Taste of Auckland

Food and restaurant festival Taste of Auckland is set to kick off at Western Springs Park tomorrow.

Food and restaurant festival Taste of Auckland is set to kick off at Western Springs Park this week, with many of the city's top chefs serving up their signature dishes over three days.

Depot Eatery and Oyster Bar will be back serving up their Virgin Oyster Shooters and Italian restaurant Farina will also return after taking out Best Dish in 2014. Parnell's Non-Solo Pizza will also be offering their authentic and hearty Italian cuisine, while Miss Moonshine's will be returning to their "street–food roots" with a focus on wood–smoked meat.

Also on the lineup is Kazuya, known for their delicate and beautiful European Japanese fusion, as well as the Hilton's seafood–focussed FISH, which makes sure to always stay on the cutting edge of the latest food trends. Ponsonby Central's Maldito Mendez will be launching their summer menu at the festival, while Bracu's Mikey Newlands will be heading in from their stunning spot on the Simunovich Olive Estate.

The festival has also set the challenge to six chefs to reinvent the hangi as one of the most traditional New Zealand cuisines.

Each day at Taste of Auckland, the festival will see a top chef or restaurant bring their own unique ideas and ingredients serving 4000 gourmet hangi dishes. The star chef line up includes Ben Bayly of The Grove, Mark Southon of O’Connell Street Bistro, Makoto Tukoyama of Cocoro, Tu Fearn, Tasting Shed and Cazador.

“There will be a real emphasis on flavour, appearance and textures, and no two Hangi at the festival will be the same. We hope to stimulate the debate about what New Zealand Cuisine really is,” says Rob Elliot Taste of Auckland Festival Director.

Culinary innovations will include a Hangi Slider – Maori bread, char siu pork, pickled cucumber, karengo aioli and watercress by Tu Fearn, as a taster of what guests can expect. All dishes promise the genuine smoky, earthy flavour that only comes from hours of careful minding in the traditional manner, whilst pushing the hāngi to its modern-day limits.

The festival will also hold a producers market filled with artisan producers. Brew Street will be serving a selection of craft beer, as well as hosting a series of 'meet the brewers' sessions, while Babich Wines will hold a relaxed set of masterclasses and showcasing their award–winning wine. There will also be live music and even a food photography workshop taking place during the festival. 

Taste of Auckland operates like a restaurant with a lunch and dinner service. A Taste session lasts for four or five hours, giving you time to enjoy your pick of food, browse the artisan stalls and meet some of the personalities involved. For more information visit www.tasteofauckland.co.nz.