Sixty-one of New Zealand’s top chefs from the top of the North Island to the bottom of the South Island are set to show their skills with red meat as they vie for a prestigious award.
The Silver Fern Farms Premier Selection Awards, now in their third year, challenge New Zealand’s best chefs to showcase their creativity and artistry with red meat in order to win five category awards, and the supreme award of Premier Master of Fine Cuisine.
For your chance to win a restaurant voucher to two of the finalists’ restaurants, click here.
Here is a list of the finalists in your area:
KERIKERI
Food at Wharepuke
Chef: Colin Ashton
Dish: Silver Fern Farms venison loin, pumpkin and buffalo ricotta gnocchi, beetroot puree, chocolate jus.
WARKWORTH
Plume Restaurant
Chef: Atesh Ram
Dish: Silver Fern Farms beef eye fillet, pomne-anna potato, venison filo agar, red onion marmalade, port wine jus.
AUCKLAND
Mudbrick Vineyard & Restaurant
Chef: Matthias Schmitt
Dish: Smoked Venison ‘All Black’. Black tea-smoked denver leg venison, accompanied by black truffle, black garlic, black quinoa, blackberry and black trumpet mushrooms.
Piccoli Piatti
Chef: Rob Richardson
Dish: SILERE alpine origin merino shoulder slow roasted till tender and brushed with a white anchovy butter, accompanied by new season peas, lettuce and a burnt eggplant puree.
Annabelles Restaurant
Chef: Sachin Singh
Dish: Chagrilled eye fillet with smoked agena puree, wilted spinach, roasted field mushrooms and red wine jus.
Vinnies Restaurant
Chef: Ed Janwattana
Dish: Eye fillet. SILERE alpine origin merino lamb loin fillet with sweetbread, cos lettuce and yoghurt.
Casita Miro Restaurant
Chef: Cristian Hossack
Dish: Silver Fern Farms lamb rump, smoked mash potato, house made lamb bacon, fermented cabbage and harissa.
Wine Chambers
Chef: Daniel Ellis
Dish: Seared loin of venison with wild mushrooms.
Harbourside Ocean Bar Grill
Chef: Thomas Barta
Dish: Silver Fern Farms lamb rump, honey spiced beetroot, burnt onion puree, potato boulangere, crispy sweetbread, hazelnut.
Botswana Butchery
Chef: Stuart Rogan
Dish: Silver Fern Farms Reserve beef eye fillet, braised short rib with parsley, mustard and horseradish crust, carrot puree, asparagus, whipped garlic, cep jus.
Bracu Restaurant
Chef: Mikey Newlands
Dish: Venison loin & boudin with carrot, miso and coffee.
Villa Maria Vineyard Cafe
Chef: Jeroen Van Bilsen
Dish: Slow cooked SILERE alpine origin merino rump, peas, mint, goats cheese gnocchi.
O’Connell Street Bistro
Chef: Mark Southon
Dish: SILERE alpine origin merino Wellington, braised shoulder, globe artichokes, semi dried tomatoes and roasted lamb jus.
DeBretts Kitchen
Chef: Murray Wiblin
Dish: Silver Fern Farms lamp rump served with Roman gnocchi, courgettes, eggplant caviar, artichoke, smoked tomato and olives.
Number 5 Restaurant
Chef: Kayne Coubray
Dish: lamb fillet and rack. Caramelised edamame beans, olive mash, red wine reduction.
Kazuya Restaurant
Chef: Kazuya Yamauchi
Dish: ‘MEGUMI’ The blessing of Nature. A mix of ingredients from the sea and mountain.
COROMANDEL
Pepper Tree Restaurant and Bar
Chef: Melanie Shennen
Dish: Silenced by the Lamb. Macadamia dukkha, crusted rack of lamb, goat’s cheese pannacotta, beetroot puree, smoked aubergine & courgette parcel, harissa.
The Falls Retreat
Chef: Brad King
Dish: Braised Silver Fern Farms lamb shoulder served with a twice baked kumara souffle, a parsnip & vanilla bean emulsion, balsamic reduction and a shaved manchego , basil, walnut & watercress salad.
No8 Restaurant and Bar
Chef: Jackson Luidquist
Dish: Silver Fern Farms lamb rump served with almond and macadamia nut crusted kumara pear, ratatouille and champagne mint jelly in a red wine jus.
