We put a spotlight on one of our Beef + Lamb Platinum Ambassador Chefs, Mat McLean from Palate Restaurant in Hamilton. Read on to find out how he is reinventing Palate for the third time and what the point of difference will be with version 3.0

It was a tasty 24 hours in Palmeston North recently when we jetted off to attend Andrew May’s Ambassador Series Dinner at Amayjen. Alongside him in the kitchen were fellow Ambassadors, Mat McLean and Nic Kearney. Read on to find out how the night unfolded.

Chef BJ Sebastian says that creativity is about finding a new flavour and a new ingredient and working out how to incorporate it into a dish. Primarily he looks to use the ancient craft of fermentation to do this and after years of trial and error he has mastered the process. Find out more about ferments and garums and how it can add a depth of flavour to your menu.

There was a bit of a buzz around the small Southland town of Te Anau recently with chef Cameron Davies kicking off the Beef + Lamb Ambassador Series at his restaurant The Fat Duck.

As Matariki celebrations kick off around the country we brought two chefs together to chat about Matariki and cook some delicious kai using traditional ingredients and cooking methods.

In 2022, to celebrate the 140th anniversary of the first shipment of lamb arriving in the UK, three of the Beef + Lamb Ambassador Chefs stepped out of their kitchens and into Central Otago for National Lamb Day in May.

Ahead of National Lamb Day in 2022, we invited Platinum Ambassador Chef, Kate Fay into the Beef + Lamb kitchen to cook up a feast using lamb ribs.

For 26 years, Beef + Lamb New Zealand have been recognising and rewarding a wealth of talented chefs and building a ’Hall of Fame’ who’s who of culinary rock stars including the likes of Phil Clark, Peter Gordon, Kate Fay and Rex Morgan to name just a few. And now it is time to reveal four new talented chefs who will join the Beef + Lamb family for the next two years, as Ambassadors.

With the new year upon us and after spending a few weeks working through a number of high-quality applications, we’re delighted to be able to announce the finalists in our search for the 2022 Beef + Lamb Ambassador Chefs.

There’s a new dining experience opening in Hamilton that will bring a bit of Wall Street drama to the Waikato dining scene. Chef and owner, Tejas Nikam has been working on a new restaurant concept for the past two years and says Bull & Bear is the first of its kind to open in New Zealand.

Applications are open for the next Beef + Lamb Ambassador Chefs. This is a role that has been highly coveted in the New Zealand foodservice sector for the past 26 years. Not only for the elevation it gives to a chef’s career, but for the opportunities that can arise to network with farmers and other like-minded industry leaders.

Beef + Lamb New Zealand are now taking applications from chefs around the country who have their eye on the coveted role of being the next Beef + Lamb Ambassadors.

Beef + Lamb New Zealand will soon be extending an invitation to chefs to apply to be one of its next Ambassador Chefs. Plans are underway to open applications as soon as the lockdown levels allow and the hospitality industry is back on its feet, with the new culinary rock stars announced in early 2022.

With Father's Day just around the corner, we asked chef Tejas Nikam to take us through the basics of cooking a great steak.

AMBASSADOR SERIES DINNER: PHIL’S KITCHEN, AUCKLAND

It’s not often you get two Ambassador chefs in the kitchen together, but for National Lamb Day this year we were lucky to have a collaboration at Phil’s Kitchen in Auckland. The legendary, Phil Clark teamed up with a legend in the making - newly crowned Beef + Lamb Ambassador Chef, Sam Heaven and the result was a sumptuous 5 course feast of epic proportions.

When a new opportunity appeared on Chef Norka’s radar she saw it as a step up in her career but added that it was difficult to leave Mangapapa as she had such an awesome team who she looked upon as family.

As a Beef + Lamb Ambassador Chef, it comes as no surprise that Phil Clark knows his way around a cut of meat. But sometimes it takes sitting down to a four-course beef and lamb menu to really appreciate the art that is his cooking

The Hawkes Bay greeted us with a cloudless blue sky and the brilliant sunshine that it is well known for. As we pulled off the main road and drove up the treelined driveway to Mangapapa Hotel, there was an immediate sense of serenity, of slowing down and stepping back in time.

We asked Amassador Chef, Phil Clark, what his favourite new menu dish is and he says without a doubt it’s his new lamb dish which is getting him the most excited. He loves it when the orders come through for this dish as it’s a lot of fun to plate up. The dish features a New Zealand lamb loin with glazed lamb neck, Jerusalem artichoke, crispy cabbage and red onion and berry jam

With the change of seasons comes the changing of menus and the move from a winter menu to a lighter fresher spring menu brings a lot to be celebrated. We asked Ambassador Chef, Phil Clark of Phil’s Kitchen in Auckland how he goes about creating a new menu. He said inspiration always starts with the produce and what is in season.

Opening a new restaurant amidst a global pandemic is not for the faint hearted. There is a certain element of risk involved at the best of times but with Covid-19 hitting the hospitality industry hard this year, it was a real challenge for Beef + Lamb Ambassador Chef Tejas Nikam to take on.

There has been a lot going on behind the scenes at Pita Pit recently. A tasty collaboration of meaty proportions to be exact! When chefs Jack Crosti and Tejas Nikam get together you can bet your taste buds that something incredible is going to be created.

Every young chef has that ‘ah ha’ moment, where they are inspired to do something, take that next step, be bold and brave. For Ambassador Chef Phil Clark, this happened to him on his first unforgettable trip to Paris.

To celebrate Nose-to-Tail month, we invited Ambassador Chef Jack Crosti of Number 5 Restaurant in Auckland, into our Beef + Lamb kitchen to demonstrate two of his favourite nose-to-tail dishes. Originally from Italy, Jack says eating nose-to-tail is a tradition he grew up with.

Growing up in Mumbai, Tejas now calls Canterbury home and is Executive Chef of Christchurch’s new eatery, Vices & Virtues. Tejas says food is like breathing to him and is something that will always be with him…

There was great excitement recently when our four newly named Beef + Lamb Ambassador Chefs came together for the first time to cook up a storm and show us exactly why they have been chosen as Ambassadors…

Congratulations to the four chefs who have just been announced as the 2020 Beef + Lamb Ambassador Chefs.  It is with great delight that throughout the year ahead we will be working with…

2019 was an amazing year working with five talented chefs around the country. Each chef has brought their unique culinary style and story to the table and we hope you have been as inspired by them as we have. Watch below to see a snapshot…

After landing in Christchurch it was a beautiful drive through North Canterbury to the small alpine village of Hanmer Springs for the last Ambassador Series Dinner of the year.  This was a collaboration between head chef, Scott Buckler and Scott Kennedy…