Chef goes from sea to mountain

Shayn Von der Fecht has spent much of the last 12 years cooking within the confines of a ship's galley and says he is enjoying the change from sea to mountain air now he has taken up the role of second head chef at the Ngati Ruanui Mountain House.

"I loved my time in the New Zealand Navy but after 12 years I wanted to spend more time with my family, and this opportunity is fantastic, to be able to work in such an amazing location in a high-end restaurant, I couldn't wait to start."

Shayn says there are many similarities between his previous cheffing role and this one. "On board the HMNZS Endeavour, we catered for a lot of cocktail parties and very formal dinners, entertaining local and foreign dignitaries."

Here at the Mountain House, every guest is a VIP to us and the food and service we offer every day matches the most formal of military occasions.

Chef Shayn Von der Fecht

Shayn says every day is different in the kitchen, "we are always working on developing new dishes, looking at ways to combine the fantastic quality ingredients we have with distinct flavour profiles that will give our guests the best dining experience possible".

When it comes to his own perfect meal, Shayn has simple tastes. "A good Kiwi barbecue is the way to go, using the very best cuts of meat, with lots of fresh salads and vegetables, and served with a generous portion of great friends and family."

At the restaurant, Shayn says he is proud of every dish he puts out, but does have some favourites. "Right now we have a whitebait fritter entree which is served with Mediterranean style tiger prawns, we plan to serve this throughout the whitebait season, and it has already been really popular with our guests." With weekly specials being offered each week, Shayn says diners will always find something new on the menu at the Mountain House.
"Nowadays, with the influx of cooking shows and celebrity chefs, diners have become more educated in their own palette, they know what they are looking for and they understand menus a lot more, so the challenge for us as chefs is to ensure we deliver a product that not only exceeds their expectations but also inspires them in their own cooking."

Shayn himself is inspired by the key concepts of seasonal and fresh. "We have so much great produce available and we demand the highest quality from our suppliers, focusing on fresh, seasonal products of the best possible quality at all times."

While it has been a big change from ship life to one based on land, Shayn says he has no regrets. "I am working in a beautiful place, surrounded by a skilled team in the kitchen, and an incredibly supportive management team. It really is great, I can focus on developing and creating fantastic dishes and am enjoying every moment of it."