The indulgent new food and wine festival coming to Auckland in 2022

The festival will feature Kiwi chefs including MASU's Nic Watt and Michael Dearth of Baduzzi. Photo / @indulgeauckland

Foodies rejoice: a brand-new food and wine festival is coming to Tāmaki Makaurau in 2022.

Indulge Auckland is New Zealand's new largest festival celebrating all things food, drink and culture, promising an immersive experience of Kai o te Ao - "food of the world".

Between 15,000 to 20,000 festival goers are expected to flock to Auckland's Wynyard Point from Thursday, February 24, to Saturday, February 26, to a new public space on the iconic waterfront.

Urban Events managing director Simon Wilson says the festival will celebrate the union of producer and design stories, offering something unique for food lovers.

"New Zealand's food story may be the hero, but its fusion with design, music and technology will elevate this event to great heights."

Six sessions will be held during the festival, open each day from noon until 4pm and then from 5.30pm to 8.30pm, featuring interactive cooking demos, masterclasses and tastings.

Chef Nic Watt of MASU, INCA and Akarana Eatery says Indulge is an opportunity to bring the Kiwi food industry together to celebrate cuisine.

"For our industry to survive and thrive in the future, we need to connect people with the quality and craftsmanship not only of our food and wine products but also with the experiences of how they're created and enjoyed.

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"Matching the chefs, their cuisine and produce from the regions of New Zealand will create personalised and experiential connections to New Zealand's cuisine and the people who make it exceptional."

The festival is supported by the region's economic and cultural agency Auckland Unlimited.

Its head of major and business events Richard Clarke says it's "thrilled to be involved".

"Our region has a world-class culinary scene, amazing produce and producers, and a thriving design and technology sector."

Live music will also be a feature of the three-day event, with performances from several local acts. These are yet to be announced.

Tickets go on sale in August 2021.