Al Brown announced as one of the first festival headliners
22 October 2024
The New Zealand’s longest-running wine and food festival is shaping up to be another ‘mid-summer stunner’ of exceptional experiences.
Loren Coffey, event manager of the Marlborough Wine & Food Festival, is delighted to announce celebrity chef Al Brown in attendance at the 38th festival on 8 February 2025.
“We are excited to have Al Brown starring in the Culinary Pavilion. Celebrated for his innovative cuisine Al is a recognised, leading New Zealand Chef and a captivating entertainer.
“As an ambassador for Regal Salmon, Al will demonstrate how to create delicious salmon dishes at home in ways that bring out the best in this amazing kaimoana, fresh from the Marlborough Sounds,” Loren says.
“And a lot of people are going to be very excited to hear that Polly Markus, of Miss Polly’s Kitchen, is also joining us in the Culinary Pavilion. Polly’s passion for food and her talent for creating comforting, delicious dishes resonate with everyone. Her vibrant energy and love for cooking make her a favourite among food lovers.”
Alongside Polly and Al, some of Marlborough’s local culinary heroes will work with products from small-scale local food producers.
Loren says the festival’s heritage status is reflected strongly in the calibre of Marlborough wineries exhibiting on the day.
“We have over 30 wineries and 20 food providers. Festival-goers love pairing their favourite wines with delectable dishes – it’s definitely part of the fun.
“The classic festival experience is great wine and food, and it just gets better from there as we layer on the entertainment and inspiration.
“It’s a unique festival in the fact that it is both big and bold but also boutique. And February is a lovely time of year to have a weekend in Marlborough, with a mellowness after the holiday rush.
“We curate a day with a lot of options. You have all you need for a great day with a general admission ticket or you can treat yourself to a VIP Retreat experience. The masterclasses are a great way to elevate your day – add-on a ticket to one or more of these for an immersive 50-minute experience that is as much fun as it is educational,” Loren says.
With Al Brown headlining the Culinary Pavilion, people are eagerly waiting to hear who will grace the main music stage. Loren says that bands will be announced before the end of November, hinting that it will be as good as ever, this being a festival that books top-notch acts like Drax Project, Coterie and Sons of Zion.
MORE ABOUT MASTERCLASSES
Four masterclasses are available for the 2025 festival, co-ordinated by Ngarita Warden (Wine and Spirit Education Trust teacher and research winemaker for Bragato Research Institute) and Nadine Worley, cofounder of Fugitive Wines.
Ngarita says that wine education is a key part of the festival programme.
“With so many wineries exhibiting, this makes the growers, winemakers and cellar door teams very accessible and they really are happy to chat and share their stories and knowledge.
“When you take a masterclass you have a more immersive experience away from the main festival. They are a very fun way to deepen your understanding of wine and get some great take-home tips,” Ngarita says.
In the Méthode Marlborough Masterclass participants will enjoy a selection of Marlborough’s finest sparkling wines, while the winemakers explain the centuries-old process to create these exceptional wines.
“Traditional méthode sparkling winemaking is such a fascinating process. Marlborough’s growing conditions have a lot in common with classic sparkling producer areas, including Champagne, and we love to bring people’s attention to this,” Ngarita says.
The New Waves of Whites Masterclass: Emerging Wines and Cheese Pairing is a fresh spin on a very popular masterclass – white wine and cheese pairing – bringing emerging Marlborough white wine varietals to the table. Abariño, Chenin Blanc, Viognier are three of the six unique and lesser-known wines to taste and learn to pair perfectly with a range of artisanal Marlborough cheeses.
“I’m describing it as a treat for curious white wine lovers, being a great opportunity to learn about Marlborough’s evolving white wine landscape from the very people leading the change,” Ngarita says.
In keeping with the times, and consumer interests, the Sipping Smarter Masterclass focusses on low and no-alcohol wines. Ngarita anticipates a lot of interest in this new masterclass, describing the low and no-alcohol category as being ‘statistically-relevant’ in reference to growing awareness about these wines as a good option – without compromising taste and quality.
“As people adjust the amount of wine they drink and how often, winemakers are stepping up accordingly and there are some very good offerings in the low and no-alcohol range.”
The South Marlborough Masterclass pairs wines with bites of sustainably sourced meats and seasonal produce, while a local farming family tell stories about their life on the high-county Middlehurst Station. Known for its cool, high-sunshine and low-rainfall climate, the Awatere Valley is the most geographical unique sub-region of Marlborough and produces vividly aromatic wines – six of which will be on this masterclass menu.
ABOUT THE CHEFS
Al Brown
Al Brown is a leading New Zealand chef and restauranteur, famous for his restaurants Logan Brown, Depot, Federal Delicatessen and Best Ugly Bagels.
Al is an entrepreneur, a natural storyteller who thrives on the sentiment of ‘people and place’, and a person of genuine authenticity, creativity and generosity. Over the last 15 years, Al has entertained and educated the viewers of popular television shows Hunger for the Wild, Coasters, Get Fresh, Dishing Up Australia and Masterchef.
Avid readers and cooks of all levels have been inspired through the stories and recipes found in seven beautifully crafted books he has authored.
Al’s range of unique products, including sauce, infused olive oils and locally-roasted coffee are created with great taste, generosity and a fun, welcoming brand.
Al values aligning himself with people, organisations and brands he feels a strong connection with. In partnership with Constellation Brands, Al launched ‘Tipping Point’ wines, producing six varietals of wine including an award-winning Rosé, Syrah and Shiraz. Al co-produced an online series under the same name, which was hosted on Stuff online, helping to profile the New Zealand charities who benefit from the sales of Tipping Point wines.
A full bio is available on request.
Polly Markus
Polly Markus is a New Zealand food influencer; she has written two best-selling cookbooks and is the face behind the Miss Polly’s Kitchen on Instagram that has more than 75,000 followers.
Polly's cooking career as a crew chef on superyacht in Spain in 2012. She returned to New Zealand in late 2015 and launched her Instagram account during Auckland’s first lockdown in 2020. Polly published her first cookbook in August 2022 and now works with international and local brands, such as Nespresso, Cloudy Bay, Kenwood, Sanford & Sons, and Farro.
FESTIVAL FACTS
· Saturday 8 February 2025
· Renwick Domain on Uxbridge Street in Renwick
· This is strictly an R18 event
· There is on-site parking, and the site and facilities are mobility-friendly
· Taking buses is encouraged, and bus tickets are available now
· General Admission, VIP Retreat and The Lounge tickets are on sale
· A Standard General Admission ticket grants access to the Culinary Pavilion
· In addition to the free demonstrations in the Culinary Pavilion, tickets can be purchased for a 50-minute Masterclasses
· Exhibitors, wineries and entertainment are described on the festival website, with more detail to come: marlboroughwinefestival.com/