Free Range Chef

Hi Stephen, Great to see the pictures of the evening - thanks!

                      Air Wick and Free Range Chef Winter lights Competition

During the months of July and August 2012 Air Wick ran a promotion for a private chef to cook for their competition winners. Free Range Chef was asked to provide menus and services.

                                                          The Brief 
One winter inspired private dinner party for 6, cooked in the winner's home by a personal chef. Prize includes a three course meal for 6 guests, 1 bottle of wine per course matched to the dishes, service of waiter, hire of all equipment, crockery and cutlery, all food preparation, kitchen clean up and service of food.Menu to be pre-selected by winner from 3 sample menus provided by Chef. All guests will be served the same menu.Arrangements can be made for special dietary requirements.  


               The promotion ran in Countdowns across the country and was exclusive to One card holders  

                   

                                                Product bins and mailers were in store and sent out

                                                    The Winners

                                                           Rob and Erin Cairns  

They chose their menu below from 3 different suggested menus and Free Range Chef matched wines to accompany each course. 

Lemon Tart

            For more information about Air Wick products please visit http://www.airwick.co.nz/

Hi Stephen,
Thanks so much for this evening - food was absolutely delicious and you managed to leave the kitchen cleaner than you found it! Thanks sent from all the guests too. We're keen to have you cooking for us for the wedding and would be great if you could put your mind to quoting for us for your services for Thursday to Sunday

Hi Stephen

 Thank you so much for making the occasion such a special event and fitting in with our family group who all agreed you created a fantastic meal whilst talking and joking with us all.
Jan and I felt really bad about you because we did not offer you any food and only realized after you had gone that you would not have had anything to eat all night. I must apologize for our rude hospitality and our only excuse was we were enjoying the meal so much we did not even give you a second thought - we will be recommending you to all our friends etc and will definitely be back in touch ourselves - you made the event - much appreciated Terry & Jan

We couldn't make it to the restaurant so the restaurant come to us
best decision we have ever made for dinner.  Would highly recommend hiring
a chef in your own home.  Was a very relaxed and enjoyable evening and
lovely the the chef interacted with everyone also.
We would definitely recommend you to everyone and would definitely use you
again. The food was perfect and very adequate quantities, we had leftovers for the
next few days!

Very big thank you to you and Grant for making our Mum's 65th birthday
special.

Kind regards
Andrea

A new date has been set for the ever popular Red Kitchen Dining events. Below is the new menu for the 28th of August 2012

                               For this event RSVP by Monday, 20^th August 2012             
                      info@avantgardedesign.co.nz       www.avantgardedesign.co.nz

Hi Stephen, fair to say it was a slow Sunday after an outstanding Saturday night! Yes everyone thoroughly enjoyed the evening and the food / wine etc went down very well. The service etc from the team was outstanding and much appreciated.

 Thanks & regards

                                                         NZ Farmers Taste awards 2012

On the last weekend of June 2012 the NZ Farmers taste awards took place at the Jubilee building in Parnell Auckland.
Free Range Chef and team were lucky enough to help cater for the awards dinner and events over the three days show casing all the foods that had won a prize. Under the guidance of NZ Chef and founding member of the Farmers Markets Chris Fortune the brief for the grazing style buffets was simple, tasty and seasonal, helping to celebrate the real food producers of NZ.


                            The Taste awards evening winners, producers and menu

The first courses 
                                  Artichoke soup with a fresh turmeric garnish
                                     served with fresh bread and Dukkah platters 
                 
                                          Vegetables and turmeric came from
                                                Organically grown in Hope
                              Winner of Tastiest food producer in the Paddock: (Organic)
                                      
They grow a wide range of seasonal fruit & veges to sell direct at our local markets. have produced on this property organically since 1986

• Smoked salmon with a lightly dressed fennel, cabbage, parsley and fresh orange slaw

                                                        Smoked Salmon from
                                                             Salmon Man 
                               Winner of Freshest producer from the Water:



