Visa Wellington On a Plate 2022 Serves up a Tasty Programme

The southern hemisphere’s largest culinary festival returns with a full slate of events to tempt you with, from the inspired to the downright indulgent. 

Mark it on your calendar, August 1st 2022 is the beginning of Visa Wellington On a Plate, the southern hemisphere’s biggest culinary festival. Wellington may be our nation’s political epicentre, but for the month of August, the capital (and the greater Wellington region) will belong to one unified party - the foodies! Since 2009, more than 80,000 tickets have been sold and more than 1 million items of food consumed during the festival. And after the interruption to last year’s festival due to Covid lockdowns, the nation is starving for more from this epic annual event.  

Every year, the festival organisers settle on a theme to inspire participating venues and event organisers to create one-off menus, dishes, cocktails, burgers and Festival Events. This year’s ‘State of Flux’ theme will be reflective of the country’s mood over the past two years, representing the paradoxical inactivity and constant change in our lives. From the cool to the quirky, Visa Wellington On a Plate 2022 will offer festival-goers an indulgent escapism the likes of which they’ve never eaten before. 

What’s on at VISA Wellington On a Plate 2022? 

Clear your diary because this year’s festival is loaded with over 120 festival events and pop-ups, and over 300 unique dishes and cocktails to indulge yourself with. Here’s a look at some of the highlights. 

Festival Events and Pop-ups (1-31 August) 

Consider the festival events the main course of this month-long menu, offering you those once-in-a-lifetime experiences that have been designed specifically for this year’s festival. They’re also the most exclusive, requiring a pre-purchased ticket to enter. What you get in return, however, is well worth the price of admission.  

This year, ticket-goers can enjoy bush tucker with a fine-dining twist at A Slice of the Outback with Mark Olive. Taking place at the Australian High Commissioner’s residence, renowned Indigenous chef Mark Olive will take you on a journey through the Outback, showcasing traditional Indigenous Australian ingredients. From the Outback to dining amongst the animals, Beast of a Feast at Wellington Zoo will take you on a keeper guided stroll around the zoo to Kamala’s banquet hall for a five-course feast created by Capitol’s Tom Hutchison and the Rex Tremendous crew. Meanwhile, lovers of The Sopranos can take a nostalgic trip to Jersey in A Meal with Tony: Take Your Hat Off for Italian favourites and juicy backstories at Ombra.  

If the festival events are the main course, then the pop-ups may be considered the side dish. From month-long restaurant takeovers to one-off experiences, all are welcome, simply head along and pay for what you eat or drink.  

Chocoholics can get their fix at The Library’s A Bar of Chocolate: The Unwrappening Part II for two nights of pure decadence. And the future stars of Wellington’s culinary scene will put their skills to the test in the Everybody Eats kitchen at the Next Gen Cook Off, where you’ll have your say as to whose menu (and future) shows the most promise.  

Dine Wellington (1-14 August) 

Dine Wellington is the story of our capital as told by those who live, breathe and eat it. Talented chefs from around the city quite literally serve Wellington On a Plate, using beautiful local produce and ingredients as only a true Wellingtonian can.  

Putting Wellington’s blustery reputation on full blast will be Capitol’s Windy City Koura Souffle. A delicious crayfish souffle with home-made salmon roe and gem lettuce salad, and the starter to their three-course Dine offering. Charley Noble Eatery & Bar’s Daeyeong’s Doenjang Duck Bulgogi, meanwhile, wraps up international culture into a uniquely Wellington experience. And The White Swan Country Hotel serves up the Ukrainian inspired Ray’s Soulful Chicken Melting Pot with fresh local ingredients.  

Garage Project Presents Burger Wellington (12-31 August) 

The festival events may be the most sought-after ticket in town, but Burger Wellington is officially the most devoured with over 1.5 million burgers consumed since the festival began in 2009. In 2021, not even lockdown could contain Kiwi’s appetites as burger fanatics everywhere chimed in on social media with their own outrageous creations for last year’s Burger WellingtIN.  

This year, the more than 200 burgers on offer will (mostly) be paired with an exclusive Garage Project brew including Kohaku Roast Rice Amber Lager, Pineapple Crush Pineapple Habanero Agave Sour and the Chipper Hazy Pale Ale. And attempting to meet the insatiable appetite of the burger-loving public will be Snap, Crackle, Pop from Whitby Co-op Kitchen & Bar – a crispy pork belly burger with a fresh green apple & rainbow cabbage slaw. Also, among this year’s out there creations are the Bow Chicka Wow Wow from The Old Quarter, a marinated free-range grilled chicken thigh with homemade fruit salsa, and the Super Umamio from 1154 Pastaria – a salivating combination featuring a beef patty, Super Umami seasoned and fried mushrooms, prosciutto and Swiss cheese.  

Cocktail Wellington Presented by Tommy’s (1-31 August) 

Just like its chefs, Wellington’s bartenders are eager to show off their creative talents, experimenting with deliciously different ingredients that highlight what the city’s nightlife is all about.  

Pick your poison from Chow’s For Flux Sake – a fun play on hot and cool flavours including watermelon and Apostle coconut hot sauce – or The Chardonnay Martini by Boulcott Street Bistro, a dynamic combo that pairs perfectly with their housemade Crayfish Éclair. For the beer drinkers, Choose Your Own Beerventure by Garage Project will take you on a wild-fermented ride through their nine possible flavour combinations.  

Tickets for this year’s Visa Wellington On a Plate will sell fast, but if you’re a Visa cardholder (credit and debit) or you have a Visa Prezzy Card, you’ll have exclusive access to the Visa Pre-sale from midday June 13th to midnight June 15th. If you miss out, or don’t have a Visa card, you can purchase tickets during the general ticket sale from midday June 20th. For more information, visit visawoap.co.nz 

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