Macdonald family open store to champion high country farming –
The Kaikōura based Macdonald family has announced the opening of Middlehurst Station Farm Store, a thoughtfully curated farm store and boutique butchery located in the heart of the Kāikoura township.
This farm store will serve as a haven for residents and visitors seeking fresh meat, locally sourced produce, and a diverse selection of seasonal products.
“Kaikōura is renowned for its remarkable food and artisan producers, and we couldn’t be more thrilled to contribute to this thriving community,” says Lucy Macdonald, one of the sisters behind the visionary Middlehurst Station Farm Store. “We’ve always dreamed of creating a space where we can connect with our customers directly and showcase the best of New Zealand’s high-country farming.”
For the Macdonald family, parents Susan and Willie, and children Sophie, Lucy, Henry and Skye, the farm store represents a natural progression in their family business.
“It brings us great joy to see our children actively involved in the family business, evolving it into something extraordinary. Opening a farm store felt like the logical next step for our business, aligning perfectly with our values and overall vision,” said Susan Macdonald.
The Macdonald family envisions that the farm store will make a positive impact on the local economy. By championing local producers, they hope to foster a new avenue for sales for Kaikōura’s hardworking individuals and families.
Lucy added, “We want to showcase as many artisanal Canterbury, Kaikōura and Marlborough products as possible. We can’t wait to give local producers another avenue to sell their amazing products.”
The Middlehurst Station Farm Store is also kitted out with a fully certified butchery and talented local butcher, Brogan Matthews. Brogan will be responsible for preparing and providing fresh, premium cuts of Middlehurst Station lamb and beef and Patoa Pork.
Lucy Macdonald, expressed her enthusiasm about the expansion, saying, “We’re excited to level up our offering. Our mission has always been to make premium high-country lamb accessible to New Zealanders. And this is our chance.”
In addition to serving local customers, Middlehurst Station Farm Store will continue to extend its services to accommodate wholesale and hospitality venues at both local and national levels. This expansion will enable more people to access and enjoy the exceptional quality products Middlehurst Station is renowned for.
The Middlehurst Station Farm Store opens on Saturday, 8 July and the family invites everyone from the region to come and experience the rich flavours, seasonal delights, and warm hospitality that Kaikōura is renowned for.
Sid brings fresh approach to winter fine dining –
The iconic Sid at the French Café in Symonds Street, Auckland is heading into winter with new menu offerings and options to bring more fun to fine dining.
As well as launching a new winter tasting menu, the celebrated restaurant is introducing a flexible à la carte menu and snack offerings, (pictured below), giving guests more relaxed options.
The restaurant is also taking walk-ins for those wanting to pop in spontaneously for an after-work cocktail or glass of wine with snacks.
Guests can enjoy these impromptu treats in the heated undercover area in the Mediterranean-inspired courtyard or around a brazier fire, also in the popular courtyard and garden area.
For those seeking dining options, the new winter menu is curated by the owner and executive chef Sid Sahrawat and head chef Tommy Hopeis now available.
Split between snacks, entrees ($35), mains ($45), and desserts ($25), it delivers Sahrawat’s signature innovative flavor combinations with glimpses of inspiration from many cuisines.
Sahrawat says he wanted a spontaneous, fun menu that wasn’t limited to one style of cuisine.
“For me, it’s always about pushing the boundaries with flavor combinations to keep it exciting on the palate,” he says.
Sahrawat also pleased to make the restaurant a destination for people to stop in on their way home or before heading out elsewhere for the evening.
“As the restaurant evolves, we want the dining experience to be fun and less stuffy,” he says.
“We are still a relaxed fine dining destination offering first class service, but the staff wants our guests to have fun with the experience, too – this is reflected both in the menu and the ambience of the restaurant.
“Opening up the restaurant for people to just pop in is something we’ve been talking about doing for a long time. The courtyard is our urban oasis and has never looked better with the herb garden, chimney fireplace, brazier fire pit, heaters and fairy lights.
“We can’t wait to make this a more relaxed, fun and accessible destination.”
