Introducing Chef du Jour, a new dinner series brought to you by Palate and Fed for Chefs. With each dinner we will have a new theme and collaboration, and we’re kicking things off with the rising talent in the Tron.
Join us for a night celebrating, encouraging and experiencing food created by the next generation in our hospitality scene. The night will consist of 5 courses each cooked by one of our young guns with a beautifully matched wine by Palate’s own wine expert Larissa.
Tickets are $120pp for 5 courses plus a few surprises. Sorry no dietaries.
$50pp for matching wines
Click here to secure your spot.
So, whose cooking
Amanda-Jo Pickup – Head Chef – The Lookout Bar & Kitchen.
Amanda started her cooking career at Redoubt Bar & Kitchen in Te Awamutu, where she did her apprenticeship.
Amanda-Jo says she loves being a chef as she gets to make people happy. “Everyone loves food especially when someone else cooks it! People are always super excited and look forward to going out to restaurants, so the thing I love about being a chef is I get to fulfil people’s hunger with delicious food, and they leave happy and satisfied with meals I have created for them.”
As one of our most senior chefs Amanda-Jo will kick off the night with the first course. Amanda-Jo describes her food as cooking the “kiwi” style. “I make dishes that I know everyone will enjoy, there’s no real theme I guess, just wholesome delicious food.”
Matt Gemmell – Head Chef Furnace Steakhouse
Matt’s culinary career started 16 years ago as Kitchen hand at Le Dome. He completed his apprenticeship under Mike Huitema at Bluestone and is now Head Chef at Furnace Steakhouse.
Matt says, “I love the creativity of being a chef and continuously learning and trying new things.” He believes his strengths are in cooking steaks and game meats, so we should be in for a treat with Matt cooking local duck on the night.
Chelsea Mendes – Banh mi Caphe Kitchen Manager
Hailing from Goa, Chelseas describes her food as “wholesome food with a hint of fusion and heaps of flavour.” Her cheffing career began as a kitchen hand just four years ago before working her way up to be a sous chef at Thyme Square and then Banh mi Caphe.
Although Chelseas says “I started cooking when I was six years old as it was mostly just me and my mom who taught me the basics. I loved taking trips to the market with her and grab fresh seafood and produce and soon started going on my own – that’s when i learnt about suppliers and where our food came from which i still value a lot even now.”
Chelsea says she “loves the thrill and rush coking gives me working pans and playing with fire.” And despite her father saying cheffing was a man’s game “here I am and I can say i absolutely love it.”
Joseph Arthur – Sous Chef Palate
Joseph is Mat’s right-hand man at Palate. He started as a dish hand twelve years ago while studying at Wintec, before joining the Palate team a decade ago.
Joseph says, “Working at Palate under Mat he has always been a great role to follow for inspired food and dedicated work ethic.”
Josephs’ food philosophy mirrors that at Palate saying he loves “good local food from great producers. From Greenstone Creek beef to Brewaucracy beer, there are some amazing New Zealand products being made and I have loved the opportunities to try then and meet some of the people making them.
And I guess that’s a part of what I love about being a chef, being exposed to awesome amazing products and people, and I do enjoy showing people a good time and seeing how food can make people happy.”
Scott Bray – Chef de Cuisine at Sky City Hamilton
Scott has worked at Sky City Hamilton for the past decade rising through the ranks from pantry hand to now lead the team of chefs at Sky City Hamilton.
Scott describes his cooking style as “humble” with flavour always coming first. While confident across all aspects of cooker, Scott admits dessert, the course he has drawn would not be his first pick “but I’m not shy of a challenge.”
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