PALATE

Jax Hamilton, Food Editor jaxhamilton.co.nz In October 2010, I found myself one of the top 18 competitors in MasterChef NZ, Series 2.

I was standing in front of those kitchen benches and fearsome judges, and our first studio challenge sat beneath a ‘mystery box’ that set my knees shaking. Once revealed, I was surprised to discover that we all had exactly the same ingredients.

At that moment, deep in competitive land, my mind began to ping, and recipes floated into my vision, like Remy, the rat in Ratatouille.

For me, this marked the birth of creative identity and the importance of authenticity with food. Why? Because I’ve been cooking Jamaican food my whole life. I knew its personality and recognised very quickly that no one would be able to replicate my dish because it would come from a place of spirit, love, and culture – my DNA.

I won that challenge and went on to win many more. Although I did get to the final, I didn’t win but became runner up in one of the most sensational finals in global MasterChef history. Ahh, them’s the days! What I took away from my experience was that if you keep it simple, authentic, and infused with passion, those virtues will appear on the plate every time.

The origin of the chef’s table derives from an old practice of chef’s delighting their loved ones in the kitchen as they worked.

Subsequent to my experience, I was invited overseas to dine at the chef’s table of Gordon Ramsey, Royal Hospital Road, Chelsea. Then dinner by Heston Blumenthal at Mandarin Oriental and Jamie Oliver at Fifteen, and homegrown Simon Gault at Euro.

With the Michelin Guide, the chef’s table has evolved into a bespoke and exclusive dining experience. However, in my opinion, the genesis of the dish is always the same. It is an idea born of romance, infused with a blend of local, seasonal ingredients: passion, culture, pride, and a magical sprinkle of DNA.

It’s art on the plate, mate!

THE MONDAY ROOM

161 High Street, City Centre themondayroom.nz 5 Norwich Quay, Lyttelton super.restaurant 49a Salisbury Street, Christchurch thelanechristchurch.co.nz

SUPER RESTAURANT THE LANE RESTAURANT & BAR

The tiny frontage is a beautiful disguise into the wonderous Tardis interior of The Monday Room. Set amongst exquisite textures of red brick, antique encyclopaedias, and lush Axminster carpets, a beautiful dark bar greets you. The restaurant boasts two floors with a mezzanine gallery. The menu guides you to investigate and provoke your tastebuds with shared plates. Our ‘Trust the Chef’ experience included beetroot tartare with carrot egg yolk, fish and chip croquettes with lemon gel and crispy potatoes, and mains of crispy skin poussin with green goddess sauce, plus a cauliflower salad with whipped garlic feta and pomegranate seeds. For me, it brought back resplendent memories of Harvey Nichols bistro overlooking Hyde Park. With a gorgeous mixture of local, Central Otago, and Hawkes Bay wines, I’d eat here every day, even if it isn’t a Monday. As you approach one of the oldest buildings in Lyttleton, you can’t help but smile. Super is personality on steroids. An arrival after dark tempts you with mystery, and neon lights dazzle like a circus tent, full of curious surprises. This punchy blend of Asian-Kiwi fusion shouts creative identity! The menu, a delicate balance of plant-based and meaty morsels, is small and divine. There are offerings such as Kai Moana, which is market ika (fish) with braised kārengo cabbage, and the Shoyu Horopito Ramen, with choices of pork belly, chicken, tofu. Two outstanding dishes, amongst many set and specials of the day. The staff have extensive knowledge of the drinks menu. Cocktails are suggested, with fabulous local yarns to be shared. Tip: keep the menu handy; an encore is definitely likely. The 6am till 10pm bistro menu at The Lane tempts you to start your day with breakfast and brunch or end it with a glass of fabulous organic wine paired with an energetic, modern dish. The Lane presents a fresh local collaboration in its brand new skin, emerging out of hospitality wallpaper and into real life with spectacular plates full of personality from chef Troy in partnership with Max and Sam of 5th Street notoriety. This place serves reliable classics with a twist. There is the salted fish beignet and seaweed tartare that reeled me in, then the fabulous old school chicken schnitzel on a fluffy, cheesy aligot. The wine menu is a dream with a pull out cellar door – straight from Santa’s personal stock, I’m sure. Because browsing through it felt delightfully like Christmas. Get your sleigh bells ringin’.

MIDNIGHT SHANGHAI

101/96 Oxford Terrace midnightshanghai.co.nz

Oooh my goodness! Where do I start? I loosened my belt in a cosy bamboo slatted booth amongst beautiful Chinese lanterns as we ordered Trust the Chef – a banquetstyle feast featuring iconic Shanghainese dishes. I highly recommend this menu option, available every day from 5pm. Amongst the starters was the iconic Xiao Long Bao: succulent pork balls, in silky dumpling skins, with a juicy soup centre! Literal dumpling heaven. Then there’s the tempura cauliflower with its crackling, crisp batter, tender sweet veg, and a hit of chilli mayo – you know when you close your eyes and hear your favourite song because the food is so good? I was up there with George Michael, hearing ‘never gonna dance again’ deep within Careless Whisper with every bite. Once we scraped the plates clean, the mains arrived and up went the melody with slow-braised beef ribs, pickled chestnuts, Sichuan braised fish, and a fragrant soup of silken tofu. On the side, a heaped bowl of rice and a plate of cheeky steamed veggies. I know I need to talk about the wine, beer, and cocktails, but in my head, the melody continues. Such is the magic of trusting the chef at Midnight Shanghai… ‘guilty feet have got no rhythm’.

