Dish of the Bay 2024: St Georges Restaurant crowned the winner for its beef short rib

The winning dish from St Georges Restaurant was a Hawke's Bay organic beef short rib, accompanied with celeriac purée, a medley of handpicked St Georges vegetables, and finished with an Ash Ridge merlot jus.

The people have dined and voted, the judges have convened, and local favourite St Georges Restaurant has been crowned winner of the 2024 Dish of the Bay.

The month-long celebration of Hawke’s Bay produce, presented by F.A.W.C! Food and Wine Classic, invited diners to 39 venues to enjoy specially crafted Dish of the Bay offerings.

The winning dish from St Georges Restaurant was a Hawke’s Bay organic beef short rib, accompanied with celeriac purée, a medley of handpicked St Georges vegetables, and finished with an Ash Ridge merlot jus.

Owner and Head Chef Francky Godinho says the dish stayed true to St Georges’ style, using fresh, local Hawke’s Bay products, as well as heroing ingredients that were grown and harvested in their own garden.

“Winning Dish of the Bay really means a lot to us, and our team, as this win is as much ours as it is theirs,” Godinho said.

“We love nothing more than to create and share unforgettable experiences with our community and we couldn’t be happier that the judges and the people who voted loved what we put on the plate. So really, the most important thing is, we want to say a simple thank you.”

Winner of 2024 Dish of the Bay St Georges owner and chef Francky Godinho (left) and Chief Executive Hawke’s Bay Tourism Hamish Saxton. Photo / Kirsten Simcox

The winning dish from St Georges Restaurant was a Hawke's Bay organic beef short rib, accompanied with celeriac puree, a medley of handpicked St Georges vegetables and finished with an Ash Ridge merlot jus.

Hawke’s Bay Tourism chief executive Hamish Saxton says Dish of the Bay was designed to showcase why the Hawke’s Bay region is New Zealand’s Food and Wine Country.

“The success of the 2024 edition, just our second year, is immensely gratifying and demonstrates why Hawke’s Bay is so widely considered a powerhouse food-producing region,” Saxton said.

“I’d like to extend our warmest congratulations to Francky, Kat and the entire St Georges team for winning the 2024 Dish of the Bay competition. Perhaps, though, the real winners are everybody who had the opportunity to enjoy one or more of the spectacular dishes on offer throughout June.”

While Dish of the Bay has now ended, locals and visitors to Hawke’s Bay can look forward to an enticing line-up of culinary festivals and celebrations throughout spring and summer.

Confirmed events include the Hawke’s Bay Wine Auction, Hawke’s Bay Wine Awards, Harvest Hawke’s Bay, Taste Hastings, Bridge Pa Wine Festival, and of course F.A.W.C! Food and Wine Classic in March 2024.

“The line up of upcoming events really does justice to our official status as one of the world’s Great Wine Capitals,” says Hamish.

“It’s never too early to start planning your next Hawke’s Baycation.”