Hawke’s Bay chefs celebrate Christmas
If a stress-less Christmas is top of your wish list this season, we reckon it’s time to consult the experts. Here, four of Hawke’s Bay’s popular chefs share their secrets to a wonderful festive occasion, as well as some tasty tips on what to cook!
James Beck, head chef and owner at Bistronomy
Your Christmas will be a little different to normal this time around. Tell us about it…
This year will be the inaugural Bistronomy Orphans’ Christmas. So many of our amazing staff are from out of town or overseas and this year we’ll be celebrating with them. I’ll throw a few big Patangata Station ribeyes on my Egg barbecue and each of the team will bring something from their home to eat. I’m particularly looking forward to one of my sous chef’s dishes. Levi is from Holland, where I worked for a couple of years, and he will be bringing ‘Witlof uit de oven’!
What Christmas traditions have you created?
Although my parents live in Christchurch, and don’t often make it up for Christmas Day, I still try and squeeze one of Mum’s famous pork pies out of her each year. They are truly special.
For food industry people, it’s a hectic build up. How do you stress less as the day approaches?
The most important thing for this period is having great staff and making sure they are well trained. Personally I don’t stress when I have a full restaurant. It’s if it’s half empty that I get stressed!
Do you have a quick Christmas food tip to share?
Don’t try to do everything yourself. Buy good ingredients and cook them simply.
Kerry Mackay, chef and owner of food truck Vagabond Jacks
How do you celebrate Christmas and what’s on the menu?
We celebrate Christmas with breakfast – it’s not something we are usually able to sit down for together and share, so it’s special because of that. Usually, it’s filled croissants with fillings tailored to the individual - and then it's present time!
What Christmas traditions have you created?
My Christmas tradition is that I stay out of the kitchen! However, I do like to make some little mince pies complete with real lean beef mince, feed them to the unsuspecting guests and see if they notice.
For food industry people, it’s a hectic build up. How do you stress less as the day approaches?
This year is particularly hectic for me. The food truck has gained a hell of momentum, but so far the juggling has been disaster free. Luckily I have never been one to retain order and thrive on chaos. I’ve always been last minute and usually late, I’ve missed more planes than I care to mention, I drive the people that work with me mad, but somehow they keep coming back.
What do you like to drink on Christmas Day?
Alcohol. I like to drink alcohol on Christmas Day. I start with a beer – an IPA for me. Why did we drink such crap beer for so long? I love going to Brave Brewery and filling my re-purposed glass water bottle with Tiger’s Milk. Then it would be riesling, Central Otago or Waipara. I’ve found a good source of Roaring Meg Riesling, but I’m not going to say where because then there won't be enough for me and I need a case for Christmas. And to finish, a wee Kraken rum.
Casey McDonald, head chef at Craggy Range
How does your family celebrate Christmas and what’s on the menu?
There are lots of nibbles out all day. Turkey and ham are must-haves – I like to use straight brown sugar on the ham, pop it in the oven for half an hour at 200 degrees and it comes out delicious. Mum always makes lots of special salads to go with the food, and she is renowned for her dessert trolley – piled high with cheesecakes and trifles!
What Christmas traditions have you created?
After the kids have opened presents, we start the day with a special breakfast of crayfish scrambled eggs and Champagne. We gather freshly laid eggs from the chook house, add cream, butter, and crayfish, with a dollop of crème fraiche right at the end.
What do you like to drink on Christmas Day?
Friends and family travel from near and far, and they always like to bring something unique or different from where they live. It’s always great to have wines on the table that have travelled as far as our guests!
Do you have a quick Christmas food tip to share?
When cooking on the barbecue, make sure you rest your meat for as long as you’ve cooked it – even sausages! Don’t be afraid not to serve the meat piping hot – it’s better that it's well rested.
Adrian Hart, head chef for catering and events company Orton’s
How do you celebrate Christmas and what’s on the menu?
There’s always a glazed Holly Bacon ham on the table – they’re the best! I make a glaze using a nice French wholegrain mustard, maple syrup, brown sugar and a good splash of bourbon. The last few years we’ve also roasted a whole ribeye on the Weber.
What Christmas traditions have you created?
My dad and the kids will dig fresh new spuds from his vege garden each year. They all love this tradition (Dad more than the kids) and we’ll make some nice salads together.
How do you make sure the day runs smoothly?
Luckily, I enjoy planning. So a couple of weeks before the big day I consult the other foodies in the family – my wife Vilma and sister Kelly – and we decide what we’re doing and who’s doing what. We try and do as much as we can on the 23rd and 24th December, so that on the day it’s just a couple of hours of putting things together and cooking the meats.
What do you like to drink on Christmas Day?
There’s a Lithuanian beer called Svyturys that my brother in law introduced to me, when I visited their motherland many years ago. We have recently discovered it in a European deli in Auckland so we're now getting regular deliveries to our doorstep. I’ll be making sure the beer fridge is well stocked up with the stuff for the big day.
