Award-winning Okurukuru focuses on finer things in life

Okurukuru makes the most of its impressive setting. Photo / Supplied

Okurukuru, a New Zealand Restaurant of the Year award-winner and home to a major vineyard in Taranaki, situated 11km west of New Plymouth, is being marketed for sale by Bayleys of Taranaki.

Commercial and industrial agent Alan Johnston says Okurukuru is one of Taranaki's leading function venues. It has hosted hundreds of weddings, corporate functions, conferences and social gatherings since it opened eight years ago.

"However, after building up the business from scratch, owners Peter and Christine Hayward are selling up and looking at new opportunities," Johnston says.

The Okurukuru property encompasses 20ha of undulating land that includes 400m of water frontage and is surrounded by a mix of lifestyle blocks and farms.

About 6.8ha has been developed as a vineyard producing pinotage and pinot gris harvests which are pressed and bottled at a commercial winery off-site by the Hayward's winemaking daughter, Kate, based in Blenheim.

Additional pinotage, sauvignon blanc and riesling vines have been planted and the business intends establishing its own winery on-site.

Okurukuru's food and beverage operation opened in 2003 and now incorporates 538sq m of restaurant space, a 415sq m basement cellar complete with a demonstration kitchen and a 224sq m vat room.

The fully licensed function rooms are on two levels, with the smaller restaurant upstairs and the larger function room on the ground level. Downstairs, the Tasman Room dining area can seat 120 people in either theatre or banquet style, with the ability to open doors into the arrel Room to seat a further 40 people.

The business also runs two accommodation chalets made up of identical 88sq m one-bedroom units on two levels. Each chalet contains an open-plan kitchen with hob, microwave and dishwasher. There is a dining room/lounge and double-shower en-suite bathroom.

Council consents have been approved for the development of a further five chalet units.

Adjacent to the main building are dual helicopter pads and a large storage hangar.

Johnston says that since opening, Okurukuru has won many hospitality industry accolades, including New Zealand Restaurant of the Year in 2009, a Beef+Lamb Hallmark of Excellence award, and Taranaki-Wanganui regional chef of the year competitions.

"The philosophy behind Okurukuru has always been about being the best in Taranaki and this is what the purchaser of this property and business will inherit," Johnston says.

"It started with the design, build and fit-out of the premises, then transferred to the staff - many of whom have won top New Zealand honours and even represented their country in international cooking competitions.

"The final piece of the jigsaw is the wines being grown on-site.

"Peter and Christine Hayward came into the hospitality industry from a totally different commercial sphere, but they have become experts while running the business.

"They had a vision for Okurukuru which has come to fruition and they are leaving an established and strong base for the new owner to build on."