London festival a toast to Kiwi pukka tucker

By BRONWYN SELL London correspondent

LONDON - It seemed like every paua necklace in London was there.

The suburb of Richmond, London, could easily have been Richmond Rd, Grey Lynn, as thousands of New Zealanders gathered for the first official NZ food and wine festival in Britain.

Called "Toast New Zealand," the festival quickly became the "Kiwifest" to about 2500 people.

Mostly 20-somethings on their OE, they poured off the tube, trains and double-deckers with dusty Macpac bags and greenstones, for a taste of home.

They ate the place empty and drank it dry, devouring lamb, venison, salmon, kumara and pavlova whipped up by the most prominent New Zealand chefs in London.

It became a mass school and university reunion. Five Aucklanders flatting in Putney started a competition to see who could bump into the most people they knew, which was easily won by Wellingtonian Emilyn Henderson, aged 24.

"Four from primary school, one old boyfriend, two, no, three from varsity, a couple of mates of my brother's and a few friends of friends," she counted. "It's just crazy."

Renowned chef Peter Gordon said he had feared the night before that he was preparing too much food, but five hours into the festival there was hardly a bite of lamb left.

"It's been good to get the message through that New Zealanders don't just play rugby, they can get together for a good food and wine festival."

The day was a fundraiser for the Link Foundation for NZ/UK Relations, set up in 1990 to strengthen ties between the countries.