ADDRESS:   4265 Oio Road, Ōwhango
CHECK WEBSITE FOR OPENING HOURS
BUSH SAFARI & DINNER:   $370pp
WEBSITE:    thechefstable.co.nz
CONTACT:   07 895 6276
SCORE:   16.5 / 20

This rare dining experience starts at the end of a dusty road, right in the middle of nowhere. Here on the banks of the Whanganui and Retaruke Rivers sits Blue Duck Station, owned by Dan Steele and family. Together with British chef Jack Cashmore, they have created The Chef’s Table at the ‘Top of the World’, one of the station’s highest points. The Chef’s Table experience begins with a two- hour safari tour of Blue Duck’s forest, rivers and conservation projects. Once back at the table, the menu features 11 dishes of farmed and foraged produce and ingredients sourced on site: it doesn’t get fresher than that. Drinks are curated by sommelier Beth Williamson. This table truly reflects a taste of New Zealand.

IN BRIEF More than a meal, it’s an immersive experience