The North Course Returns to North Canterbury in November

Now in its second year, The North Course is a month-long celebration of North Canterbury food, wine and hospitality where eateries serve up the very best local produce to tempt diners’ tastebuds.

Event organiser Kelly Lynch of Enterprise North Canterbury (ENC) says the event is an opportunity for diners to head out, support local and try something new.

“The North Course supports our local food and beverage producers as well as our local hospitality providers,” explains Kelly. “North Cantabrians love their food, wine and beer and they love to support local, so we’re serving up the chance to do both this November and dine their way around the amazing participating establishments.

“We want to see locals and visitors out there enjoying the spring weather, trying new places to dine and tasting delicious new menu items.”

To date, there are 21 hospitality providers signed up in Waimakariri and Hurunui. Each is required to add a dish to their menu that must contain at least one ingredient from North Canterbury, and match it, where possible, with a North Canterbury wine, beer or coffee. Diners of The North Course dish are invited to rate it on The North Course website. The four establishments with the most popular dishes come month’s end will win a profile in a Cuisine Magazine feature on North Canterbury in 2024. Every diner that votes will go in the draw to win an amazing North Canterbury weekend escape including a night at Greystone PurePod, a luxury spa package at Hanmer Springs Thermal Pools & Spa, and two tickets to the North Canterbury Wine & Food Festival in March 2024.

“Ideally, we would love our participating eateries to take this as an opportunity to really showcase their amazing local suppliers. We want to see North Canterbury ingredients shine on the menu, to acknowledge the incredible breadth and quality of food and beverages we have here in our region,” says Kelly.

Owners of Black Beech Wine & Pizza Bar in Oxford, Dani and Peter Rielly are participating in The North Course for the second year running. “We are putting on a pizza with smoked lamb from Oxford Butchery, kalamata olives from Terrace Edge and pairing it with a Tempranillo from Mt Brown Estates or a pilsner from Chinchiller Brewing,” said Dani.

“The North Course is such a great campaign and you really get to know your local producers. Quite often the best ingredients are just on your doorstep.”

Black Beech Wine & Pizza Bar was crowned the ‘most rated’ establishment in the 2022 event, which Dani puts down to their team. “Last year, our team were very good at promoting the campaign, and our dish. Our patrons loved our pizza so much that we now have it permanently on our menu! We’re getting very excited about this year’s event.”

Local retailers are also jumping on board the event, with both Pak’nSave Rangiora and New World Ravenswood featuring The North Course displays. “We are so grateful to Pak’nSave Rangiora and New World Ravenswood for choosing to support local and promote The North Course in 2023,” says Kelly. “Customers can expect eye-catching displays that will feature local products that can be bought in store, alongside several recipe cards, created especially for The North Course by Jen Pomeroy of The Modern Mess in Amberley. These displays aim to remind North Cantabrians that they can support local and enjoy local dishes in the comfort of their own home every day of the year.”

The North Course is a MADE NORTH CANTERBURY event, supported by Visit Waimakariri and Visit Hurunui. MADE NORTH CANTERBURY is North Canterbury’s first provenance brand, established by Enterprise North Canterbury in 2020 to connect, promote and champion North Canterbury food and beverage producers.

Visit www.thenorthcourse.co.nz from November 1^st to view and rate dishes. Follow MADE NORTH CANTERBURY on Facebook or Instagram to get regular updates on dishes, participating establishments and prizes.