Vaughan Mabee describes himself has an obsessive eater.
"I’m addicted to food. I get sick of things very fast and have to move on," Amisfield’s top chef says.
"I like to keep the ball rolling."
This translates into an innovative and changing menu which has been recognised with the country’s premier restaurant award, the Cuisine Good Food Awards Restaurant of the Year and Mabee receiving the Innovation Award.
It also retained its three "hats" awards that it has held for the past few years — one of only six restaurants nationwide to receive the "best of the best" accolade.
Judges describe the Lake Hayes winery restaurant as "the crowning glory of Queenstown" and the food "the stunning representation of New Zealand food culture, delivered flawlessly".
"They tell a New Zealand food story that is unsurpassed."
Amisfield food and beverage director Tony Stewart believes the restaurant’s success is down to always planning ahead and not accepting complacency.
Having a "cool team" who are able to balance out Mabee’s drive for constant change and innovation also helped.
It did have an up side, though, as it helped retain staff as they were constantly learning new techniques and developing their skills. Many of the kitchen staff had been with them for six to 10 years — even the dishwasher.
"We have a well-established team who all contribute, which is so important for that continuity. They have a thirst to get better."
Mabee also says the key to their continuing success is the stable team which enables them to perform consistently.
The other key factor is their local producers and suppliers, many of whom have come good friends over the years.
"It’s just so special. We get amazing product. It gets delivered on the day and we use it that day. The freshness comes through, the flavour is enhanced."
"We’re just not that kind of restaurant."
An example of their dedication to this is the live seafood tanks they have in their cellar which allow them to store crayfish, clams, mussels and abalone in top condition until needed.
He admits the restaurant’s location in the Lakes district makes what he does so much easier.
"It’s why I work here. You can be so in touch with what is around here."
When he returned to New Zealand from working overseas at top restaurants like Noma, Mabee had plenty of opportunities to work in Auckland.
"But they just didn’t have the quality of produce there like we do here. Where you can forage for wild herbs and hunt for wild game. It is eating off the land.
"It is a rarity for us to use anything farmed that is not super close or where we don’t have a super close relationship."
They are always seeking out the best produce and have recently started using Royalburn lamb from Nadia Lim and husband Carlos Bagrie’s farm "just up the road" from Amisfield.
"I hate how lambs have to travel so far before being killed, but they have built their own abattoir, so their lamb is stress free and it’s not part of a buyer group either."
Mabee buys the whole lamb and has a head to tail philosophy of using it all.
Stewart and Mabee are also proud of Amisfield being the first winery restaurant to win the top award.
"It all makes sense, the food, making the wine here."
Stewart says having top restaurants in wineries is commonplace in Europe but has been less of a trend in New Zealand, although he hopes that is changing.
One of the significant things about Amisfield’s restaurant is that it also champions other wine makers. It has one of the biggest vintage cellars of any winery in New Zealand, Stewart says.
They both admit it has been incredibly difficult during the past few Covid years but attribute their ability to continue at the level at which they operate to owner John Darby.
"He believes in us and has not deviated from that."
Mabee: "He’s left us on our own. He trusts us to bring the restaurant to where it is today and that is one of the reasons I’ve stayed 10 years."
They hope the accolades for Queenstown restaurants will help tourists see there is more to the town than the views.
"I think it’s the future of tourism to focus more on our food," Stewart says.
