Auckland's BIG little City Culinary Festival returns and dishes up world class talent

BIG little City and American Express® are serving up a bigger, better Auckland Restaurant Month this August, 2012.

Teaming up with Brand Events & Festivals (Taste of Auckland), this year’s event will present city visitors access to a public launch party, world-class chefs, exciting events and over 100 of the central city’s restaurants showcasing special menus and offers.

Alex Swney, CEO Heart of the City says, “Last year we were hugely encouraged by the success of our first restaurant month so we are back with an even bigger dining offer in 2012.”

“Aucklanders and visitors to the city alike should clear their diaries in preparation for Auckland Restaurant Month this August in celebration of the central city’s world-class dining scene,” Swney concludes.

Kicking off the month-long dining celebrations on Wednesday 1^st August will be the official public launch party at Imperial Lane and Everybody’s. Here, five of the city’s most renowned chefs who make Auckland’s dining scene world-class will dish up their mouth-watering cuisine via a “Walking Degustation.” Participating chefs include:

• Al Brown from Depot
• Warren Turnball from District Dining
• Simon Gault from Euro
• Ben Bayly from The Grove
• Sean Marshall from Roxy

Tickets will be available to the public on Wednesday 20th June through iticket.co.nz.

In addition, a series of celebrity chef events will take place every week throughout the month, whereby high-profile international and local chefs’ will collaborate with their local resident chef counterparts. These celebrity chef events include:

• Matt Moran with Simon Gault at Euro, Wednesday 8^th August – A Taste of Aria (Australia)
• Josh Emett with Warren Turnball at District Dining, Wednesday 15^th August – A Taste of Rata (Queenstown)
• Monica Galetti with Ben Bayly at The Grove, Wednesday 22^nd August – A Taste of Le Gavroche (United Kingdom)
• Al Brown, Peter Gordon & Sean Connelly at dine by Peter Gordon, SKYCITY Wednesday 29^th August - A Taste of Federal St (Auckland)

Each visiting chef will take residence for the evening at their chosen BIG little City restaurant to recreate the signature dishes that made them famous. Tickets for the celebrity chef events will also be available on  Wednesday 20th June through iticket.co.nz.

Throughout the month, all participating restaurants in the BIG little City will prepare special menus across three price points (< $20, $21-$30 and $30+), providing great value to diners and an incentive to keep coming back for more.

Food-inspired events celebrating the central city’s urban dining scene will see Britomart, North Wharf and the Viaduct dining precincts teaming up to give the public a chance to partake in foodie heaven. Individual establishments also joining in with event offerings including Kitchen Restaurant, Soul Bar & Bistro and Cassette Nine.

Finally, diners can also look forward to some great incentives for taking part in Auckland Restaurant Month. Up for grabs is a “Years’ Worth of Dining in the BIG little City” worth $10,000 and the ability for American Express Card members to receive an automatic $40 credit, when dining at participating restaurants. T&Cs can be found on www.biglittlecity.co.nz and www.amexnetwork.co.nz/dineblc.

Marisa Bidois, CEO of Restaurant Association of New Zealand says, “Auckland Restaurant Month provides our industry with a rare opportunity to showcase the fabulous cuisine our city offers. We look forward to taking part in this year’s festivities.”

Auckland Restaurant Month will run from 1^st-31^st of August. For more information head to biglittlecity.co.nz

Notes to editors

Restaurants onboard for 2012 Auckland Restaurant Month as at 19 June, 2012 (these are subject to change – for a full confirmed list refer to www.biglittlecity.co.nz from July 9, 2012):

A

• Agents & Merchants
• ALP ICE CAFE
• Aria Restaurant & Bar
• Atico.cocina

B

• Besos Latinos Restaurante
• Big Little Grill
• Big Picture Wine
• Botswana Butchery Auckland
• Brew on Quay
• Britomart Country Club
• Bruschetteria Antipasti bar
• Buffalo Bar and Grill

