After a bumper year in 2015, Taste of Auckland is back and bigger than ever this year with the first release of tickets on-sale as of last week. The biggest celebration of the very best in food and drink in the country will take place in partnership with premium home appliance brand, Electrolux, from 17 – 20 November at Western Springs.
The 2016 festival is set to tantalise the tastebuds and is being led by culinary superstars such as Gareth Stewart (Euro) and Andrew Mackle (Depot Eatery), as well as exciting new additions added to the line-up. Among the Taste restaurant debuts will be Nick Honeyman’s Paris Butter, Auckland’s newest French inspired neighbourhood bistro. The Culpeper and FISH will also be joining the exciting 2016 line-up with more to be announced in the coming months.
For the first time this year, restaurant aficionados will have the chance to get up close and personal with some of New Zealand’s top chefs at Electrolux Chefs’ Secrets. Here, food lovers will have the opportunity to cook and dine with their favourite chefs and learn how to produce some of the country’s best dishes.
The line-up of 12 invited restaurants will be on hand to serve their signature dishes, and over 100 producers of fine foods, wine makers, distilleries and craft brewers will join them to showcase best products to around 25,000 visitors – Rob Eliott of Lemongrass Productions said this year’s event is not to be missed.
“Across the world Taste Festivals provide an exciting way for people to explore the very best restaurants, food and drink of a city. Our team has been busy working with chefs, producers and our festival partners to create new experiences for this year to ensure we’re offering a world-class food and drink festival here in Auckland. When all of this collides in the one Taste event, it really is an unparalleled experience and a fantastic engaging celebration,” Eliott said.
“I’m very excited to bring Paris Butter to Taste of Auckland this year. It is always such a great event to be a part and inspiring to see what some of Auckland’s finest restaurants are up to,” said Paris Butter owner and chef, Nick Honeyman.
Other key features will include the Electrolux Taste Theatre, where guests can learn and engage with the stars of the festival in live cooking demonstrations, and the TSB Bank Producers Market which is back this year to showcase New Zealand’s finest artisanal products. Bain said Electrolux’s partnership with Taste is an opportunity to support and celebrate the talents of the country’s professional chefs.
“As a brand that designs both professional and household appliances, we are thrilled to be involved in an event that supports and celebrates the professional chefs who are leading the way when it comes to the future of New Zealand cooking and dining experiences.
“Our partnership with Taste of Auckland is an extension of Electrolux’s alignment with Taste Festivals around the globe including Australia, London, Milan, Amsterdam and Stockholm, just to name a few.”
The first tickets have been released with a new 2016 offering a value packed VIP Ticket that includes access into the Qantas VIP Lounge for just $75 (normally upwards of $95) – these are the best value tickets available and with a limited number being released, they will sell out.
The full festival line-up will be announced in the coming months, see www.tasteofauckland.co.nz