Those planning to stick around a bit longer to enjoy the new à la carte menu can look forward to sampling the following:
- Snacks: Include a Truffle and gruyere beignet with truffle emulsion; Hot smoked Aoraki salmon croustade, XO, rouille, sesame; and a Parmesan churro with whipped feta, smoked maple and puffed pork crackling.
- Entrees: Include Ruakaka kingfish with mandarin, feijoa, fermented jalapeño and Scampi, Jerusalem artichoke, chicken skin, hazelnut, lavender.
- Mains: Include a deliciously tender Wagyu beef short rib, with Szechuan, kasundi, kimchi, carrot, wasabi; Market fish with green chili, charred cucumber, verbena, turnip; and Venison, romesco, black pudding, medjool date, smoked cashews.
- Desserts: Includes a local and international cheese board, as well as an array of sweet treats, such as coconut, lychee, licorice, pavlova, puffed rice; the Mandarin, black pepper hokey pokey, soured cream, manuka honey; and the nostalgic Dark chocolate, pretzel and malted barley soft serve.
Of course, Sid at the French Café has kept a few of the classics the restaurant is already known for, such as the five-course tasting menu (which includes snacks) for $190pp and a Saturday four-course set lunch, including a glass of champagne, for $120pp.
Do you have a new menu creation from your restaurant kitchen that you would love to publish? Let Kimberley Dixon know at: [email protected]
MEETINGS 2023 landmark event in Wellington –
Over 1,000 business events industry professionals have arrived in Te Whanganui-a-Tara Wellington, New Zealand for Business Events Industry Aotearoa’s MEETINGS 2023 exhibition.
New Zealand’s two-day annual tourism industry trade event is being held in Wellington for the first time in its 27-year history and signals a new era for the sector.
BEIA Chief Executive, Lisa Hopkins says this year’s MEETINGS will be a landmark event for the industry with a record number of buyers and exhibitors, and the first time in four years international buyers have also been represented.
“MEETINGS is the single most important event in New Zealand’s industry calendar. Last year’s event in Christchurch generated $107.5 million.
“Experiencing Aotearoa New Zealand under one roof means bringing real business opportunities to the business events sector which is on a trajectory to recover quickly,” Hopkins says.
Tourism New Zealand is hosting high-end senior incentives and meetings planners from North America who are visiting Auckland, and Queenstown before and after MEETINGS in Wellington. BEIA is also hosting international buyers and media from Singapore, who visited Auckland and Christchurch during the weekend.
“MEETINGS is giving them first-hand insight into our ability to deliver well-designed and seamlessly executed events. They are experiencing for themselves New Zealand’s world-class cities, venues, accommodation, transportation hubs, and most importantly, our manaakitanga, how we take care of our visitors, so they arrive as strangers but leave as champions,” she says.
David Perks, General Manager – Tākina Commercial Development, Wellington City Council says they are thrilled to be welcoming buyers and industry colleagues from all around the country and abroad to Wellington this week.
“Hosting MEETINGS for the first time, at our brand-new venue, Tākina, is such an important moment for our city and local partners as we show Wellington off to the world,” he said.
“The support from all our stakeholders to host a record number of Australian buyers over the weekend, more than 160 buyers at the city familiarization day and at the show itself, has been immense. We trust every buyer and industry friend will experience Wellington’s manaakitanga from the time they arrive until they head home and enjoy a taste of Wellington like never before.
“As we enter this new era for our city, we are excited about the future of business events in Wellington,” Perks said.
TIA appoints Dame Kerry Prendergast as independent chair –
Tourism Industry Aotearoa (TIA)’s Board of Directors has appointed a new independent chair, Dame Kerry Prendergast (DNZM, CNZM) for a period of three years from 1 June 2023.
TIA Deputy Chair and head of the Board appointment committee, Fergus Brown says he is delighted to welcome Dame Kerry’s wealth of experience as former Mayor of Wellington, former Chair of Tourism New Zealand and former Vice-President of Local Government New Zealand to TIA at this critical junctures.
“This is an exciting time to be a part of TIA. We’re about to launch a future-focused Industry Strategy, we’ve just hosted a very successful TRENZ 2023 and we are moving into an election year,” he said.
