Matariki Dish Challenge

Rotorua Matariki Dish Challenge Postponed to 2024
The Rotorua Matariki Dish Challenge, an eagerly anticipated culinary event celebrating indigenous kai, will be postponed from Matariki 2023 to Matariki 2024 due to resource pressures on our participating food and hospitality providers. The decision was made after careful consideration by the organizing committee, taking into account the need to ensure the event's continued success and the ability to deliver an exceptional experience for all participants and manuhiri.

RotoruaNZ would like to extend their gratitude to all participants, sponsors, and supporters who have shown unwavering enthusiasm for the Matariki Dish Challenge. The event's success is a testament to the dedication and passion of everyone involved, and we look forward to welcoming you all to the Matariki 2024, where we will embark on another extraordinary culinary journey.

Read the full anouncemant on our website.

You have to be in to win!
Help us make Rotorua the place to be this Winter by entering the Matariki Dish Challenge.

Got your entry in yet??
www.matarikidishchallenge.co.nz

Are you overthinking the Matariki Dish Challenge and thus putting it in the too hard basket?
Last year's people's Choice winner was River's catch - yes a great spot, amazing food, but not fine dining. And this year we have categories for both the spirit of Matariki, best food on the go and one for customer service, so plenty of opportunities for you to WIN.
Cafes and bakeries have you thought of creating a Matariki donut, cake, slice.... What a bout a cabinet salad, hot chocolate, milk shake...
Restaurants there is nothing stopping you creating a dessert that will shine.
Let's put Rotorua on the map and really highlight all the great eateries there are with a huge challenge this year.

Think the Rotorua NZ Matariki Dish Challenge is just for those fancy pants restaurants? Not so! There are heaps of opportunities for casual eateries to excel in the challenge including the People's Choice award, best customer service and Matariki Rangaranga Ō, or Best food to go entry. So fire up those pizza ovens or burger grills, roll out a Matariki inspired sushi or bake up a storm and fill that cabinet with some tasty kai this Matariki.
Remember entries close the end of this month!

Te Matū o Matariki - or our spirit of Matariki award will go to the team that really relish this special time of year and reflect this in their entry dish as well as how they engage diners with the story. Help us put Rotorua NZ on the map and enter into the spirit of things with this year's Matariki Dish Challenge

The 2023 Rotorua NZ Matariki Challenge includes a few more categories you could win (if you enter that is) including the best customer service award.
You have until the end of the month to get your entries in - what's stopping you?

We know it's tough out there recruiting staff. One great way to attract a great team is to prove you are a good place to work and being an award winning eatery would be a step in the right direction. Just a few weeks to get your Matariki Dish Challenge entry in - you have to be in to win! And you never know you might gain more than great accolades and free publicity.

A key part of taking part in the Matariki Dish Challenge is learning and upskilling - be it owners and managers, kitchen team or your front of house stars.
Through our Professional Development work with Hospitality New Zealand we covered sales, leadership, getting a grip on the numbers and making the most of social media. Click below for some the social media tips shared by Mel from Hospitality NZ.

https://www.matarikidishchallenge.co.nz/blog/post/102727/hospitality-nzs-social-media-tips/

Hospitality NZ's Social Media Tips At this years Rotorua Matariki Dish Challenge launch, Melissa Renwick from Hospitality NZ ran a social media workshop to show us how to succeed online. Here are some of the top tips that Harriet took

Just 1 month to get those entries in!

PRODUCER SPOTLIGHT!

Lux Organics is a certified organic market garden in Ngongotaha. They grow a wide range of gourmet, specialty produce (vegetables, microgreens and herbs), so don't forget to include them in your challenge entry!

Visit the producer directory at www.matarikidishchallenge.co.nz to find out more

PRODUCER SPOTLIGHT!

Streamland Honey will provide you with natures sweetest to use in your Rotorua Matariki Dish Challenge entry. It's perfect to use in a sweet or savoury dish, so get creating!

