Dinner here begins outdoors.
Each morning often starts with a walk through the vegetable garden to see what is at its best. In season there may be asparagus from the patch, herbs freshly cut, or tomatoes warmed by sun.
Some evenings call for slow cooked lamb shanks, deeply flavoured and comforting. Others for Peruvian anatoki salmon, simply prepared and paired with fresh garden produce.
Our own Manuka honey, harvested from beehives positioned carefully beyond the flower garden, finds its way into dressings or desserts when it suits the dish.
Dessert might include Whittakers chocolate folded into mousse or pavlova layered with pistachio cream.
New Zealand wines are chosen thoughtfully, always to complement rather than overwhelm.
Dinner is relaxed rather than formal. It unfolds at an unhurried pace, often ending with sunset light stretching across the valley and native birds settling for the evening.
For many guests, it becomes one of the most memorable parts of their stay.
