Wellington on a Plate: Ocean to Table: Kapiti Style
PartyPerfect Collaborated with a group of like-minded individuals to bring an unique Kapiti-flavoured seafood event to the table.
The Venue: The Otaihanga Boating Club on the banks of the Waikanae River, Kapiti, New Zealand
Sunny days, with Whitebait fishermen at work on the opposite bank.
We had 2 events, on the two successive last Saturdays of August.Seafood was the theme, seafood was the star. All the delights from Kapiti's waters (and some from the land too) We tried to make use of the abundance of local food from the Wellington-Kapiti-Horowhenua region.
Our Press Release:
Ocean to Table Kapiti Style: Well & truly served
Visa Wellington on a Plate, Ocean to Table Kapiti Style served up two magnificent events in Kapiti on 23 & 30 August by presenting two wonderful seafood immersion experiences.
“What more could you want for a great lunch time event, says Jeanine van Kradenburg of PartyPerfect Catering – two full houses of 60 appreciative diners, sun shining on the banks of the Waikanae River and the bounty of both land and sea from right Kapiti’s doorstep onto the table and being served”.
Seafood is fickle by nature. Unlike the first, the sea did not allow us ot serve up smoked eel at the second event due to lack of availability. Freshly caught and smoked Kahawai was offered instead – it was moist and beautiful and so easy to prepare using a standard smoker. Saturday also saw the crab dish changed to a light crab salad (rather than a seafood broth) given the second lunch was on a very sunny day, This salad accentuated the subtle flavour of the Waikanae Paddle crab.
The menu also included Thai-style Mussels, fresh Oysters on ice, New Zealand Scallops, Kaimoana Trifle, Tuatara beer, Ohau Wines, Kapiti Artisan Bakehouse breads and hero of the day, a whole baked Blue Moki for each table. Limoncello Cake with berry compote & Soprano Limoncello, Dancing Goat cold extraction coffee from the Kapiti Coffee Company and Divine KapiTea concluded the day.
Each lunch included demonstrations on how to smoke fish, prepare mussels, the Seafood 101 on Kapiti fish varieties and how to look for freshness, sharpening your knives by BCE Catering Equipment and filleting fish by Starfish Kapiti. Artel Gallery’s rockpool theming also enhanced the venue.
Ocean to Table Kapiti Style pulled a team of talented people together to share their love of the ocean in the form of education and top quality culinary fare. “It was a memorable day out and one that truly showcased what Kapiti is well known for in its fish”, says Helene Judge of Kapiti Business Projects.
For further information, contact:
Saturday 23 August:
Blue Moki freshly caught off the Makara Coast near Kapiti. Prepped and ready for the oven.
Chef Heeni hard at wortk
Oysters shucked, and ready to go on ice. You can almost taste the ocean!
Ready to serve
Master of Ceremonies, Bob, with his beanie, looking every part the "'Old Salt"
Guests start pouring in
The decks overlooking the river are opened up
Dave Brown supplied artistic decoration, as did Artel Gallery's Maud Heath
Soprano Limoncello supplied the welcome cocktails
Helene Judge of Kapiti Business Projects welcoming the gusts
Bob and Maude
Neil Thompson of BCE Catering demonstrating knife sharpening skills
...and sharing his knowledge on blades and their care
Succulent Waikanae Paddle Crab on baby rocket
Skilled hands from Esther and Tai make things look easy
Final touches, and the Moki's ready for the table
Mark from Starfish demonstrating his skills as fishmonger
Experienced hands making it appear dead easy
The afternooon is rounded off with Dancing Goat Cold process coffee and Divine KapiTea
The kitchen staff came out to answer questions
Executive chef Jeanine enthusiastically explains what went into the menu
The First Event (Saturday 23 August)
Chefs Tai and Heeni with the first of the Blue Moki
Catch of the Day
Beautiful Smoked Eel
Courtesy of the skills of Les Mullin of Whakarongotai Marae in Waikanae
Moki with Salsa Verde this time
Jeanine's famous Limoncello Cake, with a Berry Compote and Soprano Limoncello
Warwick (Kapiti Coffee Company)
Demonstrating the Cold Drip Process used in Dancing Goat Cofees
The event also made the local paper: (clicky):
