Although relatively new to Taupō, Fleur Wolstenholme was disappointed that her adopted home wasn’t represented on the map.
“It showcased the wines of Hawke’s Bay, kiwifruit of Bay of Plenty and the whitebait of the west coast – but there was a huge gaping hole where Taupō is, and I couldn’t believe it because our food scene here is unreal.”
Fleur arrived in New Zealand from the UK in 2016 and did not want to leave once she had landed. She has now founded the region’s first independent food festival, which kicks off on the 28th of September.
Treats of Taupō is a platform for local producers, eateries and chefs to share their talents and wonderful food with New Zealand.
“We have such a rich and varied cuisine scene here, from our breweries and distilleries to our growers, farmers, organic meat and honey, coffee roasters and chocolatiers, not to mention globally acclaimed restaurants and chefs.”
Held during the first ten days of the school holidays, Treats of Taupō offers 24 food events, from exclusive and ticketed to free walk-ups. The Treat Degustation Tour is a standout event, where ticket holders visit five of the best eateries in Taupō in one night.
Each eatery, Embra, The Bistro, Plateau, The Brantry, and Lionel’s, will host a course and drink match. The Market Takeover is also a great way to meet local suppliers.
“Personally, I love Indian cuisine, so I am looking forward to the Indian street food night, Taste of the Streets.”
Parents can fill their afternoon with a cupcake decorating contest with Simple Bakes Taupō and a scavenger hunt with Kona Kones.
Other highlights include a cooking demonstration hosted by foodie and content creator Vanya Insull from VJ Cooks, a Kinloch Honey-themed high tea and a coffee roasting and barista skills workshop at Sacred Grounds.
Fleur was driven to establish Treats of Taupō after reading endless negative news stories covering the struggling hospitality sector.
“I was pretty fed up with the doom and gloom approach – stories about restaurants closing, how rising costs are crippling businesses, and Kiwis have less money to spend. Although it’s true, it’s not the whole story, and there’s still plenty of positive news within hospo that’s not so readily picked up.”
With Treats of Taupō, Fleur has been trying to change that narrative and showcase the amazing local suppliers, producers, owners, operators, and staff. She also wanted to highlight that Taupō’s local food producers draw inspiration from their surroundings and that the region’s pristine water, volcanic earth, and lush pastures set Taupō’s food apart.
Lakeman Brewing and 5 Mile Distilling both credit the quality of water in Taupō with the quality of their beer and gin. Others like Taupō Beef, Opepe Milk and Kinloch Honey owe their flavour-packed produce to the lush landscapes.
“It’s a small town brimming with interesting people. I love it here because there’s everything you could want – stunning scenery, great hikes, proximity to the snow, the water, the bigger cities and an amazing social life.”
With the clock ticking to the Treats of Taupō food festival launch, the town has been buzzing, and some events are already at capacity.
“I’m urging people to jump online, peruse the programme and get a booking to avoid disappointment.”
If it’s a success, she’d like to host the festival in 2025 and look to double the number of events on offer.
“There’s no reason we can’t – we have so many hidden gems in Taupō along with the talent, passion, service and atmosphere to create something unique. It’s high time we put Taupō on the food and drink map.”
Treats of Taupō will be held from the 28th of September to the 6th of October 2024 at various locations around Taupō.