H A V E A REASON TO CELEBRATE?

We love any reason to celebrate! We have the spaces to suit your needs. Hold a special private lunch in our beautiful Fine Dining Room, an exclusive house cocktail party, high tea, Gin tasting or an end of year Christmas celebration. Contact our events team and let us create a bespoke event for you. Visit www.the.quarters.co.nz/celebrate to see more

P: (03) 348 - 6190 E: events@thequarters.co.nz W: www.thequarters.co.nz

WORDS Kim Newth PHOTOS Sarah Rowlands

Keeping an eye on what’s cooking on shows like Master Chef is all part of the job if you’re in the frontline of the fast-paced retail meat trade. In his many years as Merivale Fresh Choice Butchery and Seafood Manager, Stu Donnell has noticed that demand for particular items often ebbs and flows in line with high rating culinary programmes.

“One week, everyone will want rib eye on the bone, and then Jamie Oliver might bring out something new, and it is shanks that are selling fast. I try to keep up with the cooking shows, but in fact, we carry such a massive range that 90 per cent of the time we’ll have it here anyway, and we’re always busy creating new products.”

Whether shopping for the slow cooker, smoker, barbecue or a quick oven-ready option, there are always plenty of choices available from ‘The Merivale Grocer’ in-store brand. From koftas, kebabs, sausages, swirls, rollups, and wraps, to gourmet stuffed brisket, pork belly, lamb shanks, silverside, premium steak, and organic chicken, the meat range is not only extensive but also impeccably presented. Quality seafood is also sourced fresh from local fish markets every day.

Stu started his butchery career as a freshfaced Shirley Boys’ High school leaver. He was taken on as an apprentice in the Merivale retail butchery, entering as a clean-up boy and gradually working his way up. “I’ve always enjoyed the humour that comes with this line of work – the banter has always been there; it’s a lot of fun every day.”

Today, Stu leads a team of 10, including two apprentices. Presenting meat for retail here involves so much more than slicing. Stu loves training young people in the finer art of butchery. That means, for example, showing them how to work with a whole pig carcass, de-boning it and processing the pork for sale in various forms, including sausages. The same goes for lamb and beef, with everything done the traditional way. The butchery team makes a range of authentic old-style sausages every week, from Dry Age Jalapeño and Cheese to Wagyu and White Pepper and Green Thai Coconut Duck.

“I encourage the apprentices to learn how to cook the meat they’re presenting and to eat it, so they know what to tell the customer. For example, one who asks, ‘What does Beef Wellington taste like?’ It’s a great education for them here.”

Stu and his team enjoy spending as much time as they can with customers.

“We love getting them excited about what they’ll be cooking that night or on the weekend.”

Deliciously tender steak, created on-site in a temperature-controlled Dry Aged Meat Chamber, is a very popular choice. Stu says the chamber, which features a wall made of imported pink Himalayan salt blocks, is used to age fresh rib eye, T-bone steak, and pork belly. Customers can buy meat for the salt room and decide how long to age it, or alternatively buy dry-aged meat direct from the Fresh Choice Merivale retail butchery.

Another very popular option with customers is Black Origin Wagyu beef, known as the Rolls Royce of beef. It’s rich in Omega-3 fatty acids, tender, and juicy – for beef connoisseurs, this is the ultimate.

“The taste and texture are absolutely beautiful.”

merivalemall.co.nz

Butter’s centrepieces are made for celebrations, big or small, and the Vanilla Bean Royale needs to be next on your ‘treat yourself’ list. It is light vanilla crémeux mousse, vanilla choux pastry sponge, and intense vanilla namelaka on a crunch made from sea salt, white chocolate, and feuilletine. Topping it off, it’s finished with a vanilla bean mirror glaze. This Butter offering is the best alternative to a traditional cake and easily feeds eight to 10 people. @butter_nz

Boom Desserts offers modern patisserie, re-invented into mouthwatering, vegan, gluten-free, sugar-free or reduced sugar content desserts. You have to eat it to believe it! A stand out favourite here at Avenues HQ is the Coconut and Passionfruit Pavlova. How they do it, we’ll never know – but everything on the menu packs a punch without sacrificing quality or taste. Order online for free delivery, and check out the recipes on their blog! @boomdessertsnz

A new vegan dessert from Sweet Soul has arrived! Go experience a sweet snap of mango mousse, layered with an orange cream, and a double down on the mango with a rich confit. Coconut caramel and an exotic cake layer round off this vegan, gluten-free, and nut-free delight from our mates at Sweet Soul. Like everything the team at this inner-city patisserie offers, this treat is absolutely full of flavour. sweetsoul.nz

The Tramway Restaurant has a brand-new menu for the summer season featuring delicious local entrée and main options and scrumptious desserts, including this lemon mousse with blackberry compote and coconut joconde by sweet treat extraordinaire Sweet Soul Patisserie. The Tramway Restaurant is perfect for celebrating all sorts of occasions, including Christmas functions, and gift vouchers are available, ideal for the festive season! Contact the team for bookings and details about the exclusive group options available. christchurchattractions.nz