Silver Fern Farms: Meet New Zealand's Best Red Meat Chefs

Auckland played host to chefs from all over the country on Wednesday night, each of whom have mastered the art of red meat.

New Zealand, it's official, Silver Fern Farms have crowned Chameleon Restaurant's chef de cuisine Paul Limacher, the country's finest red meat master. On Tuesday night, chefs and hospitality industry insiders gathered in Auckland to celebrate Silver Fern Farm's Premier Selection Awards.

The Wellington-based Chameleon Restaurant enjoyed a string of accolades, receiving the awards for Best Beef Dish and Best Metropolitan restaurant.

Chef Paul Limacher's "faultless" dish wowed this year's judging panel with his masterful creation of Silver Fern Farms beef tenderloin, mushroom ragout, roast parmesan gnocchi, button onion and asparagus. Judging coordinator Kerry Tyack praised chef Limacher's sublime dish execution.

“Elegant and visually appealing it was clear every detail had been considered and attended to – plenty of rich, savoury aromas, a perfectly cooked tenderloin and a combination of complementary textures that allowed the meat reign supreme,” he said.

Silver Fern Farms also showered praise on a select number of culinary finalists, including: Head chef Daniel Hill of Pitches Café and Restaurant in Central Otago, chef Geoff Ngan of Wellington's Shed 5, Greg Piner, group chef at Dunedin's Vault 2, chef Logan Coath of Waiheke's Mudbrick, chef Alex Aitken of Mt Eden's Molten, White + Wong’s head chef Tu Fearn, chef Mat McLean of Palate Restaurant in Hamilton, chef Richard Ponder of New Plymouth's Salt at the Waterfront, chef Andrew May of Amayjen – The Restaurant in Fielding, head chef Aaron Ballantyne of Hopgood’s Restaurant in Nelson and head chef Mario Rodrigues of Bistro Gentil in Wanaka.

Diners can experience the finalist and winning dishes until the end of February, 2017.