Latest news with #VaughanMabee
NZ Herald
a day ago
- Entertainment
- NZ Herald
Travel Alerts: Europe shoulder season, pizza celebrations, museum events, winter reds, and Disney cruise
Pizza in all ways Pizza takes centre stage in Milan on June 25 as The Best Pizza Awards celebrates its third edition at the iconic Spazio Antologico, East End Studios. With over 500 international guests, this event unites more than 300 of the world's top pizza chefs, journalists, and gastronomic innovators to celebrate the craft of pizza making. This year's theme explores how pizza continues to evolve. The programme includes masterclasses from Franco Pepe and Amalia Costantini, offering hands-on insights into both traditional and modern pizza-making techniques, forums about the pizza industry, and the annual Best Pizza Awards Gala. Kiwi chef Vaughan Mabee joins the post-awards Pizza Party, representing New Zealand in this global celebration. From classic margheritas to unique sourdough, the awards highlight the best in the world of pizza. You might not know it yet, but this could be the day you meet your perfect slice. Kiwi chef Vaughan Mabee joins the Best Pizza Awards 2025. Learn from superstars Night at Auckland Museum returns this July and September school holidays with the captivating theme, Superstars. Families explore the museum by torchlight, encountering theatrical characters from New Zealand's history and today's icons. Kids dive into interactive activities across three floors, learning to command the spotlight like silent film stars, uncover scientific passions with quirky characters, and pick up self-promotion tips from ancient Egyptian pharaohs. Alongside hands-on games and live audience shows, guests gain exclusive access to the dazzling DIVA exhibition featuring iconic garments worn by global performers. This immersive event offers Kiwi families a fresh, inspiring way to connect with culture and history. Discover your inner superstar at the Night at Auckland Museum. Sip on winter reds As winter's chill settles over the Adelaide Hills, Winter Reds invites you to gather around warm fires and toast to rich, cool-climate reds. From July 25 to 27, this celebrated festival lights up the region with over 50 events, from intimate tastings to lively food and wine pairings. For the first time, MasterChef's Matt Preston joins the festivities, sharing his love for great food and wine. Easily accessible from Adelaide, Winter Reds offers Kiwi travellers a rare chance to indulge in fine wines, delicious meals, and cosy ambience in a stunning winter landscape. Winter Reds celebrates red wine, great food, and its partnership with Matt Preston. Cruise with Bluey and Bingo Disney Cruise Line brings Bluey and Bingo back to sail around Australia and New Zealand from October 2025 to February 2026. The Disney Wonder will cruise from Auckland, Sydney, and Melbourne, offering three to 10-night trips packed with exclusive Bluey meet-and-greets, lively dance parties, and appearances by other beloved Disney characters. Guests can enjoy world-class Broadway shows, themed dining, and youth clubs on board. This cruise offers Kiwis an unforgettable family vacation at sea, blending iconic entertainment with stunning destinations. Early bookings save up to 30% on select sailings, making it an irresistible travel opportunity. To book or for full details, speak to your preferred cruise wholesaler.
RNZ News
07-06-2025
- RNZ News
Queenstown restaurant among world top 100
New Zealand King Crab, as served at Amisfield Restaurant. Photo: Amisfield A Queenstown restaurant is the first ever from New Zealand to make it onto a prestigious "World's Best Restaurants" list. Amisfield Restaurant is based at a winery in Queenstown and has been ranked 99th on The World's 50 Best Restaurants 51-100 list. Executive chef Vaughan Mabee said he's been working there for 15 years and this achievement is humbling because it's the "Oscar" of fine dining accolades. Amisfield chef Vaughan Mabee. Photo: Vaughan Mabee "It's our first time being on the list and that list is so hard to get onto because when you are in New Zealand you are kind of on the back foot because we don't have a lot of people who vote who travel through here," he said. A panel of 1200 voters of chefs, food writers and restauraneurs vote at the end of each year and the voting is done by Deloitte. Mabee said his whole career working overseas and bringing that training back to New Zealand, was always about showcasing Aotearoa's bountiful and amazing products as an island nation. "There are so many things we cook here that are common to us, but no one else in the world knows about. "Being on this list will open the eyes of the world and entice more people to come next season and it'll be like a snowball for food tourism," he said. Photo: Vaughan Mabee Mabee said New Zealand's food scene has been constantly improving and developing, and at Amisfield it's not just about the food, but also the very special team of people making it. "It's the relationships we've harnessed with the local fishermen, the guys that hunt local deer and game for us - they've all turned into such a family connection with us. "From the guy that grows most of our vegetables down the road to the paua diver that I'm best friends with, to the hunters and gatherers... it's the expertise and foraging we've been studying and gaining knowledge about," he said. Mabee said all of these elements capture the beautiful and unique essence of New Zealand, which attracts people from around the world who are always looking for new things to eat. Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero , a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.
