The winners of the Coastal Bay of Plenty's inaugural Matariki Dish Challenge have been announced, with a five-piece set menu and a seafood pasta dish securing the top spots.

The team at The Trading Post – French Bistro, in Paengaroa, drew inspiration from the stars to create their Matariki Chefs Menu, which the judging panel selected as the 2022 Champion award winner.

The menu featured sourdough bread, organic oysters, smoked eel, kumara and horopito gnocchi, and poached apple dessert, with each dish named after a star in the annual Matariki cluster.

The judges of the five-week Challenge were impressed with how each element in every dish in The Trading Post's entry served a purpose and was executed with precision.

'It was clear from the moment we arrived at the restaurant that they were taking things very seriously and were committed to producing something wonderful. The dish was well promoted throughout the restaurant, the staff were amazing and knew their stuff extraordinarily well, and the wines chosen to accompany the dish were right on point.”

The Trading Post owner and head chef, Jordan Baudeche, created the menu with his partner Nina.

He says they researched the Matariki tradition and used local seasonal produce to 'fuse indigenous flavours with French techniques”.

The Trading Post - Leigh Paul, left, Jordan Baudeche and Bri Frost.

Jordan also says the staff had a great time talking with diners about the dishes.

'It really created conversations and brought people together.”

The judges weren't the only ones that had a say though, with diners casting their votes for the 2022 People's Choice Award, which went to Fife Lane and their Pāua Toterini Karengo dish (featuring paua tortellini with oyster sauce, seaweed and watercress).

The accolade comes hot on the heels of several awards at last month's BOP Hospitality Awards.

Fife Lane owner Kat Dippie says that their Pāua Toterini Karengo dish was well received by diners.
'Guests were really engaged in the opportunity to try something different,” says Kat.

The dish came to life through staff research, chef creativity and a sense check with chef Robbie Webber's family.

'We wanted to create something really appealing on the plate and a way to present the pāua back in its original form,” says Robbie.

For diners that missed out on trying it, they may have another chance as Fife Lane are looking to incorporate the dish into their summer menu. It will also feature in their upcoming Greystone Wines dégustation event in October.

Tourism Bay of Plenty Tumuaki/General Manager Oscar Nathan says the high calibre of this year's entries, across seven eateries, helped showcase and elevate the importance of Matariki and the value of good kai (food) as New Zealand celebrated its first public holiday to mark the celestial occasion.

Matariki Dish Challenge organiser Vicki Ravlich-Horan says celebrating local and discovering something new is at the heart of the Challenge.

'As New Zealand develops our unique food, storytelling and provenance are key. The Matariki Dish Challenge is a wonderful chance for local eateries to start doing this and we were thrilled by the entries in this year's Challenge.”

Oscar says the competition is one of several initiatives that have sprung up in the region recently as Tourism Bay of Plenty seeks to share its food provenance and culinary flair with a wider foodie audience.

'Our hospitality and tourism sectors have had some tough times this year, so it's been great to be able to support each other in this way,” he says.

Local food producers also reaped benefits when their ingredients were showcased in menus during the Challenge.

The winning dishes:

The Trading Post's Matariki Chefs Menu

Matariki: Sourdough bread & smoked butter

Waitā: Kaipara organic oysters au naturel, kawakawa oil & oyster emulsion

Waitī: Apatu Aqua smoked eel, watercress & potato velouté

Tupu-ā-nuku: Lumina confit lamb shoulder, kūmara & horopito gnocchi's, Mama Kali's micro greens,jus

Tupu-ā-rangi: Vanilla poached apple, pure NZ buckwheat crumbs, maple syrup cloud

Fife Lane's Pāua Toterini Karengo

Pāua Tortellini made with Nicki's Eggs, creamed oyster sauce with Pacific Harvest seaweed and Doug Jarvis' watercress.