Soren Lascelles, the head chef at Sydney eatery Assiete, won the 2010 Australian Young Chef of the Year award and is being hosted by Rafters restaurant this week at Wanaka's Wyndham Vacation Resort.
Mr Lascelles will collaborate with Rafters head chef Chris Hughes on a five-course degustation menu, which will feature Central Otago-produced fare matched with wines from the region's top vineyards.
The $100-a-head culinary event sold out last week and Mr Hughes said anticipation about the young Aussie chef's locally themed menu was mounting.
Hosting Mr Lascelles at Wanaka was a great chance to promote the region's food and wine, Mr Hughes said.
"We're like a mini-breadbasket here in terms of the produce available," he said.
The proposed menu includes dishes of whitebait, rabbit, lamb, salmon and Bluff oysters, paired with wines from Olssens, Felton Road, Quartz Reef, Rippon and Valli.
Mr Lascelles will visit some of the wineries and suppliers of local produce during his stay in the region, Wyndham Wanaka general manager Craig Walker said.
"We're hoping he will take home some new ideas and push the produce of local suppliers into our Wyndham restaurants throughout Australia," Mr Walker said.
The Vacation Resort chain was bringing Mr Lascelles to New Zealand as part of its policy to support and recognise young people who were excelling in the hospitality industry, Wyndham CEO Barry Robinson said in a press release.
The culinary wine and dinner evening starts at 7pm on Saturday at Rafters Restaurant at Wyndham's Wanaka resort on Mt Aspiring Rd.
