It's Fine Dining and Frankie Stevens at Gala Dinner

Frankie Stevens, the man with the booming voice and an endless supply of side-splitting jokes been confirmed as MC for the 2011 Hawke’s Bay A&P Mercedes-Benz Wine Awards dinner. His stint at the 10th birthday celebrations of the awards last year is now the stuff of legend and Frankie is thrilled to be coming back. “The Hawke's Bay A&P Mercedes-Benz Wine Awards was one of my favourite gigs last year” says the popular entertainer and TV personality. “The audience were great, the food was excellent and the wines were brilliant. I’m really looking forward to returning as the MC and of course singing a song or two with the beautiful and talented Kim Willoughby”.

Willoughby is one of New Zealand’s favourite vocalists and entertainers. “I’m so excited to be performing at the wine awards with Frankie, he’s a legend and teaming up with him is always fun” she says. “This will be my first ‘home’ gig after returning from the US. I tasted some pretty good wines while over there, but they were nothing compared to my favourite – Hawke’s Bay chardonnay!”

A stunning four-course meal will be prepared by top local chefs. Andy Glover, head chef at Mission Estate Restaurant is charged with tantalising ticket-holders tastebuds with a tasting plate of canapés including warm scotch quails egg, black pudding and smoked tomato relish, seared yellow fin tuna with coconut dressing and pistachio crumbs, a spiced gazpacho shooter and a lemongrass and garlic prawn skewer. “Just look at them as a little teaser before the main event” says Andy. “I’m always happy to be involved with this dinner as there is always such a sense of team work involved behind the scenes. All the chefs help each other out on their respective courses”.

Terry Lowe from Black Barn Bistro has barely had time to come down from the high of winning 'CUISINE NZ WINERY RESTAURANT OF THE YEAR 2011' before leaping into creating his dish for the evening. Named ‘Misty River’, his entrée consists of manuka smoked nz shortfin eel, cured duck breast, crispy Tutaekuri River whitebait with a watercress, caper, fennel and lemon dressing. Those looking for something to really get their teeth into will no doubt revel in Richard Highnam’s main course of Roasted beef fillet with pickled ox tongue, spring vegetables and horseradish cream. Recently relocated from Auckland after a highly successful stint at Kermadec fame, is now head chef at the historic Old Church Restaurant in Meeanee, Napier.

Jillene Slui from Vidal Winery Restaurant can’t wait to get stuck into the dessert, an ‘extravagant’ concoction consisting of Valrhona White and Dark Chocolate Pave with Chocolate crumbs and Raspberry coulis. “I love that cocoa and chocolate is such a feature of so many of Hawke’s Bay’s great red wines, along with classic berryfruit characters” she says. “Rich chocolate and fresh raspberries are just such a lovely combination to work with and I’m really looking forward to cooking for the Wine Awards crowd for the first time”.

All results and Trophies will be celebrated at this glittering black tie gala event on Tuesday 18h October at Waikoko Gardens in Hastings. For tickets please phone 0508 946329.