By Emily Norman
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Foodies from all around the Wellington region will be flocking to Wairarapa to treat their taste buds to the finest meals on offer as part of Wellington on a Plate, which launches today.
Wairarapa’s finest restaurants, vineyards, and cafes have jumped on board with the culinary festival which has already seen some events sell out, including artisan baking classes taught by award-winning baker Michael Kloeg of The Clareville Bakery.
Destination Wairarapa marketing manager Barb Hyde said a majority of interest in Wairarapa events had come from Wellington.
“There is strong demand for accommodation this weekend right across the region which we know is being driven by people from Wellington coming to attend Wellington on a Plate events,” she said.
“These events are diverse and feature our top chefs, our top produce and top wine.”
Events include cooking classes, nutrition courses, a foraging walk along the Wairarapa coast, and vineyard tours.
As part of the festival, three Wairarapa eateries will also be battling it out to produce the best burger.
Café Medici’s ‘Porky’s Last Stand’ burger features a crispy pork belly with apple and fennel slaw, and Lavender’s Green preserves lemon aioli in a brioche bun.
La Pancetta’s ‘A Pig of the Burger’ is a pork and fennel sausage patty with plum sauce, fennel slaw, crispy pancetta and Wakelin House chilli and lime aioli.
The ‘Casablanca Lamb Burger’, created by The Clareville Bakery, is made with a Moroccan lamb patty with Greek yoghurt, beetroot slaw and Kingsmeade feta whip, on a currant and ras el hanout brioche bun.
These selections are available until August 28.
In 2014 Nick Arnold of Medici Café won the challenge with his ‘Holy Cow’ burger.
For a complete listing of the festival events see the Wellington on a Plate website.
Foodie heaven as burgers get serious
