A new food festival launches in Taranaki
Rachel Church is organising the FEASTival food festival around Taranaki this year.
A new festival is launching in Taranaki to put the region's restaurants on show.
FEASTival - Taranaki Restaurant Week will run from 5-10 June and is modelled on similar events from other regions, such a Wellington on a Plate.
"The aspiration is to create a week devoted to our local restaurants, bars, cafes, food heroes, and food enthusiasts," ervent creator Rachel Church said.
Church recommends restaurants to people every day at her other business, Hosking House, which she runs with her partner.
"We have truly wonderful, quality restaurants for such a small region."
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The event runs with support from New Plymouth District Council's See it in the City initiative, which aims to bring vibrancy to the city centre.
"As it takes place in winter, it's a great reason for people to get out during our long, dark nights," Church said.
"I noticed how people really hibernate during winter and my desire is to liven up our downtown area during the cold nights."
FEASTival will be supporting On The House, a charity that takes surplus food from around town and puts it out to the public.
"At the moment they run one day a week and would like to run three days a week, so we hope to support that through FEASTival."
Church, originally from Long Island, New York, moved to Taranaki six years ago.
Along with her partner Rodney Hosking she runs Hosking House, a boutique bed and breakfast in the city centre.
It was Hosking that encouraged her to create FEASTival.
"I've been talking about doing it for long and he kept encouraging me to just go for it."
Church said she talks to visitors to the region on a daily basis at Hosking House and that was part of her inspiration for the festival.
"I recommend restaurants to visitors every day and as much as they see the art and go to events, they eat three times a day."
The festival involves cafes, bars, and restaurants Taranaki-wide and provides different experiences to what diners would usually get.
"There will be different price points, different menus, and events such as cooking classes and degustation dinners."
Sign up for updates at www.feastival.co.nz.
- Stuff
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