Visit the producer directory at www.matarikidishchallenge.co.nz to find out more

PRODUCER SPOTLIGHT!

Volcanic Creamery is a small family owned and operated dairy farm located in Hamurana, 15 minutes from Rotorua. Their milk is as fresh as you get and there is no homogenisation, standardisation, ultrafiltration or any other processing. It's just milk as it should be. How will you be using this in your challenge entry?

Visit the producer directory at www.matarikidishchallenge.co.nz to find out more

PRODUCER SPOTLIGHT!

Have you met the team behind yet? Their handcrafted spice blends, whether sweet or savoury, will bring fusion flavours into your Matariki Dish Challenge entry.

Visit the producer directory at www.matarikidishchallenge.co.nz to find out morelo

Times are tough and now more than every you need to be on top of your numbers! Join our Crunching the Number workshop run by Hospitality New Zealand and gain a few more skills and insight to help your business.
This is open to any Rotorua eatery and is FREE but you must book below.

https://events.humanitix.com/rotorua-matariki-dish-challenge-professional-development-crunching-the-numbers

Rotorua Matariki Dish Challenge Professional Development - Crunching the Numbers , Hosted online, Tue 2nd May 2023, 2:00 pm - 3:00 pm NZST | Humanitix The Matariki Dish Challenge aims at challenging your whole team and enable them to grow. We have teamed up with the Hospitality New Zealand to bring those interested in entering the challenge a chance to build on their skills so they can do well in the challenge and beyond. Crunching the numbers can...

PRODUCER SPOTLIGHT!

Pink & White - Geothermal Gin are on a journey to create a gin with geothermal provenance - utilising heat from the ground passed through a still. Are you up for the challenge of including this in your dish entry? Or maybe your front of house will create a captivating cocktail to pair with your dish?

Visit the producer directory at www.matarikidishchallenge.co.nz to find out more

Congratulations to Dr Rangi Mātāmua who was named New Zealander of the year.
I heard Professor Mātāmua talking about Matariki in a way I think everyone in Aotearoa should hear - he said that each of the Matariki stars are very different, they have different colours, characteristics and so on, but each year they all rise together.

Every great team needs an awesome leader. Want to improve your leadership skills or got a team member with leadership potential? Join our Leadership workshop run by Hospitality New Zealand This is a FREE workshop open to Rotorua eateries but spaces are limited so you must book!

https://events.humanitix.com/rotorua-matariki-dish-challenge-professional-development-leadership

Rotorua Matariki Dish Challenge Professional Development - Leadership, Rotorua, Tue 18th Apr 2023, 2:00 pm - 3:00 pm NZST | Humanitix The Matariki Dish Challenge aims at challenging your whole team and enable them to grow. We have teamed up with the Hospitality New Zealand to bring those interested in entering the challenge a chance to build on their skills so they can do well in the challenge and beyond. Leadership skills aren’...

PRODUCER SPOTLIGHT!

Kai Rotorua's kaupapa is to reconnect us to Papatuanuku through growing kai. They are all volunteers who work alongside tamariki, rangatahi, taiohi, kura, whanau and families planting kumara, Maori riwai and hue (gourds). The orchard has is bursting with fruit, vegetables and outstanding Kumara.

Visit the producer directory at www.matarikidishchallenge.co.nz to find out more

PRODUCER SPOTLIGHT!

Tikitere Farm is leading red meat provenance in Rotorua. They produce delicious beef with 100% traceability, farmed ethically for animals and environment.
A very small farm on a mission of local business, local food.

