Zest Tour Specials

VISA Wellington on a Plate - 14 to 29 August 2010

Behind the scenes culinary experiences with Zest Food Tours

Zest Food Tours is a proud partner of the second VISA Wellington on a Plate festival, to be held in August 2010. To celebrate, Wellingtonians and visitors are invited to join some new and unique ‘behind the scenes’ peeks at top local food places you can’t normally visit: Choose from these tasty experiences.
 


Behind the Scenes in Two Top Kitchens - Floriditas Bakery and Logan Brown


A rare, behind the scenes tour of two top Wellington kitchens


Enjoy two exceptional hidden culinary experiences in a single morning – we take you into the working kitchens of two of four top kitchens. See, smell, hear and taste the action in two professional kitchens, and share secrets with the chefs.

Back by popular demand, this event sold out almost immediately last year, so book in quickly.


At Logan Brown, Steve Logan or Chef Shaun Clouston will reveal their compact kitchen amid pre-lunch prep, originally the bank vault. Floriditas Bakery co-owner Julie Clark and Head Baker Mitch share baking expertise, with hands-on options of pastry rolling techniques and ‘flooding’ cakes.

Take home a tasty gift from each. Limited to 6 guests per tour.

  • Monday 16 August, Friday 20 August, Monday 23 August (only 1 space left) and Thursday 26 August 2010.  Note: Mon 16 and Fri 20 and Thurs 26 August SOLD OUT
  • 10.15 am - 11.45am
  • $79 per person, maximum of 6 guests
  • Depart with Zest guide from outside Floriditas Cafe, 161 Cuba St.
  • WAITING LIST: Due to the high demand for this experience, we may offer this on an additional date, please email [email protected] if you would like to be on a waiting list.



Behind the Scenes in Two Top Kitchens with Zest Food Tours - Martin Bosley's & Osteria del Toro


Behind the scenes at busy Osteria del Toro, they somehow manage a never-ending flurry of orders. Iconic Martin Bosley’s Yacht Club Restaurant offers a rare insight into getting incredible dishes to the table.

Take home a tasty gift from each. Limited to 6 guests per tour.
 


 

  • Wednesday 18 August (2 spaces left) and Wednesday 25 August (1 space left)
  • 10.15am - 11.45 am
  • Meet Zest Guide at Martin Bosley's, outside main entrance, Oriental Bay
  • $79 per person, maximum of 6 guests



Blend Your Own Coffee with Zest Food Tours


A hands-on session exploring how to blend your own coffee beans

Create your very own personal coffee blend, guided by the experts at Mojo Coffee. An in-depth, hands-on total coffee experience: perfect for all you coffee-crazy Wellingtonians. Learn about single origin beans, roasting, identifying aromas and flavours and other technical stuff behind the expert blending to create the perfect mix of balanced flavours. Experience the whole process including roasting and ‘cupping’ and then the ultimate caffeine high - blending your very own creation. Coffee exactly as you like it, tailored to suit your palate, to take home. How cool is that?

Take home your own blend of coffee blended to your tastes. Limited to 20 participants.
 

  • Tuesday 17 August and Tuesday 24 August 2010
  • 6.30pm to 8.30pm
  • $55 per person, maximum of 20 guests
  • Meet at Mojo Roastery, Shed 13 Customhouse Quay, Wellington



Blend Your Own Olive Oil with Zest Food Tours


A hands-on session exploring how to blend olive oil

Create your very own Extra Virgin Olive Oil, guided by top producer Helen Meehan of Olivo. Not all olive oils are created equal, so Helen will take you through the different aromas and tastes of four olive oil varieties. After ranking their flavours and special characteristics, the real fun starts. Armed with heightened taste buds, you play: a little of this and more of that as you blend each individual oil into a harmonious whole, according to your own preferences and tasting notes. Inspired to use olive oil creatively, you take your very own labelled bottle home.

Each guest will get their own special blend of labelled oil to take home.

Limited to 20 participants.
 

  • Wednesday 18 August and Wednesday 25 August 2010
  • 6.30pm - 8.30pm
  • $55 per person, limited to 20 guests
  • Meet at Mojo Roastery, Shed 13 Customhouse Quay, Wellington



Blend Your Own Spices with Zest Food Tours


A hands-on session exploring how to blend spices

Create your very own spice blend, guided by chef Travis Clive-Griffin of Bar Salute, Greytown. With a Lebanese heritage, Travis specialises in contemporary Mediterranean food with Middle Eastern flair. Stressing that spices add flavour not heat, Travis will open a world of aromas and flavours of many spices, and how to cook them with confidence. Using some of his tapas style dishes, he’ll show how to balance flavours and refresh dishes and enjoy some mortar and pestle action. Then the fun part: assemble your personal version of classic Ras el Hanout to add spice to your own home cooking.
 

  • Thursday 19 August and Thursday 26 August 2010
  • 10.30am to 12.30pm
  • $65 per person, maximum of 20 guests
  • Salute, Main Street, Greytown 


Note: Salute is also offering a special $25 lunch menu during Wellington on a Plate, so grab a friend or two and make a day of it! For any lunch bookings, please contact Salute directly.


Courtenay Cocktail Crawl with Ruth Pretty
 


Discover cocktail sophistication with celebrity guide Ruth Pretty

Ever contemplated the current cocktail craze but no idea where to start? Celebrity ‘spiritual’ guide Ruth Pretty and Zest have selected stylish, classy cocktail bars for a late night introduction to your inner mixologist. One sip at a time, we’ll explore sophisticated and refreshing cocktails, their stories, techniques and the glamorous heritage behind those elegant glasses and super-cool look. Tapas tastes included. This fun experience, in safe hands, may leave you stirred but not shaken. Add some glamour to your life - you’ll even get recipes to impress your friends later. Optional light pre-tour dinner at Hippopotamus is recommended.


  • Fri 20 and Sat 28 August BOTH TOURS ALL SOLD OUT
  • 8.30pm
  • $99 per person, maximum 10 guests
  • Meet at Museum Hotel lobby




Parehua Local Food Heroes with Zest


Visit the local Martinborough sources of chef Kent Baddeley’s glorious food at the stylish Parehua Country Estate. With a knowledgeable personal Zest Food Tours guide to share the local stories, you will visit owner-operator produce and specialty food and wine suppliers around the village – knowing that for dinner you could well be enjoying their product,with the added appreciation of having been and seen precisely where it came from.

Finish with a light lunch and glass of Martinborough wine. Package includes one night in a Parehua cottage, plus full cooked breakfast for two with Kent Baddeley cuisine.

 

  • Available each day of the festival, Sat 14 – Sun 29 Aug
  • 9.30am – 1.30pm
  • Parehua Country Estate, New York St West, Martinborough, Wairarapa
  • $370 per person (Sun-Thurs) or
  • $415 per person (Fri-Sat)
  • BOOKINGS: via Parehua, email [email protected] or call 06 306 8405


     

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