As the weather gets cooler, the fun heats up at New Zealand's top Relais & Chateaux lodges - The Lodge at Kauri Cliffs, The Farm at Cape Kidnappers & Matakauri Lodge - as the popular Winter Event Series swings in to gear! These six fabulous food, wine and golf events offer great value plus plenty of memorable experiences and the chance to  meet and learn from some of Australia and New Zealand's top chefs, personalities and winemakers.

The series kicks off with celebrity chef Pete Evans at The Farm at Cape Kidnappers, April 18-20. This award-winning TV star (My Kitchen Rules) and author promises a wonderful Easter weekend around a theme of living life well! With his blue eyes, tan and slim physique, Pete is a great ambassador for healthy living, and he swears that looking great and feeling good does not mean sacrificing flavour and fun. Some of the weekend highlights for guests staying two nights are a morning cooking demonstration with Pete and a Saturday night dinner with dishes from his new book, "Pete Evans Healthy Everyday", matched to wines from Hawke's Bay's Clearview Estate. Winemaker Tim Turvey will co-host the Saturday dinner and match his Clearview Estate wines to each dish.

In May the focus is on golf as The Ladies Golf Classic weekend takes place May 9-11 at The Lodge at Kauri Cliffs. This ideal "girls golf getaway" will be hosted by Australian TV personality and golf fanatic Kerri-Anne Kennerley, who promises a fun and "friendly competitive" golf event over three fun-filled days. Aside from great golf on the acclaimed Kauri Cliffs course, there's time for spa, plus there's a fabulous Saturday night dinner prepared by Kauri Cliffs Group Executive Chef Dale Gartland where Kerri-Anne will entertain with a few tales from her years interviewing some of the world's most interesting people. It's Mother's Day Weekend - and this would have to be a golfing mother's dream! 

In June the events shift to the South Island, where Matakauri Lodge plays host to The Champagne Dinner on Saturday June 14 with champagnes provided by Moet & Chandon. Billed as "A Celebration of Good Times" and hosted by the charismatic David Warring from Moet & Chandon, the 5-course dinner prepared by Matakauri Lodge chef Jonathan Rogers will be matched to some sublime current and past champagne vintages including the Moet Grand Vintage 1996. When it comes to style and indulgence, Matakauri Lodge and Moet & Chandon are a fool-proof pairing!

July's big event will feature New Zealand Chef and TV-star Michael Van de Elzen at The Farm at Cape Kidnappers, July 18-20. Michael's hit TV series The Foodtruck cemented his reputation as one of the country's best-loved celebrity chefs. His menu at The Farm at Cape Kidnappers will be pure gourmet, as he indulges his passion for New Zealand and Hawke's Bay and its seasonal flavours and wonderful produce. Dinner will be matched to wines from Hawke's Bay favourite, Te Mata Estate Winery, and Nicholas Buck will tell guests about his family's esteemed wines. For guests staying two nights, an "up close and personal" cooking demo by Michael will add to the festivities. 

Gastronomic heaven surely awaits at The Farm at Cape Kidnappers on September 12-14, when Chef Peter Gilmore from Quay Restaurant, Sydney and winemaker Blair Walter from Felton Road team up for a weekend of food and wine in Hawke's Bay. A regular on the fabled S.Pellegrino World's 50 Best Restaurants, Peter describes his cuisine as "inspired by nature", and his 5-course menu for the Saturday night dinner is sure to wow guests, especially when thoughtfully matched to Felton Road wines. Guests staying on the Friday night will be treated to a cooking demo by Peter Gilmore on Saturday morning, AND a "mini-masterclass" with Blair Walter tasting six vintages of Felton Road's sought after Block 3 wines. 

The finale in the Series is the annual Couples Golf Weekend at The Farm at Cape Kidnappers on October 24-26, and for food, wine, and golf, it doesn't get much better than this! Open to just 26 couples, this friendly, competition over two days and 36 holes of golf is always a fabulous weekend! And one of New Zealand's most popular and handsome chefs, Josh Emett, will not only play in the tournament but he'll cook the ultimate finale dinner on Saturday night 25 October as a fitting finale for a truly fun weekend. 

The Tariff for all Event Series Food + Wine Weekends for the Saturday night is NZ$800.00 per person +15% GST* per night based on double or twin occupancy.  Tariff includes accommodation in a suite with pre-dinner drinks and canapes and the special chef dinner with matched wines, full breakfast, complimentary mini-bar (excludes liquor and wine), and use of all lodge facilities including one 50-minute massage per person during the stay or unlimited green fees*. Additional nights on either side of the Event Series Saturday nights are NZ$600.00 per person per night + 15% GST and include pre-dinner drinks, dinner, and breakfast. Additional nights special rate does not include wine with dinner or spa/golf and the exclusive additional night rate is only available to those participating in the special event.

Tariff for both Event Series Golf Weekends for the Friday and Saturday nights is NZ$800.00 per person + 15% GST per night based on double or twin occupancy.  A two night minimum stay applies to both tournaments to include tournament entry. Tariff includes accommodation in a suite with pre-dinner drinks and canapes and dinner, full breakfast, complimentary mini-bar (excludes liquor and wine) and use of all lodge facilities including unlimited green fees. Wine with dinner is not included in the tariff. Additional nights on either side of the Friday & Saturday night stay are NZ$600.00 per person per night + 15% GST and include pre-dinner drinks, dinner, and breakfast. Additional nights special rate does not include wine with dinner or spa/golf and the exclusive additional rate is only available to those participating in the special event.

*Golf is only included at The Lodge at Kauri Cliffs and The Farm at Cape Kidnappers 

For reservations at The Lodge at Kauri Cliffs contact ph: +64 9 407 0010 or email reservations@kauricliffs.com

For reservations at The Farm at Cape Kidnappers contact ph: +61 6 875 1900 or email reservations@capekidnappers.com

For reservations at Matakauri Lodge ph: +64 3 441 1008 or email reservations@matakaurilodge.com

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Betsy Pie | Betsy Pie International Communications | Public Relations

2/107 Mathoura Rd, Toorak, Melbourne, VIC 3142, Australia | Tel: +61 3 9827 2386 | Mobile: 0411 886 386