Lou McDowell and Jonathan Bisley opened Sunfire last weekend in Steamer Wharf premises formerly occupied by Ivy & Lola’s — and immediately below Flame.
Open for breakfast, lunch and dinner, the restaurant — designed by Arrowtown’s Nikki Wilson — seats 50 inside and 60 outside.
The menus offer a mix of contemporary interpretations of classic dishes and innovative new dishes, Bisley says.
Many of the meat dishes, Bisley explains, are being cooked in a charcoal-fired Josper oven, imported from Spain, which sears, smokes and grills simultaneously.
A shorter cooking time, he says, means the oven retains the flavour and moisture that normally escape with regular ovens.
Sunfire also smokes its own bacon, salmon, tomatoes and feta over applewood embers, and makes its own dressings, sauces and stocks.
Another 45 staff have been employed, in addition to 50 at Flame, and the owners are now renting five staff houses — up from three.