MT MAUNGANUI
Mount Bistro
Chef: Stephen Barry
Dish: Cervena venison with dark cherry & liquorice.
Mills Reef Restaurant
Chef: Attila Kovas
Dish: Silver Fern Farms lamb rump, dahl croquette, chilled cucumber & mint terrine, tamarind jus.
HAMILTON
Victoria Street Bistro
Chef: Andrew Clarke
Dish: Cervena short loin and BBQ cheek.
Bluestone Steakhouse
Chef: Michael Huitman
Dish: Venison short loin tartare with fried shiitake mushrooms with peppered radish salad, finished with plum sauce.
Smith & McKenzie
Chef: Carl Houben
Dish: Smith’s special rubbed Silver Fern Farms eye fillet with beef cheek, tortellini, candied shallots, dauphin potato, beetroot, watercress & smoked bacon jam.
Domaine Eatery
Chef: Jeff Dunstan
Dish: Venison wellington, boudin noir, carrot fordant, potato discs, cauliflower cream, poached rhubarb, candied macadamia & jus.
Palate Restaurant
Chef: Mat McLean
Dish: Assiette of Silver Fern Farms lamb with broad beans, artichoke, peppers and olives
NEW PLYMOUTH
Salt on the waterfront
Chef: Freedie Ponder
Dish: Herb crusted lamb with smoked pepper and fennel.
NAPIER
Mister D Dining
Chef: David Griffiths
Dish: Silver Fern Farms braised beef brisket, black pepper caramel, kimchi, roast parsnip.
PALMERSTON NORTH
Nero Restaurant
Chef: Scott Kennedy
Dish: Slow cooked poached beef in herb infused olive oil, flashed in balsamic glaze, truffle potato & spinach, sage & ricotta tortellini.
KAPITI COAST
Soprano Restorante
Chef: Joshua Knox
Dish: Braised Cervena osso bucco with puy lentils, beetroot, kale, goats cheese beignets, cherries and balsamic.
WELLINGTON
Logan Brown
Chef: Shaun Clouston
Dish: Cervena venison short loin, black pudding sweetbreads, native greens & Japanese spiced cherries.
Artisan Restaurant & Bar
Chef: MacLean Fraser
Dish: Bourbon infused lamb neck with smoked potato, pickled mushrooms, pikopiko and truffled salted walnuts.
Pravda Cafe
Chef: Johannes van Kekem
Dish: Smoked venison back strap, cured in gin and juniper with venison sweetbreads, on a celeriac, apple and walnut salad with a blood orange dressing.
One80 Restaurant
Chef: Chetan Pangam
Dish: Venison cutlet, sumac butter, sweetbreads, beetroot, parsnip, blackberry, sorrel, red cabbage, jus.
Ortega Fish Shack & Bar
Chef: Regnar Christensen
Dish: Silver Fern Farms Premier Selection Reserve rump steak tartare, Kimchi, Vietnamese mint, ginger, hot and sour dressing, fried shallot, rump fat toast.
Hippopotamus Restaurant & Bar
Chef: Laurent Loudeac
Dish: SILERE alpine origin merino cutlet, confit neck, brain and sweetbread with hummus, labneh yogurt and Hari.
Shed 5
Chef: Geoff Ngan
Dish: Cervena venison rack- venison & puy lentil ragu, gastrique baby beet, carrot pear and ginger puree, Jerusalem artichoke chips, juniper jus.
City Dining & Bar
Chef: Amey Rane
Dish: Silver Fern Farms lamb rack, truffle mash potato croquettes, minted pea puree, Halloumi cheese, roasted capsicum puree & kumara chips.
Hummingbird Eatery & Bar
Chef: Helen Turnbull
Dish: Grilled Silver Fern Farms lamb rack with braised SILERE alpine origin merino shoulder agnolotti, spiced split pea puree, spring peas, mint and Hummingbirds’ Silver Fern Farm lamb neck coppa.
Coene’s Provisions
Chef: Joshua Dodd
Dish: Venison leg, preserved cherries, cocoa, black pudding & celeriac.
Wharekauhau Lodge
Chef: Marc Soper
Dish: Seared Silver Fern Farms venison, rice paper, Wharekauhau country garden beetroot, smoked yoghurt, cauliflower and almonds.
