Matt Lambert, executive chef at Rodd & Gunn’s The Lodge Bar in Queenstown and Auckland, will showcase his food at Dine for a Cure. Photo / Supplied
Matt Lambert, executive chef at Rodd & Gunn’s The Lodge Bar in Queenstown and Auckland, will showcase his food at Dine for a Cure. Photo / Supplied
The rich-list playground of Queenstown continues to give Auckland a run for its money as the country’s foodie hotspot.
The Breast Cancer Cure charity is planning a new fundraising event in the tourist mecca: the sumptuous Dine for a Cure event.
Only last year Masterchef NZ moved its new-look show from Auckland to Queenstown to film its seventh season. Judge and 2011 winner Nadia Lim had moved to rural Otago a couple of years earlier and last year opened her family’s Royalburn Farm Shop in nearby Arrowtown.
Included in the tourist mecca’s hospitality drawcards are Amisfield, where MasterChef judge Vaughan Mabee is executive chef, and Arrowtown’s Aosta, by A-list chef Ben Bayly.
1News anchor Wendy Petrie will be the MC at Dine for a Cure. Photo / Supplied
The sprawling Vingard in Central Otago will play host to the Dine for a Cure event on May 4, with tickets starting at $299. Stars of the night are Matt Lambert, executive chef at Rodd & Gunn’s The Lodge Bar in Queenstown and Auckland; 1News anchor Wendy Petrie; World’s Benny Castles; and musician Josh Leys.
“They will all be unleashing their talent, passion and inspiration to our guests at this upcoming event – it will be an evening beyond memorable and raise much-needed funds,” says charity chief executive Sonja de Mari.
Petrie has been involved with the charity for two years and has MC’d many of its successful fashion shows around the country. She is excited to be guiding guests as MC through the evening, the focus of which will be food from Lambert and fragrance from Castles.
“Having two daughters myself, I recognise the importance of funding New Zealand breast cancer researchers and the impact their work has on the next generation of Kiwi families,” says Petrie.
Breast cancer kills two women a day in New Zealand and one woman every three hours is diagnosed with the disease.
Lambert, who is a guest judge on the upcoming season of MKR NZ, will create each course to follow his career and life, from a schoolboy growing up in Henderson through to his Michelin-star years owning and running the Musket Room in New York, then back to NZ with his wife and children and leading the Lodge Bar Group.
The Vingard venue near Queenstown will host Dine for a Cure on May 4. Photo / Supplied
“I am super-excited to be able to share my life experiences with the guests and look forward to delivering a unique dinner experience all while raising funds for breast cancer researchers and scientists in New Zealand,” says Lambert.
“Think fish ‘n’ chips, to New York rib eye and back to Kiwi pavs, all created in my style, plus a twist with unique, locally sourced produce.”
Lodge Bar is the successful hospitality venture of clothing brand Rodd & Gunn and the company is transporting the Lodge to Vingard for the evening.
The story of Lambert and The Lodge dates back 10 years to New York through a friendship with Mike Beagley, chief executive of Rodd & Gunn. Lambert approached the company to produce the uniforms for his staff at the Musket Room.
“The connection was immediate with two premium brands working together,” says Lambert. “I am excited to be part of this Dine for a Cure event and bring the essence of the Lodge Bar on location for a night.”
With the charity’s fashion runway shows going nationwide, it is a sure bet it won’t be long before Auckland gets a taste of the new initiative’s action.