C

• Cassette Nine
• Clooney
• Covo

D

• Daikoku on Quay
• Daikoku Victoria
• Degree Bar
• Dida's Victoria Park
• dine by Peter Gordon
• District Dining

E

• Ebisu
• El Faro Spanish Restaurant &Tapas Bar
• Euro Restaurant
• Everybody's

F

• Faro Korean Grill Dining
• FISH Restaurant
• French Japanese Restaurant Morita
• Fung Bar & Restaurant

G

• Grasshopper Bar & Restaurant

H

• Harbourside Seafood Bar & Grill

I

• Ichiban Japanese restaurant
• Ima Bistro

J

• Jack Tar
• Jalapeño's Mexican Grill

K

• Kabuki Teppanyaki Japanese Restaurant
• Katsura Japanese Restaurant
• Kermadec Bar & Bistro
• Kitchen Restaurant - Hotel DeBrett
• Knights On Albert
• Kura Japanese Restaurant
• KUSHI Japanese Kitchen and Bar

L

• L'Assiette
• La Zeppa
• Le Garde Manger
• Libertine
• Little Mexico Cantina
• LiveFish Restaurant & Bar

M

• Mai Thai Restaurant
• Marvel Grill North Wharf
• Mecca Chancery Restaurant
• Mecca Viaduct
• Merchants of Venice
• Merlot on O'Connell
• Mexicali Fresh
• Mexico
• Mezze Bar
• Middle East Cafe
• Monsoon Poon

N

• Niwa Japanese Restaurant
• Northern Steamship Co.

O

• O'Connell Street Bistro
• Orbit Revolving Restaurant

P

• Pastis Restaurant
• Pescado
• Portofino Viaduct
• Portside Bar and Brassiere

Q

• Quad Restaurant and Bar
• Quay St Club Rooms

R

• Raviz Indian Cuisine
• Roxy

S

• Sale St
• Shaky Isles Britomart
• Snapdragon Kitchen & Bar
• Snobs on Shortland
• Soul Bar & Bistro
• Squid Row Gastro Bar
• STK Restaurant & Lounge Bar
• Straits Café

T

• Tanuki Sushi and Sake Bar
• Thai Chilli Restaurant
• The Brewery - Britomart
• The Cafe at Pullman Auckland
• The Drake
• The Foodstore
• The Grill by Sean Connolly
• The Grove
• The Oakroom
• The V Grill Restaurant
• Tony’s Lord Nelson
• Tony's on Lorne Street Restaurant
• Tony's Wellesley Street
• Torchon Creperie
• Toto Restauarant
• Tyler Street Garage

U

• Upstairs Cafe
• Urban Turban
• Urban Turban Grill

V

• Vivace Restaurant
• Vue Restaurant and Attica Bar

W

• Wagamama
• Wine Chambers Restaurant
• Wine Loft

AUCKLAND RESTAURANT MONTH SPECIAL EVENTS

A World of Flavour at Britomart
Thursday 2^nd August

Time: TBC

• Britomart’s best restaurants are breathing new life into the progressive dinner of the 70s and 80s
• Expect an all-encompassing fine dining experience night where your next destination is just a few steps away
• 'A World of Flavour at Britomart' will showcase the innovative and diverse food experiences on offer in this exciting precinct, with chefs given free reign to create a dish reflective of both them and their restaurant
• Kicking off at 'Tyler St Garage' with cocktails and canapés, guests will then disperse in intimate groups to embark on their flavoursome journey enjoying each course at a different establishment
• Guests will experience Auckland’s finest Vietnamese cuisine at ‘Café Hanoi,’ sophisticated culture of 'District Dining' and indulge in one of the country's leading Japanese restaurants, 'Ebisu'.
• The night will end at members-only Basement Bar, 1885

Cost: $150 per ticket, including a five- course meal, wine, cocktails and free valet parking

