Taking Aotearoa cuisine to new heights

A delicious menu uniquely and undeniably of our land, served in a stunning new facility, overlooking an active geyser – it’s no wonder the redeveloped Te Puia is drawing big crowds of both international visitors and appreciative locals.

The star attraction Pōhutu Geyser

Rotorua’s much-loved Te Puia is without a doubt a significant player in New Zealand’s tourism industry. Now, following major development works, the property is set to further cement this position as a market leader.

The refresh of its Wānanga Precinct and food and beverage offering is part of an $8 million development. The new whare kai café and restaurant offers diners a truly staggering outlook overlooking Te Puia’s star attraction, the Pōhutu Geyser. This steaming geyser is the most active geyser in the southern hemisphere, reliably erupting twice every hour and promising to distract many a diner from their plate.

Standing out from the crowd

Set against such a unique backdrop, the Te Puia team knew they had to create something remarkable when it came to the design and fit-out of the new restaurant. The new offering at whare kai is not just bigger and better. It’s also a testament to the incredible journey that Te Puia has taken. From the early days offering tea and scones the property has now become a fully immersive, world-class experience.

Taking on the challenge

A man who has been there for much of this journey is Ron Thomas, owner of Rotorua-based Food Equipment NZ. When the project came up for tender, Ron drew on his considerable experience as well as his clear understanding of the Te Puia brand. He was passionate about delivering equipment and a fit-out that would match this innovative restaurant. He also knew he would have to sharpen his pencil to ensure it would be a win-win for all. This resolute focus on the best result for this important project won through in the end.

Ron’s involvement with the whare kai project began in 2016 during the scoping stage, when he saw first-hand the need for big, bold change. “Tourism is a highly competitive industry in New Zealand – we need to stay ahead of the pack,” says Ron.

The making of the ultimate dinning experience

As Te Puia planned for the future, it became clear that a large dining experience was critical. What came from that initial scoping would go on to become something that Ron can only describe as a “very unusual set-up”. Dining at whare kai is like nothing else. It begins as tourists watch their meal cooked underground in the outdoor hangi pit. The food is then taken back to the kitchen for preparation and served conventionally to guests in the restaurant as they overlook the steaming, bubbling Pōhutu.

“There’s nothing like it in New Zealand,” says Ron. “It’s a unique experience – one those eating here will remember for years to come.”

Overseeing this dining experience is Executive Chef, Shane Beattie. Like Ron, Shane has experienced the growth of Te Puia during his 20-year tenure, witnessing the kitchen go from an “absolutely tiny space” to its current form.

“While we were still putting through 500 to 600 covers a day each season with the old kitchen it was always a struggle,” says Shane. “The new space is really helpful making sure we’ve got the speed to get things out quickly and confidently.”

It’s this type of functionality that ensures Shane and his team can deliver an exceptional meal every time, even when crowds pour off the coaches with appetites primed.

“Over the last month, we’ve had three big events here, the 300-plus plated meals, and the small team in the kitchen could step up and get dishes out in under 20 minutes.”

More than just a room with a view

For Te Puia, the development of whare kai is much more than a bigger kitchen and a dining room with a view. It heralds a new era; one where its dining experience becomes a stand- alone offering. Ron believes this will change the perception that locals have.

“The restaurant has gone from a predominantly tourist-based spot, to one where locals are arriving in far greater numbers for the food and the experience,” he says.

As he ponders the new kitchen set up and the incredible amount of meals it will turn out each day, Ron appreciates what Shane and his team had achieved for so many years in the small space. More than anything, he appreciates what they now have to work with.

“Visit the old kitchen and you’d have been amazed at what it was capable of. The numbers put through by the team there were incredible,” says Ron. “Now, though, with the state of the art kitchen, the facilities match the exceptional nature of the story here – we’re world class in every sense of the word”

In the kitchen

Executive Chef, Shane Beattie was keen to learn from the past when it came to the selection of equipment that could handle the immense workload of his kitchen.

“We had experience with one Convotherm combi oven and three from other companies. Within a month small issues had arisen with the other three. But the Convotherm combi continued to deliver year after year,” he says. “So obviously that had a big influence on the decision this time.”

Based on this past performance, there was little doubt in Shane’s mind that they would stick with Moffat, choosing to go with two Convotherm ovens and additional banquet systems. The Waldorf brand provides further tried-and-true capability, this equipment including a salamander, oven ranges, griddle, chargrill and fryers. And when things heat up in the busy Rotorua kitchen, the Friginox Roll-in Blast Chiller/Freezer keeps everything at the right temperature, while in the café kitchen a Merrychef e4s Rapid Speed Cook Oven provides quality food in “fast food” time.