MasterChef star sees what's cooking in Rotorua

New Zealand MasterChef judge Ray McVinnie will be in Rotorua for the week taking a look at service standards in the city. Photo/Stephen Parker

Rotorua retailers and restaurateurs need to be on their toes for the week as top Kiwi chef Ray McVinnie takes to the streets sampling what the city has to offer.

Last night, more than 220 people attended a meeting of the Rotorua Inner City Focus Group and Raising the Bar at the Rotorua District Council.

Raising the Bar is an initiative being run by a group of passionate Rotorua business people who want to help Rotorua become the best place in the country for friendly, efficient and high-level service.

The group has already organised a number of service-related workshops to be held in July with ongoing workshops and events to be announced in the coming months.

Those attending last night's meeting got an update on progress, and future developments, regarding the revitalisation of Rotorua's inner city.

The meeting also doubled as a meet and greet for the recently launched "Raising the Bar" campaign which featured a visit by New Zealand MasterChef judge and chef Ray McVinnie.

Inner City Focus Group spokesman Mike Steiner said he believed the group had reached a level of engagement Rotorua had not seen for years.

He pointed to recent initiatives such as intersection makeovers, pop up art galleries, scrub day, inner city murals and the Heart of the City newsletter as some of their achievements.

Mr Steiner also told the audience of upcoming projects, which included the formation of the Rotorua Art Sculpture Trust, changes to the City Focus, a tulip festival for September and "Light Rotorua", an initiative which will see the city lit up during Christmas.

Mr McVinnie said he was not here to judge businesses, but to get a feel for Rotorua and what could add value to businesses, especially in the hospitality sector.

"I have to say in my first day walking around town I thought this is a stunning city and you have a lot to be proud of.

"I can't believe you have so many restaurants in town and I went to one on Eat Streat today and it was good."

He also stressed the importance of service to a successful business.

"Service is part of the human experience, you want people going away from here with an exciting view of your city."

Mr McVinnie asked people to email him about their Rotorua experiences at rotoruafood@gmail.com.

He will also be back in Rotorua on July 28 to present a workshop to share his experiences in the city.

Anyone interested in Raising the Bar or attending service-related workshops should contact Kay Clarke by email at kay@stayandplaynz.com