The other finalists are the Christchurch Casino, Thirsty Acres in Kirwee, Black Label BBQ from Rotorua and Smoking Barrel from Motueka.
The grand finale will see each eatery put their wild dish to the test in front of an expert judging panel featuring Ben Bayly, Sam Wild, and Emily Lucas.
‘‘It’s awesome to see such a mix of eateries from all over Aotearoa in the final, and some lesser-known gems putting themselves on the map,’’ Ben Bayly says after a month of fierce competition, and thousands of votes from the public.
‘‘All five finalists are bringing something totally unique to the table and I can’t wait to give each dish a try.’’