“As an association we’re focused on enabling outstanding tourism, we’re partnering on initiatives from the Better Work Action Plan to support our industry’s workforce, and we are seeing lots of opportunities for positive change. We are looking forward to benefiting from Dame Kerry’s stewardship as we move into this new phase.”
Dame Kerry looks forward to taking on the role as the industry moves in an exciting new direction.
“TIA has a long and reputable history supporting and enabling the tourism industry. I am looking forward to being part of the reimagining and recovery of this important industry and to ensure the many and wide benefits of tourism are understood and enabled.”
The TIA Board expressed its gratitude for outgoing Chair Gráinne Troute, who is leaving TIA at the conclusion of her three-year term. Ms Troute led the association through COVID-19, the reopening of international borders and the industry’s first summer of recovery.
Ms Troute said she was honored to have supported the industry through a uniquely challenging time. She has particularly enjoyed contributing to the future of the industry through her work on the Tourism Industry Transformation Plan.
“I believe in the future of our tourism industry and its potential to positively impact New Zealand,” said Ms Troute.
“It was a pleasure to get to know such a wide spectrum of the industry and see the positive progress being made by tourism operators the length and breadth of Aotearoa New Zealand, following a period of immense disruption.”
Dame Kerry Prendergast is a Director of Oceania Healthcare, Fish Serve and a Trustee of both the Wellington International Arts Foundation and the New Zealand Community Trust.
She is the Chair of Wellington Free Ambulance, Wellington Opera, the Royal New Zealand Ballet and the Victoria Foundation. She formerly chaired Tourism New Zealand, the New Zealand Film Commission, the Environmental Protection Agency and the New Zealand Festival. In January 2019 she became a Dame Companion (DNZM) for services to governance and the community, after being awarded a CNZM in 2011 for her services to local government.
B&B conference swinging into Wellington –
Bed and breakfast hosts will get ‘Back in the Swing’ of business at their upcoming national conference with a program packed with valuable information about operating in a post-pandemic market.
The two-day Vision Insurance B&B Conference’s fantastic speaker line-up features professionals from within the accommodation sector and inspiration from outside the sector. The conference – the first since 2020 – is themed Back in the Swing and also includes workshops and plenty of networking with other B&B owners and support services. Delegates will also have an opportunity to enjoy the tourism experiences available in Wellington.
The conference takes place at the Copthorne Oriental Bay, Wellington, 19-21 June 2023. It begins on 19 June with a Travel Trade Afternoon which will facilitate connections between B&B operators and inbound tour operators. Participants will include bed and breakfasts, homestays, farm stays, luxury accommodations, self-catering properties as well as small commercial sized bed and breakfasts.
On June 20-21, a series of top-level speakers will share insights on tourism trends and inspiration for B&B operators. Speakers include Tourism Minister Peeni Henare, Wellington Deputy Mayor Laurie Foon, Tourism New Zealand’s Bjoern Spreitzer, Tourism Export Council’s Lynda Keene and Tourism Industry Aotearoa’s Rebecca Ingram.
“We know B&B operators like to hear from local businesses who are being innovative, so we will have presentations from Te Papa and a fascinating story from East by West Ferries,” association president Donna Brooke said.
“And our conference would not be complete without hearings from some of our own. There will be interesting presentations from some B&B operators who are doing more than accommodation.”
A series of interactive workshops will round out the formal conference programme, with digital marketing agency Tomahawk and the Tourism Export Council among those leading the workshops. A full complement of trade stands will also be available for delegates to visit.
A highlight of the conference will be the Vision Insurance Gala Awards Dinner where the annual B&B Business Excellence Awards will be presented.
“We put our awards program on hold in 2022 so there is much excitement at this renewed opportunity to celebrate the best businesses in our sector,” Ms Brooke said.
For more information about the conference and registration, go to: 2023 CONFERENCE, Bed & Breakfast Association (bandbassociation.co.nz)
Cauliflower star vege in 2023 NSSCC competition! –
Mashed, roasted, au Gratin, casserole, made into soups, pizza bases and taco shells, you name it and the humble cauliflower has co-operated!
And this year it is the key ingredient in the National Secondary Schools’ Culinary Challenge.
Entries open on June 1, and close June 30 at the end of Term 2, for high school students to prepare and perfect the most delicious cauliflower entre dishes they can.
