Media release
22 July, 2012

VIP menu showcases country’s best

It’s purported to be the most prestigious event on our athletes’ calendar.

The NZ Olympic Committee’s Governor General’s Dinner on July 26 at Whitehall’s Banqueting House features more than 330 VIP guests, celebrating New Zealand’s best.

And nothing is more fitting for our top athletes than our nation’s finest cuisine, carefully designed by our most esteemed chef, award-winning Peter Gordon.

To be held the night before the world’s biggest sporting event gets underway, the banquet features a three course menu that reflects quality and our country’s reputation for sustainably produced food.

As a strong promoter of the New Zealand food industry, Peter contacted a number of noted New Zealand food producers for help in putting together the celebratory menu.

The evening’s starter is a delicate seafood preparation of miso marinated Ōra King salmon, manuka cold smoked Ōra King salmon and Kaipara oysters with wasabi sake dressing.

The main is a roast New Zealand lamb rack and NZ venison with mustard mashed potatoes, broadbeans, peas and artichokes, minted gremolata and chrain.

The meal is finished with a classic Kiwi favourite - baby pavlova with Little Melton mango yoghurt cream, passionfruit chocolate mousse, Heilala vanilla strawberries and kiwifruit.

Premium Ōra King Salmon is soon to be launched to New Zealand’s top chefs by South Island-based producer New Zealand King Salmon.

It has also been chosen for the menu at Kiwi House, the home of our Olympians during the games. An official partner of Kiwi house, NZ King Salmon was approached by Peter Gordon to provide our celebrated King salmon as one of the items on the ‘classic Kiwi barbecue’ menu during the two weeks.

More than 71kgs of fresh King salmon and 20 sides of Manuka cold smoked salmon were flown into Heathrow on July 20 in preparation for the events.

NZ King Salmon foodservice marketing general manager Jemma McCowan says donating premium Ōra King salmon was a simple decision.

“We couldn’t be more proud to have our salmon represent the best of New Zealand at the Olympics. I know the teams’ dieticians will be happy too – for peak performance there’s probably no more nutritious meal option,” she says.

Note: 
1: The King salmon species produced in New Zealand is noted for its numerous health benefits including heart and eye health, inflammation reduction and its high long-chain Omega-3 fatty acids content.
2: Nelson-based NZ King Salmon produces 55 per cent of the world’s King salmon.

Ends

About New Zealand King Salmon
New Zealand King Salmon (NZKS) sustainably farms King salmon from five sea farms in the cool, deep waters of New Zealand’s Marlborough Sounds.  NZKS invests heavily in research and development and is recognised worldwide for its best in class King salmon farming practises. It is firmly committed to the sustainability and viability of a renewable resource with its success centred on maintaining the purity of the waters in which the salmon are farmed. King salmon has the highest natural content of healthy long-chain Omega-3 oils important for life and good health and which can help to maintain a healthy heart.

NZ King Salmon:

- Is NZ’s largest fin fish aquaculture producer employing more than 455 skilled workers in New Zealand and a further 10 in Australia, the US and Japan. - Currently produces around 8,000 metric tonnes of King salmon annually accounting for 70 per cent of New Zealand’s salmon production. - Is the world’s biggest farmer and supplier of the King salmon variety with 55 per cent of the global market and has an annual turnover of NZ$115 million. - Has clear market advantages including great tasting salmon from a sustainable, disease-free, clean growing environment, fresh-to-market distribution, vertical integration and supply chain product traceability.

For recipes and serving suggestions visit www.regalsalmon.co.nz. For more information about NZ King Salmon visit www.kingsalmon.co.nz.

Issued for New Zealand King Salmon by Pead PR

Contact:
Parveen Chiba, Pead PR, Tel: 0-9-918 5583, Mob: 021 162 5704, parveen@peadpr.co.nz