Visit the producer directory at www.matarikidishchallenge.co.nz to find out more

Thinking of entering the Matariki Dish Challenge and want to get the most out of it?
Sign up to one of our Professional Development workshops run by Hospitality New Zealand Our first is next week helping your team with sales.
These are free to Rotorua eateries but numbers are limited so book now via the link below

https://events.humanitix.com/rotorua-matariki-dish-challenge-professional-development-basic-sales-skills

Rotorua Matariki Dish Challenge Professional Development - Basic Sales Skills, Rotorua, Tue 4th Apr 2023, 2:00 pm - 3:00 pm NZST | Humanitix The Matariki Dish Challenge aims at challenging your whole team and enable them to grow. We have teamed up with the Hospitality New Zealand to bring those interested in entering the challenge a chance to build on their skills so they can do well in the challenge and beyond. Mastering sales skills wi...

PRODUCER SPOTLIGHT!

Bringing grapes from New Zealand’s most recognised wine growing regions, Volcanic Hills Winery create their wines in Rotorua.
Their range includes Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Gris, Chardonnay, Blanc de Blanc (our Sparkling), Pinot Noir, Syrah and Tawny, perfect to pair with your dish or to use in the cooking process.

Visit the producer directory at www.matarikidishchallenge.co.nz to find out more

PRODUCER SPOTLIGHT!

Otaika Valley Free Range Eggs is a well established family run business with a farm in Kaharoa, near Rotorua. Otaika Valley hens are free to roam on their beautiful and fertile land, resting at night in spacious safe barns. How will you use these in your challenge entry?

Visit the producer directory at www.matarikidishchallenge.co.nz to find out more

A big thanks to Mel from Hospitality New Zealand for leading our Social Strategy workshop at this week's Rotorua Matariki Dish Challenge Launch. Check out our website for more valuable workshops in April. These are all free for Rotorua eateries.
www.matarikidishchallenge.co.nz

Rotorua NZ

Thanks to everyone who came to the launch of the 2023 Rotorua NZ Matariki Dish Challenge yesterday at Te Pā Tū - New Zealand
How cool was the space! and how delicious was the kai!
Entries for the challenge are now open to all Rotorua eateries. Check out our website for details.

There are more than 1 reason to join us at the 2023 Rotorua Matariki Dish Challenge Launch on the 21st of March!
Come meet some local producers.
Chefs learn more about the significance of Matariki and how to reflect this in your kai with out wonderful workshop lead by local experts.
Owners/FOH managers discover ways to leverage being part of the challenge or simply how to up your marketing with our workshop run by Hospitality New Zealand
All Rotorua chefs, FOH managers and eateries are invited. Please email Harriet on [email protected]

The wonderful team at Mon's Flavors are joining us at this year's Matariki Dish Launch - are you?
Calling all Rotorua local producers, this is your chance to get your products on the menu of the regions best eateries.
Email [email protected] for more information

River's catch proved you don't have to be a fancy restaurant to take out a prize in the Matariki Dish Challenge! Great food and passion for what you do proved a wining formula when they took out the People's Choice Award in 2022.
Tag your favourite Rotorua Eatery that you'd love to see enter this Year's Matariki Dish Challenge.

Meet Hamish from Volcanic Creamery -just one of Rotorua's wonderful producers.
Hamish, along with more local producers will be at our launch on the 21st of March - open to all Rotorua eateries.
Email [email protected] to RSVP or for more details.

were our 2022 Rotorua Matariki Dish Champions. Who will take out the title this year? If you are an eatery in Rotorua make sure you come along to our Matariki Dish Challenge Launch on the 21st of March. Email [email protected] for more details.

Watch this space! The wonderful folk at Hospitality New Zealand have come on board with this year's challenge helping us create a series of professional development workshops open to all eateries in Rotorua.

We're on the hunt for Rotorua Food Producers! Let us know your favourite growers, farmers, manufacturers and anything in between in the comments below.

It's back! Our Matariki Dish Challenge is back in Rotorua this Winter. Watch this space for more info or Rotorua Eateries message us for details on how you can be involved.

Interseting article
https://www.bbc.com/travel/article/20220929-new-zealands-overlooked-indigenous-cuisine

New Zealand's overlooked indigenous cuisine Joe McLeod is part of a small movement of Māori chefs who are finding modern and creative ways to pass traditional Māori food onto future generations.