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Media Release

The Local Table

June 2013

Fresh from their kitchen of ideas, The Local Table cooking competition and Paekakariki Local Food Week are the two latest offerings from community entrepreneurs Mike Gibson and Flo McNeill.

The Local Table is a food and beverage competition with a twist where entries must use 100% Paekakariki sourced ingredients.

Village residents have been preparing for the competition by growing, hunting, fishing, foraging, preserving, dehydrating and fermenting, ingredients. The Mid-Winter event takes place on 23 June 2013 at St Peter’s Hall in Paekakariki, and is just the first in the planned series. An almost annual fest, the Local Table will be held every 15 months so as to occur in a different season each year.

“Entering this competition requires a lot of fore-planning and commitment from participants.  We want to offer winners great prizes mainly sourced from our community to really inspire participation”.

The public event promises to be as entertaining as it is informative, with live judging and commentary from an expert panel. There will be a photographic exhibition of some of the cooks preparing their ingredients, a seed swap, and live music on the day. Entrants will be encouraged to bring a second plate of their competition dish for the tasting table.

“We are challenging people’s ideas of what is possible to grow and create locally.  The community building that comes with sharing and celebrating food is another positive aspect ” says McNeill.

Judges Kath Irvine from The Edible Backyard in Ohau, and former Paekakariki resident and Chef Earl Zapf, have been selected for their respective expertise in permaculture gardening and seasonal plant based cooking.

“We wanted to equally recognize the value of the growing, preparation side of food as we did the cooking and presentation, so we are really pleased to have these two wonderfully complimentary judges in the team. The fact that both Earl and Kath actively teach these skills in their day jobs makes them all the more perfect because we are emphasizing learning and participation here.”

We hope The Local Table will become a successful annual event that nurtures and celebrates creativity, community, learning, and local business all through great food.

The Gibson-McNeill duo are encouraging all Paekakariki food establishments to support Paekakariki Local Food Week.

“We have had a very positive response from everyone so far with some planning to put on Paekakariki sourced specials – fantastic!” comments Gibson.

The next generation of cooks are welcomed with the inclusion of two kids/teens categories.  Like good wine, we hope this annual event will just get better and better!

Competition categories include:

Main course/savory dish, Desert/sweet dish, Baking,

Condiments, Sauces & Cheeses, Under 10 year olds, 10 – 17 year olds, Drinks non-alcoholic, Drinks alcoholic

From 12 noon Sunday 23rd
Paekakariki.
The Local Table

email   [email protected]

Web   www.localtable.co.nz

Facebook   http://www.facebook.com/groups/localtable/

June 2013 St Peter’s Hall,

Tags: buy local, Permaculture