National titles are proving meat and drink for Smoking Barrel after its second straight Monteith’s Wild Food Challenge win.
Hoping to barrel its four competitors at the Auckland live decider last week, the Motueka restaurant’s tasting board impressed the judging trio for its ingenuity, flavour harmony, and celebration of wild Aotearoa ingredients.
Paired with a tropical, citrus-forward Monteith’s Driftin’ IPA, the board featured a barbecued smoked wild venison short rib, six varieties of locally foraged wild mushrooms, Douglas fir pine-tip molasses, wild pork, yellowfoot pāua, whipped kina, and kawakawa butter.
Public votes gave Smoking Barrel its top five spot, and Josiah Smits, head chef and co-owner with wife Rachel, says a second trophy in the cabinet, this time for the honed “beautiful food story” from forest to sea, was “incredible”.
“It’s always been about how we can improve the dish, and develop that authentic connection with our suppliers. It's a great result for our restaurant and the wider community, and I’m very thankful for the opportunity,” he reflects.
“There was a lot of fine detail that we really stepped up this year… many many hours and months of idea and ingredient planning, sourcing and gathering, cooking, preparing until finally it all comes together, a symphony of wild food to intrigue the senses.
“The challenge is also to take wild items that people may have tried in the past [and not enjoyed], and change their mind on those things.
“I love that and it also promotes sustainability, pest control, and brings some of the small local producers into the spotlight.”
Josiah says the dish’s more than 20 growers, suppliers, hunters and artists – including those behind the wooden platters and pāua detailing on the antlers – all added to the story and were elements the judges “absolutely fizz on”.
The judging panel included marine biologist and spearfisherman Sam Wild, West Coast Pie Co. founder Emily Lucas, and Radio Hauraki Breakfast host and television personality Jeremy Wells.
Sam says the “thought, creativity and purpose behind every element on the plate” secured Smoking Barrel its second taste of victory.
