Local: Bay's best served up in television show

Peter Blakeway cooking outdoors for the new series, NZ ON A Plate. Photo/supplied

A helecopter swoops low over a sea of green - Te Puke kiwifruit vines as far as the eye can see. In the distance glitters the azure ocean, gentle waves lapping against the shores of Papamoa and Mount Maunganui beaches, and if you look hard enough into the distance, you can see mighty Mauao standing proud.

The Bay of Plenty is adored by residents and visitors alike for its enviable, picture-perfect vistas and abundance of fresh, unique produce. Now, the region is being recognised further afield as part of a TV series dedicated to showcasing the best of New Zealand to the world.

Set against a range of breath-taking backdrops, NZ On a Plate features a variety of local cuisines and beverages that top Kiwi regions have to offer, with celebrity chefs creating culinary delights that will make your mouth water.

Now filming for its sixth season, the series is screened nationally on TV One, as well as on-board all Singapore Airline flights and other international networks in Australia, India, Canada and Asia.

Filmed over three days, the Bay of Plenty turned on the charm for the cast and crew as the winter winds and chills were gone, replaced by bluebird skies so often associated with a hot summer's day.

Director Jacqui Shrimpton made her debut trip to the Bay of Plenty to film the series, and was immediately captivated by her surroundings.

"It's been fantastic being up here. There is just so much goodness, from the landscapes to the local produce; the region is so aptly named."

Executive producer Julie Woodham says the Bay of Plenty was a go-to on their list, thanks to the variety and quality of produce on offer and the visual appeal of the region.

Chef Peter Blakeway. Photo/Andrew Warner

"It's such a beautiful location that we just couldn't ignore it. And Peter, our host chef, is such a great personality - it's a perfect match!"

The Bay's episodes saw chef Peter Blakeway take charge of the pop-up kitchens at locations spanning the Western Bay of Plenty, including the avocado orchards of Aongatete, Eagle Ridge Lodge (formerly Bella Vista Lodge) in Ohauiti, Comvita's honey farm and factory, and kiwifruit vines in Te Puke.

Each segment of the show features an entrée, main and dessert, created using the local produce at the various filming locations. The nutrient-dense dishes were also accompanied by Harbourside Macadamias and a generous pouring of O Cider from Te Puna.

"My reputation is about championing local produce, local business for local people, and it's been incredibly rewarding to be involved in this project," Peter says of the show.

Although no stranger to TV, he was also joined by five chefs-in-training from Waiariki -Bay of Plenty Polytechnic - the next Peter Blakeways. Krystle Kohu, 24, Crystal Rutherford, 18, Jeremy Moses, 25, Aroha Fryer, 20, and Pooja Chan, 21, are currently second year culinary arts students, studying event planning around culinary preparation in hotels and restaurants as part of their course.

To have the students involved with the process was a first for the TV show, but Jacqui says they were only too happy to accommodate the students' on-screen debut.

They were great. It's a lot of work because we predominately film outside, away from kitchens. It's unique to have students part of the show, but it made perfect sense as supporting the next generation of Kiwi chefs is what Peter is all about

Jacqui Shrimpton

NZ On A Plate's previous seasons have been a hit with the international market, tempting more overseas travellers to visit our shores and experience the flavours and fresh finds themselves.

Tourism Bay of Plenty's head of marketing Kath Low says they are thrilled to see the show featured, adding that national and international interest in the region reinforces the fact that the Bay has so much to offer businesses and visitors alike.

"To have them speak so highly of everything from our people to our place reflects positively on the region as a whole. As our name suggests, we're more than just our beautiful beaches and to have national and international film crews recognising that only reinforces our diversity."

NZ On A Plate is filming around the country and expected to screen on TV One in 2017.