Food writer and Ōra King Best Dish New Zealand Judge, Lauraine Jacobs, travelled to Japan as part of the fifth annual Ōra King Awards. Below is her experience of Mikawaya Ryokan. No cuisine on this planet exhibits as much careful design, attention to detail, focus on the seasons and the finest ingredients as Japanese restaurant…[Read more]
Marc Soper’s Head to Tail Approach
Marc Soper is Executive Chef at Wharekauhau Country Estate in Featherston. He was awarded the Best Dish New Zealand winner at both the 2016 and 2017 Ōra King Awards. Marc explains how he incorporated his love for foraging and a ‘Head to Tail’ approach in his 2017 winning entry. Japanese Inspired Ōra King Salmon Served…[Read more]
NZ’s Ora King Awards Judges 2017
We are delighted that two of New Zealand’s most respected food personalities, Lauraine Jacobs and Geoff Scott are returning to judge the New Zealand dishes in the 2017 Ora King Awards competition. Lauraine Jacobs writes the weekly food column for the NZ Listener and is one of the country’s most experienced restaurant critics and culinary judges. Trained…[Read more]
6 Ingredients for Japanese Cuisine
To learn about any cuisine, you first have to understand its people. The Japanese are a very proud nation which strives for excellence and perfection. A strong cultural background means Japanese cooking is the result of a long and varied history. A brief history Japan has shaped itself in a culinary sense over millennia by…[Read more]
Marc Soper’s 2016 Best Ora King Dish New Zealand
Our 2016 Ora King Awards judges Anna King Shahab and Geoff Scott raved about Marc’s dish and were in agreeance that it was the clear winner of the title of Best Ora King Dish New Zealand. And how lucky was I to spend some time with Marc last weekend at the Taste of Auckland festival where he demonstrated…[Read more]