Taste of Southern Hospitality
An Invercargill partnership of business and education and is putting flavour first.
When Invercargill Brewery staff started running out of food match ideas for client functions they sought professional help.
Enter the SIT School of Hospitality, whose Café and Bar Service students have been lead caterer for the brewery’s regular Meet The Brewer Functions for nearly two years.
Invercargill Brewery office manager Jill van den Arend said what started in 2006 with cheese and beer matching had evolved over time.
“Customers would try the cheese, and then offer up their own perfect food matches. It’s more than host responsibility – we think food and beer go well together.
“The SIT are great … they’ve got really fresh food ideas that challenge food and beverage matching. It’s exciting for us too, as we never know what they’ll come up with. Pairing an English ale with a gluten free ginger muffin and blue cheese icing – I would never have thought of that but it certainly worked!”
The brewery chooses an individual beer or beer style to highlight, and the SIT come up with a four or five canapé style dishes to complement its flavour, usually ending with a sweet.
Hospitality tutor Shelley Findlater said it was fantastic experience for the students to put together a catering event.
“It starts with developing food themes around a local product, then menu planning, budgeting, preparation and finally presentation and service.”
Each menu also caters for food sensitivities, with gluten free, vegetarian and dairy free options included.
Tonight is the brewery’s final function for the year when it’s launching its summer seasonal, Boysenbeery Fruit Beer; accompanied by Feta Cheese Filos, Venison Pies (cooked with pitch black stout and orange juice), Potato Hash with hummus and slow roast tomatoes, marinated mushrooms and a chocolate cheese cake to finish.
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For further information, contact:
Invercargill Brewery Office manager Jill van den Arend
Ph: 03 214 5070 [email protected]
SIT Hospitality Tutor Shelley Findlater