Wellingtonians Keen to Have their Cake and Eat it Too

Wellington On a Plate event organisers have been adding to the festival schedule to meet overwhelming demand.

Sarah Meikle, spokesperson for the inaugural Wellington On a Plate festival being officially launched tonight, said a number of festival events had already sold out and restaurants involved in the DINE Wellington showcase were reporting strong advance bookings.

Catherine Cordwell, Director of Zest Food Tours, says many of her tours sold out within days of the festival programme being released last week, leading her to introduce new dates where possible. The company’s four Two Top Kitchens tours have already sold out, with two additional dates for Baking Flair at Floriditas seeing just one ticket remaining this afternoon. Coffee 101 was also proving popular, but tickets for three of the four dates were still available.

Mike Egan, co-owner of central city eateries Monsoon Poon, Arbitrageur, Boulcott Street Bistro and Osteria del Toro, says he has been “overwhelmed” with interest.

“I had expected about 200 people to sign up for the La Famiglia Sunday Italian Family-Style lunch event, but it’s been closer to 400! Instead of turning them away, we’ve decided to make it a weekly event.”

Mr Egan said other events he was staging – including an oyster and wine competition and a lamb and pinot noir tasting – has also generated incredible interest.

“Despite the recession, people are willing to spend money on events that are novel and different. Wellingtonians are also great foodies, which is reflected in the high level of interest in the first ever Wellington on a Plate.”

His comments were echoed by chef Martin Bosley, whose waterside restaurant has been inundated with bookings for the lunchtime DINE Wellington meals.

“It’s normally pretty quiet in winter, but pre-bookings for the entire two weeks have been fantastic and we’ve seen some lunchtimes almost booked out,” says Mr Bosley.

Wellington on Plate has been jointly organised by Grow Wellington and Positively Tourism Wellington.

Grow Wellington Chief Executive Nigel Kirkpatrick says the event has the potential to inject “substantial revenue” into the local food and beverage sector and bolster its export potential.

“This festival is a way to combine local economic activity and ongoing development of a food sector that has the potential to generate significant export revenue.”

Ms Meikle says listings on the festival website – www.WellingtonOnaPlate.com – are being updated as soon as the festival committee hears events are sold out.

“There are still plenty of events with availability – from coffee cupping and cocktail training to theatrical meals and Beervana. Plus there are 43 restaurants involved in DINE Wellington so nobody’s going to miss out.”
A recent MasterCard survey on consumer purchasing priorities found 79 per cent of New Zealanders with spare cash would spend it on dining and entertainment.
“Even when times are a bit tight, people like to allow themselves small but affordable luxuries and that’s what this festival offers – good times in good company at great prices,” Ms Meikle says.
Wellington On a Plate begins on Monday and runs for two weeks. For full details visit www.WellingtonOnaPlate.com

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