The Country's Best Red Meat Dish Has Been Unveiled

Vegetarians keep walking; the country's best red meat dish has been unveiled. And yes, you're going to be able to try the mouthwatering masterpiece for yourselves.

Now in its third year, the Silver Fern Farms Premier Selection Awards celebrate the artistry and creativity of New Zealand's top red meat chefs by inviting them to create an original dish using Silver Fern Farms-stamped cuts of lamb, beef, venison or merino.

Twelve finalists spanning the length of the country made the cut from 62 entrants upon judgement from local food and beverage experts Kerry Tyack and Tony Adcock. But it was Auckland chef Stuart Rogan that took top honours. The Executive Chef who heads Botswana Butchery in Auckland and Queenstown, as well as Harbourside Ocean Bar and Grill, impressed judges with his chef d'oeuvre dish of: beef eye fillet, braised short rib with parsley, mustard and horseradish crust, carrot puree, asparagus, whipped garlic and cep jus.

The delectable dish led him to take out the title of Premier Master of Fine Cuisine at the Silver Fern Farms Premier Selection Awards, as well as Best Beef Dish and Best Metro.

Other award winners include Palate Restaurant in Hamilton and Salt on The Waterfront in New Plymouth for Best Lamb Dish (joint winners); Pravda Café in Wellington for Best Venison Dish, and Pitches Store in Ophir, Central Otago, for Best Regional.

The best news is that diners can experience Rogan's dish for themselves, plus all of the finalist dishes, until the end of March at selected restaurants across the country. See the Silver Fern Farms website for more information.