Six hundred guests will be catered for at the event, which is special in that the menu is a degustation offering. Previous attendees have come to expect a menu filled with Maōri delicacies including koura (crayfish), kina, tītī (muttonbird), and hāngī, with local trout sure to be on the menu at the Taupō event.
Each dish is matched to wines from Māori-owned wineries.
Taupo district councillor and Ngāti Tūwharetoa member Danny Loughlin, who has worked towards bringing the event to Taupō, says: “Ngāti Tūwharetoa are excited to be hosting Tohunga Tūmau in Taupō this year. We look forward to showcasing our ingredients and our manaakitanga to guests from all over the motu. Our council is pleased to have 600 guests in Taupō boosting the local economy on the eve of Matariki. The Taupō Events Centre will be an awesome venue to showcase the best Maori chefs in Aotearoa.”
This year the chef collective is launching Rangatahi Tūmau, a programme in which aspiring young chefs get to join the Tohunga Tūmau kitchen for the week and learn the art of kai Maori from some of our most experienced and talented chefs.
“Tohunga Tūmau has always been about celebrating our indigenous food culture and proving how great it can be. This new initiative is about building confidence amongst our up-and-coming chefs, encouraging them to learn and take kai Maōri with them wherever their careers take them,” Spraggon said.
Tohunga Tūmau is an initiative of Spraggon’s Māori food directory Kauta.co.nz and managed by Lemongrass Productions. You can book a table at www.tohungatumau.co.nz