The National Secondary Schools Culinary Challenge is an annual event run by the Culinary Arts Development Trust. The competition is designed to encourage the next generation of culinary talent, provide career pathways for students, and to foster relationships between secondary schools and the hospitality sector.
The competition consists of two parts. Part one is a Regional Competition with judging held online. Part two sees the winners of each region travel to Auckland to compete in the National Final on September 6 at the Manukau Institute of Technology.
Each of the eight regional competition’s winning teams will participate in a live cook-off and experience the New Zealand Culinary Journey the following day. With a total prize package valued at over $11,000, the competition is highly competitive .
Tourism & hospitality Expo roadshow starts May 11 –
Next week, from 11 – 13 May in Christchurch, Go with Tourism will kickstart New Zealand’s only free, dedicated careers expo for the tourism and hospitality industry, hoping to inspire a new generation of tourism and hospitality workers.
The expo, in partnership with New Zealand Careers Expo, will then move on to six more cities around the country: Palmerston North, Napier, Hamilton, Auckland, Wellington and Dunedin.
With industry professionals, employers and educators on site, students and job seekers will discover a wide range of opportunities available, such as work experience, mentorships, job vacancies and tertiary studies.
As well as showing career pathways, the main objective of the expo is to change negative perceptions about tourism and hospitality work. Go with Tourism Program Director, Heidi Gillingham, says that the 2023 expo season will be the most important yet for achieving this.
“Covid hit our industry hard. 90,000 employees were displaced, job security was in doubt, and we’ve experienced a massive skills shortage since. With international travel back to normal in New Zealand – and heading towards pre-Covid numbers again – it’s crucial to attract talent back into our industry to meet visitor demand.
“Additionally, due to the opportunity to engage with younger learners, we hope to see an increase in students choosing Tourism at the NCEA level in the future, as a result. We want to help parents and students understand why the industry is so important to New Zealand – from building our economy to championing our culture.”
In 2022, the Go with Tourism Expo saw 28,667 people walk through the doors and Gillingham believes 2023 will be a busier year. “This year will be our first expo season not limited by pandemic restrictions, so we hope to welcome more visitors than ever before to discover the wide range of career and study opportunities available in tourism and hospitality.”
To find out more information on the Go with Tourism Expo, go to: gowithtourism.co.nz/expo
- 11 – 13 May, Christchurch Arena, Christchurch
- 18 May, Central Energy Trust Arena, Palmerston North
- 23 May, Pettigrew Green Arena, Napier
- June 11-12, Claudelands Showgrounds, Hamilton
- 15-17 June, The Cloud, Auckland
- June 23-24, TSB Arena, Wellington
- 28 June, Dunedin Town Hall, Dunedin
8 of the best local dining spots in Waikiki
A trip to Hawaii is surely memorable but not exactly cheap.
A 2023 analysis of a seven-day trip from Los Angeles to Honolulu during shoulder season for a family of four people staying at a three-star hotel can easily cost over $5,700 – including meals, transportation and activities.
Where can you cut costs? Food.
Most visitors who visit Hawaii opt for Honolulu, and chances are, they’re staying in Waikiki – home to over 900 lodging properties.
While many hotels have great dining options, they tend to be expensive, so you probably don’t want to dine there every night. You may also not want to hit up chain restaurants like PF Changs or Cheesecake Factory if you can find them back home. Wouldn’t you rather go to spots offering a more authentic taste of the islands?
If you know where to look, Waikiki has many hidden gems for affordable and delicious dining – many of which are owned and beloved by locals.
Here are some delicious, locally approved cheap eats in Waikiki. Everything on the list costs around $15 or less.
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Marugame Udon
If you’re wandering along Kuhio Avenue, you’ll likely spot a long line of hungry people on the sidewalk. They’re waiting for Marugame Udon, a longstanding staple of Waikiki. If you’re eating here, you want cheap and delicious food, not exactly a sit-down dining experience.
The Japanese chain restaurant serves authentic udon noodles in flavorful broths, served up cafeteria-style. Guests order their choice of udon in regular ($6.50) or large ($7.50), then grab whatever sides, like different tempuras, including shrimp, chicken and asparagus, and musubi (usually around $2.50 each).