                                   Vegetables from Pahoia Fresh Produce
         Winner of Freshest Food producer from the Paddock Winner  (Conventional)
                                                              and Organically grown in Hope



Second courses
                                                          Venison and leek tartlets 
                                                Venison from Cheviot Hills Fine Foods
                 Winner Of  Tastiest food producer from the Butchery (primary product):


Awards dinner venison
Our venison was served as part of the main course at the 2012 Taste Farmers Market New Zealand awards dinner. We were so taken with the way it was cooked that we asked the chef to share his secret.  And when he told us, we were surprised at how simply he treated the venison. He said that they decided to keep the dish simple to let the flavors of the venison shine through. So, here’s how Stephen Weeks, the Free Range Chef (http://www.freerangechef.co.nz/), cooked our denver leg for dinner:

·         Take a fillet/piece of venison
·         Wrap it up very tightly in cling film then chill for at least 12 hours*
·         Roll it in sea salt and cracked pepper
·         Cook in a hot pan, three to four minutes each side
·         Allow to rest
·         Cut into slices and serve

*This is a chef’s top tip that we didn’t know. If you tightly wrap the meat and then chill it, it will become more of an even shape.  his makes it easier to cook evenly and to portion out the meat. 
                                This extract was taken from Cheviot Hills Website  

 
                                                                   Winter roast vegetable salad 
           with mixed color baby carrots, salsify, garlic, parsnips, thyme, pumpkins and onions
                                                   all provided by Organically grown in Hope

                             Franks sausages with oven roasted shallots and rocket
         Franks Sausages winner of Tastiest food producer from the Butchery (value added)




                                                 Onions & Shallots provided by Thanks Shallots
                                                         High Commended from the Paddock 2012
                        and rocket and salad greens all provided from the farmers market Parnell

                                                                  Fresh Broccolini and snow pea salad
                      from  Pahoia Fresh Produce and Convoy Lane Gardens and Orchard   
                                                                      High Commended from the Paddock

Other products on show and used

Highly commended from the Butchery (value added product) -  Otello's - Click here
Highly Commended from the Butchery  -  Euro Deli Meats / Cressy Farm - Click here
Highly Commended from the Butchery (raw product)  - From the Farm Gate - Click her

Highly Commended from the Kitchen Bench -  Paris Berlin,  Organic Bakery - Click here
Highly Commended from the Kitchen Bench -  Sweetree Honey - Click here
Highly commended from the Kitchen Bench    -  Naaz Curry Paste - Click here


Relishes and sauces


                                                        Relish the thought  
                                  Winner of Best food producer from the Kitchen Bench
Entries from 3 of there lines - Fig & Orange Jam, made with our own figs and oranges, Mandarin & Cointreau Marmalade, made with our own mandarins, and Eggplant Kasundi, made with locally grown eggplants from our neighborhood grower.
                                        

                                                       Due North Foods  
                                Highly Commended from the Kitchen Bench -  
with there range of Amazing Tamarillo paste, Ninety mile MILD Capsicum sauce, Ninety mile Hot Mango and Manuka Sauce





 Congratulations to all the winners it was a great experience for Free Range Chef and Team, we really enjoyed showing your products off and having a taste of them all.

Thank you to Chris Fortune for the opportunity and help. To Chef Grant Mclellan for all your contribution and help and to the 6 first year students from Auckland Chef school for your help on the evening.

Due to the continued success and of the Red Kitchen Dinning Events with all the spaces booked out well in advance another date has been set. 21st July 2012, so make sure you get your tickets now !!

                                                                    Menu for the 21st

Hi Stephen,

                           Here is the German magazine article which show cased New Zealand.
              The writers I cooked for  stayed at Hurakia Lodge and apparently it was the highlight of
                                                                      there stay.
                                 It's always nice to see your name in something like this !!
                          Now I just need to get it translated.!..................Can anyone help?

This is the section about the lodge

Our last event on the 14th April was fully booked and it was a fun and very tasty evening, all guests had a chance to ask questions and see what I was cooking.Every plate was left clean with shouts of more !!!!!!

                                                    The Menu for the next event is