Culinary innovation
FROM AN INDUSTRY ICON
At breakfast, lunch or dinner Dux Dine exudes happy vibes and a truly welcoming ambience. From the moment you are greeted just inside the door, to the time you leave the restaurant, to the words “We hope to see you again soon,” you feel like you have been a special guest.
“O
ur aim is to give our guests the best service possible with a relaxed, casual and friendly, yet totally professional approach,” says Gareth Thomas, Restaurant Manager. “All our wait and front of house staff are focused on achieving this. “We’ve been very fortunate in being able to recruit staff committed to the hospitality industry and who are passionate about making our product appealing to as broad a range of clientele as possible. They are also proud to be part of the Dux Dine family and to embrace our way of doing things.” Gareth adds that the front of house team is now really diverse with both female and male staff from different ethnicities and backgrounds. “Our team is some 25 strong – some are casual staff, but 70 percent of them are fulltimers dedicated to a career in hospitality. This is their livelihood and they want to do the best
they can to give our guests exceptional service. They bring considerable mana, style and flair to the restaurant because they know the standards the industry expects.” Dux Dine’s guests are certainly aware of how good the service is. This is reflected in consistently excellent reviews. “Service is such a focus for us that we are very honoured to have found favour in this area with so many diners.” But Dux Dine is a package of excellence. You can’t have service without the food to bring to the table. Several of Dux Dine’s kitchen staff have been with the restaurant since it was established producing dishes to both excite and nourish the guests. The meals are original and delicious and use sustainably and ethically sourced ingredients wherever possible grown locally. “The Mediterranean style of cuisine we specialise in is the epitome of healthy living and our chefs delight in working with fresh, new and interesting produce. We have some tried and true favourite dishes on the menu that our guests absolutely forbid us to take off. The pea and halloumi fritters are sacrosanct, as is the baked lime and coriander crusted fish and of course our pizza selection. But we have also introduced some new dishes. The wild-caught prawn pasta is quite simply divine as is the lemon and lime cured ceviche. So just like our city itself we are a blend of the old and the new, the familiar and the innovative.” To experience Dux Dine’s service and food for yourself visit the lovely turn of the century villa at 28 Riccarton Road. Phone (03) 348 1436. Open Monday to Sunday 9am – 10pm.
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