Otago Daily Times
06-06-2025
- Business
- Otago Daily Times
Restaurant named in world top 100 list
Amisfield Restaurant, at Lake Hayes, is among the top 100 restaurants in the world. PHOTOS: SUPPLIED Queenstown fine dining restaurant Amisfield has been named in the top 100 restaurants in the world. The Lake Hayes establishment is the first New Zealand restaurant to make the extended 51-100 list of the World's 50 Best Restaurants. The restaurant and winery placed 99th on the list of the world's culinary elite. Executive chef Vaughan Mabee. The accolade follows Amisfield being named the third-best international restaurant in the world in Food & Wine magazine's Global Tastemakers Awards. Executive chef Vaughan Mabee said being named on the list was an "extraordinary milestone — not just for us, but for New Zealand and Oceania's broader culinary community". "This recognition is about so much more than one restaurant. It's a win for our whole country — for our producers, our winemakers, our hunters and our stories. "We've always believed that the bottom of the world has something to say. Now the world is listening." — APL
Otago Daily Times
06-06-2025
- Business
- Otago Daily Times
Queenstown restaurant in top 100 in world
Amisfield executive chef Vaughan Mabee. Queenstown fine dining restaurant Amisfield has been named in the top 100 restaurants in the world. The Lake Hayes establishment is the first New Zealand restaurant to make the extended 51-100 list of the World's 50 Best Restaurants. The restaurant and winery placed 99th on the list of the world's culinary elite. The accolade follows Amistice being named the third best international restaurant in the world in Food & Wine magazine's Global Tastemakers Awards. Amisfield restaurant near Arrowtown has been named the third best international restaurant of the year by Food & Wine magazine. PHOTO: SUPPLIED Executive chef Vaughan Mabee said being named on the list was an 'extraordinary milestone—not just for us, but for New Zealand and Oceania's broader culinary community". 'This recognition is about so much more than one restaurant. It's a win for our whole country—for our producers, our winemakers, our hunters and our stories. "We've always believed that the bottom of the world has something to say. Now the world is listening.' - APL
NZ Herald
06-06-2025
- Business
- NZ Herald
Queenstown's Amisfield Makes Yet Another World's Best Restaurants List
Fine dining restaurant Amisfield in Queenstown has been named in the acclaimed The World's 50 Best Restaurants 51-100 list for 2025, making it the first time its panel has recognised a restaurant in New Zealand. Amisfield ranked 99th on the list, which will be fully revealed, including the currently unknown top 50, at an awards ceremony in Turin, Italy, on June 19. Executive chef Vaughan Mabee, who has been with the restaurant since 2012, said being named on the list is an 'extraordinary honour — not just for Amisfield, but for New Zealand." 'It marks a defining moment in our journey and a proud milestone for our team. This is a recognition of the years of hard work, creativity, and belief that have gone into building something truly reflective of this place. I'm incredibly proud of what we've achieved together, and I hope this brings a global spotlight on the whole of Aotearoa's unique cuisine,' Mabee told Viva. The announcement adds to the restaurant's growing number of accolades. In April, the restaurant placed third in Food & Wine's third-annual Global Tastemakers Awards. It was named Restaurant of the Year in 2020, 2021, 2022 and 2023 by the Cuisine Good Food Awards. Mabee was awarded the Innovation Award at the Cuisine Good Food Awards in 2022 and 2024, and Cuisine Magazine named him Chef of the Year 2019/2020. The extended list of 51-100 includes restaurants in 25 territories and 37 cities across six continents. Europe boasts 20 restaurants in the list, with Germany grabbing four spots. There are 12 new entries from 12 different cities, ranging from São Paulo and San Francisco to Macau and Tulum. Since 2002, the World's 50 Best Restaurants annual list has aimed to celebrate the tapestry of the global culinary scene. This year, restaurants were voted for by 1120 international restaurant industry experts and 'well-travelled gourmets'.