The restaurant moves quickly: once you get your food, snag an empty table, slurp up the noodles then hustle out for the next set of diners.
Maguro Spot
Maguro Spot is a hole in the wall with a wide selection of poke, which is marinated raw fish over a bed of rice, at reasonable prices – it’s the perfect pre- or post-beach meal.
You can make your own poke bowl or order one of their recommended combinations. Definitely go for the creamy sesame sauce, which isn’t offered at other poke shops around the island.
A medium poke bowl goes for $12 and is enough to fill you up for lunch or dinner.
K Street Food
On Kalakaua Avenue is the recently opened food hall called STIX Asia, where CEO Frank Clark said he wanted to educate guests on different Asian foods at approachable prices.
“Our goal was to have a family of four eat for under $100,” he told USA TODAY.
K Street Food is a casual restaurant serving authentic Korean street food. For something filling but not heavy, the kimbap – Korean sushi made with savory ingredients like spam, fish cake, egg and cucumber – goes for $12.99. If you really want a Korean street food experience, opt for a rice dog ($8.99-10.99, depending on what kind you get), which is a corn dog made with rice flour.
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Baikohken Ramen
Fellow STIX restaurant, Baikohken Ramen, is the sister restaurant to a Hokkaido location that was recognized in the Michelin Guide Hokkaido 2012 and 2017. Its shoyu ramen is filling and has a deep soy sauce flavor ($15.48). The portion is pretty big too, topped with chashu pork that was marinated in soy sauce overnight, and bamboo shoots.
Musubi Cafe Iyasume
If you’re headed to the beach, stop by one of three Waikiki Musubi Cafe Iyasume locations for this beloved musubi shop for a quick, handheld meal.
Onigiri, or musubi, are Japanese rice balls with ingredients like Spam (a Hawaiian favorite), cooked fish, shrimp tempura, egg, fried chicken and more wrapped inside.
Once you enter the small shop, you’ll see rows of countless types of onigiri. Depending on what kind of musubi you get, it can range from $2 to $5. Grab two or three for a beach day, throw them in your bag, and you’re all set.
Topped Waikiki
In 2015, Honolulu chef Justin Sok was serving up bibimbap cups and kalbi short ribs at a food stall at King’s Village farmer’s market in Waikiki before opening up a restaurant in Chinatown in 2017. While that location has closed, you can now find his satisfying Korean. -inspired dishes at Topped Waikiki, many of which are under $15.
The spicy pork mayo bowl with juicy braised pork, a scrambled egg and pickled onions over a bed of white rice is drizzled with teriyaki, Korean chili sauce and mayo ($10.99).
Vegetarians, or those who want something a bit healthier, opt for the tofu bibimbap, which uses tofu instead of meat ($11.99).
Rainbow Drive-In
If you’re willing to go on a longer stroll, head off the main strip of Waikiki to Rainbow Drive-In on Kapahulu Avenue. Since 1961, this eatery has been offering residents and visitors alike a plate lunch fare, a hearty meal consisting of rice, macaroni salad and meat like BBQ pork or fried mahi-mahi fish ($11.75-$13.50).
If you’re really hungry, opt for the loco moco, another local favorite, consisting of rice and a hamburger patty topped with a fried egg and gravy ($11.75). Take some time to digest and snap a picture of the iconic neon sign before heading back to Waikiki.
Kids will love cooling off with a slush float, a Strawberry Icee with a scoop of vanilla ice cream ($4.75 for a small).
Sunrise Shack
If you have a big breakfast, have plans for a nice dinner, or want something lighter but still filling, head over to the Sunrise Shack at the Outrigger Waikiki Beach Resort, located steps off Waikiki Beach since 2018.
Owned by a few North Shore surfers, this shop serves healthy tropical-inspired smoothie bowls and smoothies. The classic acai bowl ($11.95) is a decently sized frozen blend of acai, topped with gluten-free granola, banana, coconut flakes, dragon fruit sauce and honey.
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Kathleen Wong is a travel reporter for USA TODAY based in Hawaii. You can reach her at [email protected]
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Budget travel to Hawaii: 8 best cheap eats in Waikiki under $15