Katikati Avocado Food and Wine Festival: Avo-inspired culinary experience coming right up

The Falls Retreat chef Brad King.

Katikati Avocado Food and Wine Festival has announced Falls Retreat head chef Brad King will be leading the popular cooking demonstrations at the January festival.

Creative chef Brad has more than a decade of experience with international cuisine will be cooking up a storm in the Kitchen Marquee, demonstrating how to create four avocado-inspired dishes.

“It is fantastic to be part of a great local event,” says Brad. “I’m looking forward to creating and sharing recipes and dishes that showcase the humble avocado, a versatile super-fruit packed with flavour and amazing nutritional benefits. It is a joy to utilise local seasonal produce and engage with the Katikati community and wider regions as we all celebrate local food and wine.”

The Falls Retreat in Karangahake Gorge has been home for Brad and his family since 2008, and in the restaurant they pride themselves on using produce from their organic vege gardens and local growers.

“We have a paddock-to plate ethos where our menus change weekly and seasonally,” he says.

“For the festival I will be creating rich smoky trevally dip with dollops of guacamole, a simple tomato salsa and a herby vinaigrette with capers and onions. Crisp iceberg wedges with smoky eggplant cream, avocado, asparagus, crunchy nuts and seeds, home-grown radishes, parmesan and drizzles of avocado oil. I’ll also showcase our organic garden green salad mix with fragrant herbs, avocado two ways, chicken skewers, a lovely creamy cashew and white balsamic vinaigrette and lemon mayonnaise, and our classic take on the humble chicken and avocado salad. This is followed by chocolate banana, avocado ripple cheesecake with Raglan coconut yoghurt and avocado labneh and a chargrilled pineapple, kiwifruit and apple salsa.”

Cooking demonstrations happen on the hour, while festival attendees can enjoy live music from three bands, including the reggae-inspired headline act The Black Seeds. A range of food vendors will be offering up avocado-themed dishes with beverage vendors offering the best wines, beers and cocktails.

■ Katikati Avocado Food and Wine Festival 2024 is on January 13 from noon to 6pm at Uretara Domain, Katikati and marks the 20th edition of the festival. Held in the avocado capital of New Zealand, the festival is an iconic summer family-friendly event, drawing crowds from the Bay of Plenty and beyond. Earlybird tickets to the festival close on November 30.