Ever wanted to take the stress out of hosting a dinner party? Building upon the popularity of Otahuna’s past cooking lessons, the 2013 series will focus entirely on how students can plan the ultimate soirées for their guests with each lesson featuring different styles of cuisine. Expect to learn recipes which will impress your guests as well as tips that will best allow you to prepare before the event so that you can concentrate instead on hosting.

These lessons – limited to a maximum of only ten guests each – will offer participants the chance to learn first-hand cooking secrets and practical techniques from Executive Chef Jimmy McIntyre, who has been profiled in Cuisine, Dish, Delicious, Gourmet Traveller and many other publications. Jimmy’s “potager to plate” philosophy utilises the freshest local ingredients, drawing upon the year-round selection from Otahuna’s exquisite, organic potager garden.

Seafood Feast
Saturday, 25 May: 3PM
Tuesday, 28 May: 10AM

The seafood lover will swoon over the simple pleasures of fresh New Zealand fish and crustaceans. Taking care to let the delicate flavours speak for themselves, Jimmy will prepare soups, entrees and main courses cooked simply yet with sophistication. The menu will be organised around the freshest seafood available on the day. The Saturday, 25 May lesson is an afternoon lesson followed by dinner with participants having the option to stay overnight at Otahuna at the preferential rate of $500 including breakfast.

La Scuola Italiana
Friday, 23 August: 10AM
Sunday, 25 August: 10AM

This class will focus on both the sophisticated and rustic flavours of northern Italy, which is the home of our Sous Chef Filippo Moriggi. The class will feature a variety of pastas alongside lighter Italian staples such as panzanella (Tuscan bread salad). Jimmy and Filippo will also show insider tricks to preparing your own cured meats such as coppa at home. The lesson will end with favourite Italian desserts such as homemade gelato and pannacotta.

A Taste of Asia
Friday, 13 September: 10AM
Sunday, 15 September: 10AM

The melting pot of cuisines represented by the nations of South and Southeast Asia offer colours, textures and flavours which can’t be found in any other part of the world. The class will present an entirely new menu of aromatic curries, popular street foods, and a range of dishes featuring exotic spices and herbs including ones grown on the Otahuna estate such as galangal, wasabi, Myoga ginger, Vietnamese mint and Kaffir lime.

Tony Townley is a luxury lifestyle specialist and owner of Luxury Adventures. Talk to us about planning your next visit to New Zealand, Australia or the South Pacific Islands.