Craggy Range chef Casey McDonald is preparing for two big events at this year’s Summer F.A.W.C!
Craggy Range chef Casey McDonald is preparing for two big events at this year’s Summer F.A.W.C!
There’s a Flipping Awesome Week Coming your way, full of food, wine, new experiences and fun.
Well, actually, it’s 10 days, but I couldn’t think of another word to fit W that would make sense.
Yes, Summer F.A.W.C! is back, and this year it promises some mouthwatering moments.
But be warned — 11 events have sold out already.
You can, however, still get a seat at the table of the “showpiece” event — the Grand Long Lunch. Cooking for you will be Hawke’s Bay’s own Casey McDonald (Craggy Range Winery), Plabita Florence (Forest Restaurant, Auckland), Cuisine Magazine’s Chef of the Year Zennon Wijlens (Paris Butter, Auckland), Greg Piner (Marbecks, Dunedin) and Callum Hann (Lou’s Place, Barossa Valley and Eleven Restaurant, Adelaide).
“You can have events in amazing venues and collaborate with the community around you. For example, a chef can team up with a brewer or a winemaker while sitting in a paddock hosting an event! That’s uniquely Hawke’s Bay.”
He is doing two events this year, The Grand Long Lunch and the sold-out Craggy Range Harvest Party.
He says when thinking of new ideas they try to do what they think people would love.
“If we are excited, then we know that will come through to the customers and sales. We think about our approach to that event and what we would expect to see as a customer. If we get to the day and wonder why we have pushed ourselves over the edge with an event, it’s usually a sign we have nailed our brief.”
Asked for a hint as to what he will be cooking at the Grand Long Lunch he replied “it is the best of its kind in New Zealand”.
Summer is his favourite season for Hawke’s Bay produce.
Summer F.A.W.C! Grand Long Lunch will be held at a secret location adding to the excitement of the experience.
“So many fruits come to life! The start and finish of cherries and small windows for produce like boysenberries and morello cherries make it fun and exciting to cook in the Bay. Side of the road purple peaches and so many other quirky bits you jump out of the car to find. Our garden is bursting to the point we cannot keep up and it’s enjoyable to be continually changing menu items for a week or so as things spring up from the garden.”
The thing he likes most about being a chef is service.
“It’s addictive. It’s fast, and I love a seemingly impossible day. The one or two moments you get completely by yourself and are just cooking and watching it all come together is why I got into it and still love it. I also love the people that work in restaurants, they always have a great sense of humour and that keeps it fun when you are getting belted in a very busy restaurant!”
And the least? “The hours, missing key events with family and friends when they all mish-mash together and I’m not a fan of Tripadvisor.”
To ensure the chefs are not tripping over each other in the kitchen on the big day they get " really organised in the days before”.
“The week prior we will have a day-by-day plan that has every time and job required which keeps us on track. I also send the guest chefs a ‘what to expect’ email which is an informal way of letting them know what they need to know as soon as they get on the plane. On the day, every guest chef gets a ‘runner’ who is a chef that just runs around helping them and ensuring they can just enjoy the day and execute their dish exactly as they want.”
Casey says he’s usually calm in the kitchen.
“You must control things and ensure your team is ready. If you panic, they panic. If someone is not ready, my job is to tell them that, it can be hard sometimes. In any kitchen, at crunch time you never have exactly enough staff, so my job is to make sure everyone can give 120% and then we push ourselves more and get the job done, otherwise, it’s a very tough service. I’m also very loud, laughing and pushing the guys is my favourite part of service.”
He says he always wanted to be a chef and when his auntie gave him a $50 voucher when he was 14 to eat at the Fog City Grill in Karori, he took a mate, and booked a 4.30pm table.
“All the staff were looking at us puzzled. We ordered two steaks and nothing else as we had no money. I later got to know that chef- Hemi, he roared with laughter as he remembered the day _ the two kids that came and ordered steak and bearnaise.”
When the stress gets to Casey he takes himself off to Wendy at Urban Wellness in Napier. “I do sauna and ice baths until my anxiety is completely level. Sometimes it can take hours! Then I go to Sai Thai for dinner and then I’m all settled!”
Summer F.A.W.C! runs from March 15-24, 2024
For more information go to fawc.co.nz.
Linda Hall is a Hastings-based assistant editor for Hawke’s Bay Today, and has 30 years of experience in newsrooms. She writes regularly on arts and entertainment, lifestyle and hospitality, and pens a column.
