Plate of Origin should not only challenge the creativity of restaurant kitchens but also the expectations of diners, says the head chef of one of Palmerston North’s most beloved dining rooms.
In the eight years since she returned to the city after working in some of Wellington’s most celebrated restaurants, Janet Gray has realised her enthusiasm for broadening the minds and palettes of Manawatū diners is best executed through tweaks and refinements rather than revolution.
The Fat Farmer, a converted house nestled into the heart of Hokowhitu, owned and managed by Hannah Te Rure and Grace Farrington, has provided her with the flexibility to provide different meal concepts to patrons, built around an emphasis on share plates that has become core to the restaurant’s identity.
It’s no surprise that its Beef Large Plate, a finalist in Plate of Origin – Made in Manawatū, a celebration of the region’s restaurants and food producers, is designed to be shared and arouse discussion.
Warwick Smith/Stuff
“It slowly worked,” says Fat Farmer head chef Janet Gray of moving diners away from the structure of an entree and main. “You don’t need a whole big meal, we can try these different flavours and put it together. It did take a while.”
A seared Angus Pure flat iron steak has been paired with Speckle Park beef rib croquette, a less well-known variety but one which Grey is keen to champion.
“It’s similar to Angus Pure but with more marbling, it’s richer. The meat, it’s not quite wagyu, but it’s that sort of concept because of the marbling on the rib I use, it’s intense.”
Gray said she met with the Totara Hill farmers who provided the Speckle Park, and they were as keen as her to get it into restaurants locally, and to not just fall back on cuts of scotch-fillet or eye-fillet.
The protein is complemented by celeriac, a root vegetable, supplied by Woodhaven Gardens in Levin, and eggs from Local Food NZ in Halcombe and Feilding.
Both featured in the dish in three ways. The eggs were used in a mayonnaise and cured for the remoulade, and there was a yolk crumb on the croquette.
The celeriac was served as a puree, was shaved for the remoulade “French slaw”, and it was fried and dehydrated to provide a crunchy chip texture on the flat iron steak.
Gray said the dish was intended to be shared and small plates or sides could be added to it.
“Some order fries with it or mash, or they may order some broccolini or a side of mushrooms, or cauliflower.
“That’s our concept, casual dining. And I think it’s kind of worked lately. And we try to keep it quite farming orientated. Make it a bit farmy but still sophisticated.”
Matthew Dallas/Stuff
The Fat Farmer has a display in the restaurant telling the story of its Plate of Origin dish and the regional food producers involved in its creation.
She said she liked to challenge diners and get them thinking differently on what a meal experience could be, to not be “dictating” to them that it had to comprise an entrée and main course.
“It’s not so formalised. And from a cost perspective it can be more appealing. People are able to go out, catch up and enjoy a snack or a meal, and it’s affordable.”
Gray spent 25 years in Wellington, working at restaurants such as the Boulcott Street Bistro and Dockside, and said she was “spoilt” when it came to the broader appetites of metro diners.
When she returned to Palmerston North she was surprised to find menus and expectations were still built around “a meat and three vege”.
“Honestly, it was the same as when I left, when I was 21, you know. I was like, mate, the dining is still the same.”
Catriona Reeves/Stuff
The Fat Farmer’s Beef Large plate; seared Angus Pure flatiron steak, with Speckle Park beef rib croquette, served with celeriac puree, cured egg remoulade and ponzu jus. The flatiron steak is sourced from six farms in the region, the Speckle Park from Totara Hill, the eggs are from Local Food NZ in Halcombe, and the celeriac from Woodhaven Gardens in Levin.
She learnt first at Aberdeen and then The Fat Farmer, that change needed to be gentle persuasion rather than provocation, and that there was a balancing act of respecting what customers were coming through the doors for and allowing room for creativity.
“There are some things on the menu you can’t take off,” she said. “’I come here for the bao buns, I come here for the duck pancakes, and the goat’s cheese.
“And I’m like, yeah, I think that’s great. But us as staff, we want to try different things, and there’s so many great products out there you want to try and play around and put on a dish, and let them experience it.”
Plate of Origin provided an avenue for restaurants and chefs to edge forward and evolve, and also stimulate public discourse and evaluation.
“Now customers go, oh I really like that, or I like that better than the last [competition dish]. They’re thinking about it a bit differently, which is great.”
The Fat Farmer was enjoying strong support from the local community, though it was still common for people to come in and say it was their first time there dining and had only just heard of the place, which Gray said was great.
Diners who order the Beef Large Plate at The Fat Farmer or any other Plate of Origin dish at restaurants in September are invited to submit a score for the People’s Choice Award and go into the draw to win a $300 Air NZ voucher.
Meanwhile, tickets are on sale for the Plate of Origin dinner at Awapuni Racecourse on October 11 through eventbright.co.nz
