threesixty restaurant gets Down to Earth

A new ‘Down to Earth’ approach to cuisine at Queenstown’s threesixty restaurant combines premium local produce with modern European cooking techniques to create tasty, stylish dishes.

The new concept and menu at threesixty has been driven by Executive Chef Phil Ryan who believes that great food is only made with the highest quality ingredients sourced locally.

“I’m extremely passionate about fresh produce,” said Mr Ryan. “The food we create is only as good as the ingredients we use which is why we’ve invested months of research into sourcing the best produce.”

Mr Ryan said the Down to Earth concept wasn’t just about the food but also about the way the restaurant interacted with its suppliers.

“We value our relationships with our suppliers and work closely with local producers, farmers and growers to maintain a mutual respect for each other’s business,” he said.

“Our suppliers and their produce are at the heart of what we create so our menu now includes some of their fantastic stories,” he said. “We want our guests to know where their food is coming from and enable them to access it for themselves.”

“We would love our guests to embrace the Down to Earth concept at home so we’ve also created some essential kitchen tips that they can take away with them,” he said. “I make a point of getting out of the kitchen and meeting guests after dinner to talk through the dishes and hear their feedback – it’s a very interactive and educational experience if you have a genuine interest in food.”

Mr Ryan said guests would find dishes on the menu that they might cook at home but with modern touches.

“Basically, it’s simple food done well,” he said. “For example, our ‘organic chicken served three ways’ is essentially a roast chicken but is prepared using techniques only known by well-trained chefs. The result is a quality, stylish dish with lots of homegrown flavour.”

Other menu highlights include Bluff Crayfish, Akaroa Salmon, Southland Rack of Lamb, Otago Paddle Crab Claws, and Hereford Prime Beef which is supplied by a family-owned South Island company.

threesixty is located on the corner of Beach and Lake Streets, in front of Crowne Plaza Queenstown with spectacular floor to ceiling lake and mountain views.