Muse on Allen Restaurant & Bar
Chef: Samuel North
Dish: Seared Silver Fern Farms denver leg, braised venison croquette, beetroot, fennel.
NELSON
Hopgood’s Restaurant
Chef: Aaron Ballantyne
Dish: Silver Fern Farms lamb rump, slow cooked shoulder, smoked parsnip, garlic & anchovy butter.
Mint Dining Room
Chef: Grant Dicker
Dish: Silver Fern Farms SILERE alpine origin merino served three ways; cutlet, sous vide leg and croquette.
BLENHEIM
Twelve Trees
Chef: Kylie Cornelius
Dish: Silver Fern Farms Cervena venison loin, beetroot, smoked goats cheese, garlic noir, salted cherries and shitake cream.
Saint Clair Vineyard Kitchen
Chef: Keith Gregory
Dish: Vine leaf wrapped loin of lamb, scented with lemon, chargrilled baby spring vegetables, garlic Noir whipped potato mash, finished with hand-picked garden greens.
CHRISTCHURCH
Sapporo Gold Restaurant and Bar
Chef: Stefan Freuding
Dish: Silver Fern Farms venison tenderloin. Baked in crispy pastry, dark cherry stuffing, spaetzle, pancetta and shallots, green beans and creamy coquae jus.
Freemans Dining Room
Chef: Nicholas Freeman
Dish: Roast Silver Fern Farms venison loin, smoked pulled shank, potato gnocchi, celeriac, prosciutto & jus.
St Germain
Chef: Jamie Trudgeon
Dish: Lamb noisette, sweetbread raviolis, haricot beans ragout.
TIMARU
Fusion Restaurant and Cafe
Chef: Lindsay Bennet
Dish: Silver Fern Farms rump of lamb with ratatouille vegetables, black olive, polenta fries and chimichurri sauce.
WANAKA
Bistro Gentil
Chef: Mario Rodrigues
Dish: Sous vide SILERE alpine origin merino rump, braised shoulder croquette, lamb cheeks, roasted celeriac & puree, black garlic jus.
CROMWELL/CLYDE
Carrick
Chef: Gwen Harvie
Dish: Silver Fern Farms oven roasted venison on a warm puy lentil, heirloom tomato, truffle & rocket salad, thyme jus.
Olivers Restaurant
Chef: James Waite
Dish: Chargrilled lamb dumplings, dried blackberry and fennel rub, lamb & shitake potsticker dumpling, black vinegar & hoisin jus.
QUEENSTOWN
Millhouse Restaurant
Chef: Koen Hogendoorn
Dish: Southland venison loin. Savoy, Brussel sprouts, spinach, toasted granola, beetroot.
True South Dining Room
Chef: Ben Batterbury
Dish: SILERE alpine origin merino rump and shank, burnt celeriac, smoked beetroot and crab apple.
Graze
Chef: Andrea Glover
Dish: Hamish had a little lamb. Silver Fern Farms cutlet, petite lamb shank pie, feta, watercress croquette, lamb honey sausage, honeycomb, watercress cream.
Wakatipu Grill
Chef: Jeyong Jang
Dish: SILERE alpine origin merino loin with smoked aubergine puree, gochujang glazed young veges, mint pea oil.
Left Bank Cafe
Chef: Varick Neilson
Dish: Silver Fern Farms venison loin, horopito spice rub, beet-goats cheese. Glenorchy watercress, dauphinoise potato, pawpaw salad.
OPHIR
Pitches Store
Chef: Daniel Hill
Dish: Smoked eye fillet of Silver Fern Farms and green tea.
DUNEDIN
Pier 24 Restaurant & Bar
Chef: Greg Piner
Dish: Chargrilled Silver Fern Farms venison short loin with black pudding wellington, celeriac puree, braised red cabbage, buttered brussel sprouts and date jus.
Ironic Café & Bar
Chef: Ryan Olsen
Dish: Roasted Silver Fern Farms lamb rump & slow-cooked pressed lamb shoulder served with a crispy potato rosti, lightly sautéed spring greens, cherry tomato compote and a vibrant Szechuan pepper jus.
Luna Bar & Restaurant
Chef: Jason Lunn
Dish: SILERE alpine origin merino lamp rump, pumpkin gnocchi, baby spinach, vegetable spring roll and rosemary jus
