Alliance suppliers star in new TV cooking series
ALLIANCE GROUP suppliers from across the South Island, and their finest produce, hit television screens this week as a new cooking series, Gourmet Safari, airs on Heartland TV.
The show has just started screening at 4p.m. each Saturday on TV One — or can be seen OnDemand.
The 8-part series takes Nick on a culinary journey around New Zealand, sampling some of the best, freshest produce along the way. This week he's in Hawkes Bay, visiting Rockit Apples, The Village Press Olive Oil and a sheep station near Waipukurau, where farmer Ryan Foley got Nick to help out with some drafting. The lambs are processed at Progressive Meats in Hastings and are marketed overseas by Ovation New Zealand Ltd.
The series was filmed over 12 months and all the cooking scenes were done on location. The programme is an ideal opportunity for food producers to get across key messages re: food safety and sustainable farm practices- and to see Nick turn their raw ingredients into delectable, healthy and memorable dishes.
The TV audience will grow considerably when the series goes on to screen on the Asian Food Channel next month - which broadcasts to 11 countries and 130 million viewers - a real bonus for those food producers who export to this region.
Nick is regarded as one of Auckland's hottest young chefs, his newly-opened restaurant, "Paris Butter" in Herne Bay has had rave reviews and is booked up one month in advance. He also has a restaurant in the South of France, called: "Petit Leon." Nick has made a couple of TV appearances before but this is the first time he's hosted his own show.
"The experience itself of travelling around New Zealand was incredible - and to meet local Kiwis along the way, who are seriously passionate about producing amazing food, left me left me feeling inspired and with a whole new love for New Zealand, its food and it's people" says Nick.
"Best of New Zealand with Nick Honeyman" is made by Auckland-based production company, KM media- who specialise in food and lifestyle programmes. Their previous series, "New Zealand with Nadia Lim" was also very popular with TV viewers.
New Zealand rural food producers featured in this series:
Greenlea Premier Meats, Saint Clair Family Estate, T and G Global, New Zealand Avocado, The Village Press Olive Oil, Rockit Apples, Zealong Tea, New Zealand Feijoa Growers Association, Ovation New Zealand Ltd, Airborne Honey, Farmers Mill, McIntosh Orchard, Duncan NZ, Blue River Dairy, Ascension Wine Estate, Southdown Lamb, Puhoi Valley Cheese, Zespri, Zealong Tea Estate.
