New fundraising event will highlight Te Awamutu's culinary scene

Owners of Storyteller Eatery and Bar Kane and Bridie Osborne with their son Gus. Storyteller will be the last stop on the Te Awamutu Taste Trail. Photo / Caitlan Johnston

A new and exciting event that showcases some of the best of Te Awamutu's culinary scene is set to get under way next month and it is hoped to grow annually.

Red Kitchen, Fahrenheit Restaurant and Storyteller Eatery and Bar form the line-up for the first Te Awamutu Taste Trail, organised by Sarah Ryan.

She says she got the idea from a similar event in Horowhenua, where she used to live, that showcased food production businesses.

"We don't have that here in Te Awamutu but we have some fabulous eateries so the idea started from there," says Sarah.

The event is on Saturday, October 16 and it also doubles as a fundraiser for St Patrick's Catholic School to help towards getting a new playground.

"Our school's learning philosophy is grounded in learning through play theory and we want to develop two areas for our students - a nature-play area with trees for climbing, areas for fort-building and loose-parts play, and then a sand and water play pit with pumps and trays," says St Patrick's Catholic School principal Shelly Fitness.

Megan Priscott, owner of Red Kitchen, is looking forward to the evening and sharing arancini like these with guests. Photo / Caitlan Johnston

The founding three eateries of the event all have a connection to the school, either with children attending or owners themselves having been past students.

And Sarah herself is the parent of a student at the school.

On the evening, attendees will begin at Red Kitchen for a selection of canapes, they will then move on to Fahrenheit Restaurant for tapas before finally making their way to Storyteller for dessert, dancing and a live auction.

Senior chef at Fahrenheit Restaurant Luke Cliffe preparing some tapas. Photo / Caitlan Johnston

Items in the live auction include a cake from What the Food, a $500 voucher from Carter's Tyre Service and a framed painting by artist Ellen Gillespie.

"The main purpose is to raise money for the playground, but also, the purpose is to bring local people together to celebrate all the great things food related in Te Awamutu," says Sarah.

The event is R18 and tickets cost $120 which can be purchased from https://www.iticket.co.nz/events/2021/sep/taste-trail.

Follow the events Instagram page for updates, ta_tastetrail.