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Carole Ayres
Whare Kea Lodge & Chalet and Executive Chef James Stapley in stunning Lake Wanaka, New Zealand.
Lake Wanaka, the fourth largest in New Zealand with its clear blue waters, lapping the feet of the Southern Alps - home to globally sought after ski fields and the dramatic alpine Mount Aspiring National Park - is a wonderland for explorers and adventurers. In all seasons.
Set on it shores is Whare Kea, a secret hideaway offering guests a haven to share the area’s beauty plus perfect access to almost every adventure sport and outdoor pursuit possible.
The Lodge, specifically designed to suit the environment, is tailored to work for all seasons providing a luxurious yet intimate and less formal ambience.
Whare Kea– meaning house of the Kea in Maori – is named after the world’s only alpine parrot which lives all year round above the snowline of the surrounding mountains.
The Lodge opened in 1996 and became a member of the internationally recognised Relais & Chateaux boutique hotel association in 2003.
A unique alpine escape offering the same philosophy of understated luxury as the Lodge was built a few years later - in a place almost beyond the realms of dreams.
The Chalet is situated on the edge of Mt Aspiring National Park again with design sensitivity to the local environment which provided the platform for Whare Kea Lodge and Chalet to win the prestigious Relais & Chateau Environment Design Award for Excellence in 2004.
But Whare Kea is also renowned for its outstanding cuisine. Chef James Stapley is an award winner who stepped into the kitchen to raise the level to standards equal to any in the world.
An Englishman, trained in the swank kitchens of the Hilton and Selfridges Premier Restaurant in London, he first came to notice in New Zealand when he joined Pegasus Bay Winery where his expertise won the award for Cuisine’s Restaurant of the Year’s Best Winery restaurant.
After working with the iconic Sargio di Vino where he excelled in producing simple yet delicious fare using only the finest local and seasonal ingredients, he ultimately became the mastermind behind the sumptuous yet subtle cuisine which surpasses the demands of a discerning international clientele at Whare Kea.
His food is simply presented – deceptively so for the preparation is anything but –– 25 ingredients for a dish that tastes as if it floated down from a cloud explains it.
He confesses to a liking for a clean style and does not condone anything except ingredients that are guaranteed to result in a dish that speaks for itself. “That way you treat the ingredients well.”
James can often be found exploring the local markets as well as foraging with the artisans of this area, personally selecting his produce and chatting with the locals as he establishes a rapport that has guaranteed the table at Whare Kea its impeccable reputation.
His own garden provides much of the fresh yield for the unique and individually conceived menus which he creates according to season and guest preference. Usually five courses of subtle interplay that leave the palate sated and satisfied yet always looking forward to more.
James describes his role as “a dream job. I know when the guests are coming. I can organise and can interact with them to find out what they like, what they want.
You invest a lot more thought because you get to know them and their dietary needs. I’m more in the artisan style. And I have an affinity for Asian flavours. I only use NZ cheeses and you can find really good ones. Olive oil and saffron are local.
I just love that concept, when I’m driving to work and the smell and the tastes are in my head. And I can find pretty well everything from the boutique growers and producers. I love creating dishes guests probably wouldn’t necessarily cook themselves. It’s getting the balance right.”
