Commentary: Michelin stars reserved elsewhere

LIZ BUTTIMORE

The author is co-owner of Arbour Restaurant on the outskirts of Renwick. Arbour turns 11 next month and rates among NZ’s most awarded restaurants.

The Michelin New Zealand launch is Tuesday (30 June), and many of our great chefs do not have invites. Why? Because much of New Zealand sits outside the three-year Government partnership with Michelin.

The funding provided by Tourism New Zealand covers Michelin to review Auckland, Wellington, Christchurch and Queenstown, leaving large parts of this beautiful country off the map.

There is ongoing debate about whether the programme will eventually be expanded, but the Minister for Tourism and Hospitality has stated that “at this time, there is no plan to extend the scope of coverage”.

It would have been both terrifying and lovely to see how those of us here in Marlborough might fare against our peers, nationally and internationally. Chef Bradley Hornby, and every member of Arbour’s team come from small corners of Aotearoa blessed with star-filled skies and glow-worm caves.

We’re small-town Kiwis running a sweet little restaurant in wine-country Marlborough, and very proud of it.

We are genuinely excited to see which of our big-city friends are recognised by the Michelin Guide. These are chefs we’ve admired and worked alongside for decades.

Their hard work deserves to be celebrated. They didn’t draw up the contract, and they certainly didn’t draw the map.

Our only hope is that the intense marketing, and the pressure on Tourism New Zealand to make Michelin’s first year in New Zealand a success, doesn’t inadvertently create the impression that regional dining in Aotearoa isn’t worth seeking out.

Many of our country’s most interesting restaurants, and let’s not forget our fabulous cafes, caterers and food trucks, work hand-in-hand with the farmers, fishers, growers and producers who shape their menus. They are deeply connected to the places they call home, feeding the very communities that inspire them.

Michelin’s tyres may not be rolling through our slice of geographical awesomeness, but this country girl has faith that true food lovers will still take the scenic route to discover New Zealand’s hidden gems.