Tickets: available through iticket.co.nz

Contact: Kate Williams on 09 300 3683 or kate.williams@cooperandcompany.org

The Moveable Feast at Cassette Nine

Saturday 4^th August

Time: Doors open at 6.30pm, first course from 7pm sharp

• This Moveable Feast is a special one-off 1920s dinner show for one night only
• Enter 1920s prohibition Auckland, where Cassette is your secret den of iniquity, a speakeasy of padded booths and forbidden pleasures, where silent films flicker in the background, live music fills the wall cavities and teapots pour anything but tea
• Take a seat at a Moveable Feast table and let your senses overload as you enjoy the likes of burlesque performer, Miss Leda Petit, putting the cherry on your dessert experience.
• This special ticketed event offers guests the opportunity to indulge in a three-course dinner, including gourmet platters of rustic food, devilish desserts and even naughtier cocktails, with entertainment to complement each course
• Guests are asked to dress in a manner befitting the 1920s era, when denim was reserved for criminals and trainers hindered your Charleston

Cost: TBC

Tickets: TBC

Contact: Sam Rogg on 021 453 877 or sam@cassettenine.com

Soul Bar & Bistro - Family Get Together

Every Sunday throughout August

5^th,12^th,19^th,26^th August

Time: 6pm

• Say goodbye to slaving away in the kitchen while everyone else relaxes every Sunday evening this August
• Let Soul Bar & Bistro come to your rescue with our “Family Get Together”
• This 4-course family dinner will have your family’s Winter Sunday night sorted and even have you home by 9pm – because we’ll do the dishes

Cost: $75 excluding beverage (kids under 12 half price)

Contact: Soul Bar & Bistro on 09 356 7249

Soul Bar & Bistro - Patio, Pig and Pinot

Saturday 18^th August

Time: 3pm

• Join chef Gareth Stewart and a master butcher from Neat Meat as they “take down” an entire pig, then cook all the cuts and serve them to you with matching Cloudy Bay Pinot Noir
• This fascinating masterclass is for cooks of all levels, who are interested in sustainability, and the provenance of the food we eat. And sorry, we’re not offering a vegetarian option

Cost: TBC including a glass of Cloudy Bay Pinot Noir

Contact: Soul Bar & Bistro on 09 356 7249

Legends of the Viaduct – Chart the Course

For 3 weeks on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday
August 7^th, 8^th and 9^th
August 14^th, 15^th and 16^th
August 21^st, 22^nd and 23^rd

Time: 6.30pm

• Let the “Viaduct Triangle” lure you in for a dining experience which will please even the most discerning palate
• Chart the Course to three of Auckland’s top restaurants – Soul Bar & Bistro, Kermadec, and The Foodstore
• Each week a different starting point, menu and experience will be offered. Choose your favourite menu or try them all

Cost: $95, including arrival drink, three-courses and a glass of wine with each course

Tickets: TBC

Contact: TBC

Kitchen Restaurant at Hotel DeBrett - Foxes Island Wine & Game Dinner at

Wednesday 22^nd August

Time: TBC

• At Hotel DeBrett we've come together with boutique wine maker, John Belsham, to create a four-course game inspired dinner with wine matches from Foxes Island wine
• Enjoy an evening hosted by John Belsham, one of New Zealands most highly regarded winemakers
• We've also been named a top 50 finalist for Cuisine Magazines Restaurant of the Year 2012, for the second year running so come see what we have to offer

Cost: TBC

Tickets: TBC

Contact: Carly on (09) 925 9000 carly@hoteldebrett.com

North Wharf Passport

Friday 24^th to Sunday 26^th August

Time: TBC

• Pick up a North Wharf Passport and join us on a journey to delight the taste buds around one of Auckland’s newest dining destinations
• With ten eateries and bars serving up an eclectic mix of international cuisine, North Wharf in Wynyard Quarter is a great place to kick back and soak in the authentic working wharf setting
• The North Wharf Passport will allow you to move freely between each of the ten restaurants, bars and cafes and experience a signature dish from each
• The passport lasts the whole weekend, so make a night of it or spend the weekend sampling the best of fresh cuisine at the water’s edge

Cost: TBC

Tickets: TBC

Contact: TBC