With Easter and ANZAC Day falling within the same week this year, it’s the perfect time to throw in a bit of annual leave and take off to enjoy some autumn adventures around our beautiful country. Whether you’ve decided to go away or are planning a staycation at home, it’s a great opportunity to catch up with family and friends and share some food. 

 If you’re looking for a dining destination then read on to hear about our top picks around the country or perhaps you are planning on entertaining at home, then click here for our most delicious roast lamb recipe – perfect for feeding a crowd!

With the weather warming up and the days drawing out we begin to come out of our winter hibernation.  Labour weekend has a habit of sneaking up on us and we love to dash away for a relaxing break, hopeful of some sunshine and a promise that summer is on its way.  Whether you head away or choose a staycation at home a long weekend is a great time to treat yourself to a sumptuous dinner out and we have a few suggestions which we think could hit the spot and introduce you to some delicious spring lamb.

You may be forgiven for thinking that August would be a rather sleepy time for restaurants with customers hunkering down at home in front of the fire with a bowl of soup instead of dining out!  Well think again – as we approach August it is definitely heating up in some restaurant kitchens around New Zealand.  If you’re a foodie, then there are some culinary events you will want to add to your calendar with Auckland’s Restaurant Month kicking off on the 1st August and Wellington on a Plate beginning on the 10th.

We’ve scrolled through the long list of delicious festival dishes and amazing events featuring local producers and international guest chefs and are happy to share our pick of the bunch for you!

Chefs love to combine different flavours from around the world to create a unique and distinct dish which sets them aside from their peers.  New Zealand-grown beef and lamb is the perfect vehicle to take on the myriad of international flavours which chefs love to use now to create fusion cuisine.  We think these dishes are a great winter dining option and here’s our top picks for some warming winter beef and lamb dishes with a twist.

There is nothing better than a mid-winter get away where the fire is roaring, the food is warm and comforting and the scenery is snowy and picturesque. We have some amazing suggestions for a weekend away where all these things come together to create a memorable winter escape.  You may not have heard of some of these destinations, but we know first-hand that each one has an award-winning chef who will be serving some hearty, warming winter beef and lamb dishes.

Thursday 24 May is National Lamb Day which celebrates one of the most significant milestones in New Zealand’s sheep meat history, marking the day the first shipment of lamb arrived in London, 98 days after leaving Port Chalmers.  As a nation we love to celebrate New Zealand’s great achievements, so we encourage you to get out and enjoy lamb whichever way you can on National Lamb Day.

If dining out is your way to celebrate, then we have taken the guess work out of finding an award-winning lamb dish for you to try on National Lamb Day. We begin our lamb journey at the bottom of the South Island where the first shipment left New Zealand all those years ago and take you right up to tropical Northland.  So, wherever you will be on National Lamb Day we have 24 suggestions for you to celebrate on 24 May.

Our mum’s hold such a special place in our hearts and many of us will have fond memories of the wonderful meals which our mum’s served up and the endless hours they spent in the kitchen.  So why not thank your mum this Mother’s Day and treat her to a day out of the kitchen?  We’ve listed a few of our favourite spots which we think your mum would love to visit, this Mother’s Day. We know all these restaurants are guaranteed to serve up some great beef and lamb meals but they also have that little bit of extra special magic especially for mum.

We are so lucky in New Zealand to be able to enjoy award-winning food and wine.  There is no better way to experience this than to visit some of New Zealand’s wineries where you can linger and languish over a long lunch and experience the whole package. Check out our top picks across the country where you can expect to find outstanding beef and lamb dishes with knowledgeable staff who will help you match the perfect wine to your choice of meal.

Join Beef + Lamb Ambassador Chef, Kate Fay at Cibo Parnell in Auckland as she celebrates National Lamb Day.  

6.30pm, Thursday 24 May - $125pp or $199pp with wine match for a six course degustation dinner.  To book a table call Cibo on 09-303-9660 or email lamb@cibo.co.nz

The town of Russell is nestled in the Bay of Islands and was the first permanent European settlement and sea port in New Zealand. It is now a popular holiday destination and bastion of cafes, gifts shops and B&B’s.  Catching the ferry from Pahia to Russell is a short 15 minute journey and allows you to take in all the beauty that surrounds the Bay. As you jump off the ferry and walk down the pier you can see the Duke of Marlborough Hotel just to the left, behind the Pohutukawa trees and you are immediately attracted to the hustle and bustle of the hotel.

There are many provinces around New Zealand who are creating a real foodie following and the Manawatu would have to be one of them.  The area not only boasts many Beef and Lamb Excellence Award holders who are dishing up excellent beef and lamb cuisine, but it is home to the annual Plate of Origin competition.  This is a collaboration between a Manawatu based restaurant and a restaurant from another region of New Zealand. 

The Southland region is home to the snow-capped mountains and fjords of Fiordland National Park, rolling farmland and the dramatic landscape of the Catlins.  So, if it’s an adventure you are after this long Easter weekend, why not venture to the southernmost region of New Zealand and explore some of their stunning scenery.

Otago is a province of outstanding natural beauty from rugged mountain peaks to glacial lakes, native forests interlaced with a traditional farming heritage which produces some of the best beef and lamb in the country. Queenstown lies at the heart of this beautiful provInce and local chefs love to forage and use fresh seasonal ingredients to showcase their beef and lamb dishes.