Kaiteriteri Recreation Reserve has reached an exciting new milestone in its development with the opening of Kai restaurant and Gone Burgers, and the launch of a third concept dining experience, Origin, which will be on offer from early 2018.
“We are delighted by the new dining experiences we’re able to offer,” said Kaiteriteri Recreation Reserve CEO David Ross. “We feel that they will match the expectations people have when they come to a premier destination like ours and will also reflect the qualities of our stunning natural location. People will now have a range of authentic, high-quality and affordable dining options here in Kaiteriteri without having to go to Marahau or Motueka.”
Kai is the refurbished restaurant that replaces the former Shoreline and is led by Grant Dicker, formerly of Mint Dining Room in Nelson. Kai offers a full-day and evening menu featuring fresh, local food. Notably, the new restaurant offers a menu in both Te Reo and English.
Gone Burgers is strongly influenced by the nearby Kaiteriteri Mountain Bike Park with menu items named after trails. Food from the Gone Burgers menu is offered in a courtyard setting and also as a dine-in menu option for patrons at Kai restaurant. Gone Burgers is open 8am to 7:30pm daily.
Origin is a premium sustainable dining experience that will be launched next year as a pop-up rather than a day-to- day feature. Origin will involve sustainable produce sourcing, degustation, immersive cooking experiences, and will feature guest chefs from around the country, wine and beer matching, art and culture.
“We envisage four large Origin functions per year that will appeal to Nelson Tasman locals and people from outside the region,” said Ross. “Each dining event will celebrate a particular season. There will also be more intimate Origin experiences during each month. Every experience will be differentiated adding a really enjoyable element of surprise for diners and keeping the events fresh for people who want to attend regularly.”
Over the past two years, the Kaiteriteri Recreation Reserve has directed significant investment into its infrastructure so that it can achieve its vision of being the best outdoor, coastal recreation destination in Aotearoa New Zealand.
“Developing assets that meet increasing summer demand but also grow important winter business is fundamental to our strategy,” said Ross. “Examples of this are our Kaiteriteri Reserve Apartments, our world-class Kaiteriteri Mountain Bike Park, and our beachfront conference facility. Our new restaurant and dining offerings are fantastic new additions.”
A new coffee blend and brand called Kaka Island has also been developed with Pomeroy’s Coffee. “Coffee is always very popular with visitors. Our coffee-making capacity has now doubled on the Reserve. We have three machines in Kai and one machine in the new coffee shack in the campground.”
The Reserve’s next phase of investment will focus on the sustainable development and enhancement of its natural assets, including landscaping and regeneration work.
“We will be consulting to make sure that we have a clear vision and plan for the implementation of this work. It is so important that people who visit the Reserve can access it in a way that preserves natural and conservation values and is sustainable in the longer term. Many people who come here
aren’t aware that they are entering a Reserve and part of our role is to communicate that clearly and meaningfully.”
