When is the best time to take the plunge and employ one of the country's best chefs in a full tie role when you're a winery situated in a relatively remote village?
If you were thinking of diving into such a venture and if you were listening to reports of the current economic uncertainty, now might not sound like the best time to do it but a brave chief executive has put her money where her mouth is and employed the first full time permanent one to grace the floors of Palliser Kitchen.
Pip Goodwin is the chief executive of Palliser Estate, the first winery on the drive into Martinborough in South Wairarapa. And last week, she announced the news that Palliser has employed its first permanent chef, who was introduced to the wine and food industry at a starry Saturday evening preview of the new winter menu, prepared by chef Norka Mella Munoz.
It has been a tough time in the greater Wellington region for hospitality this year so I asked Pip what led her to take such a courageous step in winter, of all times.
"Hospitality is certainly a tough industry right now, particularly over winter in Martinborough, but bringing a chef of Norka's calibre on board helps us lift our offering over the quieter months, and means that come the busy summer period, our kitchen and cellar door will be seamless," she told me.
And yet, despite the tricky economic times we currently live in, it feels not only like an incredibly brave move but a much needed one. The turnout last Saturday evening reinforced that message with people coming from near and far to embrace the food, the wine and the news that investment is being made into this small town, this impressive winery and the high quality potential of great, mostly local food offerings here.
Chef Norka Mella Munoz is new to Palliser Kitchen but not new to the region, having moved to the winery immediately following her time spend leading the kitchen at Wharekauhau Lodge, on the South Wairarapa coast. She earns the lodge its first Cuisine (magazine) Hat and was also named the Cuisine Good Food Awards Luxury Lodge Chef of the Year 2024.
Pip and the Palliser team are clearly thrilled that Norka is joining them and the food, as illustrated beautifully below on this column, more than lived up to these accolades - and I am sure they herald more to come.
There have been impressive chefs and restaurant pop-ups at Palliser with both the Nara team and Egmont Street Eatery, among others.
The appointment of a permanent full time chef turns a new page in the Palliser story. It's a brave new page to turn, given the tricky time for many in hospitality but, as always, the great suppliers of outstanding wine and food tend to be in it for the long haul. And that's a good news story we can all enjoy reading about.
Captions, below, top to bottom: Palliser Estate Griffin 2017 is an excellent expression of cool climate méthode traditionelle (sparkling wine made using the same methods as champagne); Paua tarts; Palliser Estate CEO Pip Goodwin and Palliser Estate's new chef Norka Mella Munoz.
Photographs by Mike Heydon.
