Beef and Lamb Excellence Awards

Mat McLean is one of only three chefs appointed as Beef + Lamb New Zealand Ambassadors for an outstanding four years in a row – an achievement which has now elevated him to the role of lifetime Platinum Ambassador. Mat originally trained at Waikato Polytechnic, before travelling and working overseas. In 2005,Mat returned to Hamilton and opened Palate, where he was promptly voted best chef in the Waikato Times Readers’ Choice Awards. Palate has been a regional finalist in the prestigious Cuisine magazine Restaurant of the Year awards for the past four years, and has been named Michael Guy’s Best Waikato Restaurant every year since opening. In addition to his restaurant, Mat donates his time and expertise to local charity events. He is passionate about promoting the Waikato region, and now farms his own Wagyu beef, which he serves in his restaurant. www.palaterestaurant.co.nz/

Logan McPherson’s passion for food was ignited after spending time in summer holiday kitchen jobs during university. The call of the kitchen quickly pulled him in to a career as a chef, and in only his third year as head chef at The Palms, Logan has now been named a Beef + Lamb New Zealand Ambassador for the second year running. After an injury sidelined him from the kitchen last year, he took time to enjoy family life with his second newborn daughter, and to experiment with food and flavours in his spare time. In his role as an Ambassador chef, he is looking forward to another opportunity to get out into the community and share his passion, enthusiasm and knowledge of top quality and locally sourced produce. www.lakehawea.co.nz

A third-time Beef + Lamb New Zealand Ambassador, Brenton has spent a decade contributing stunning cuisine to the Northland region at his Whangarei restaurant. Brenton focuses on serving fresh local produce at à Deco, resulting in the restaurant being a finalist in the Cuisine Restaurant of the Year awards every year since its inception. In 2010, à Deco won the Cuisine NZ Best Smart Dining Regional title, and in 2008 and 2010 Brenton was voted Northland Innovative Chef of the Year by his peers, as well as Northland Restaurant and Caterer of the Year in 2010.

Ben is no stranger to awards, starting with Commis Chef of the Year back in 1999 and culminating in winning Metro Restaurant of the Year with the team at The Grove in 2010. In between, Ben has made his mark on the international stage, winning a scholarship to America, followed by positions in Michelin Star restaurants in London and France. He has also worked alongside some of Australia’s top chefs in Melbourne, with a two-year stint at a Las Vegas casino thrown in for good measure.

Accolades have come thick and fast for Grant Dicker since he recently returned to his hometown of Nelson to run Mint Dining Room. Grant originally trained in Nelson, before heading to the UK where he ran a brigade of 12 chefs in a large hotel in North Wales. Along with his wife, Katie-Jane, he now runs Mint as an intimate restaurant in a local historic cottage, with a focus on simple foods, expertly created. Grant was awarded Best Lamb Dish in New Zealand in the 2010 Hospitality Association of New Zealand awards.

Jeremy’s love of surfing has been a major influence on his culinary career, with his passion for the waves taking him to Kaikoura, where he first worked in the hospitality trade baking bread at Hislops Organic Café. He later returned to Christchurch, joining the kitchen team at Cook ‘n’ with Gas. He left the restaurant to gain his formal qualifications, returning in January 2005 in the role of head chef. In July 2007, Jeremy packed up the knives, surfboards and family and moved to the Sunshine Coast for a working holiday, before returning to in 2009 Christchurch where he took up the position of Head Chef at Poseidon Restaurant and Bar in Sumner.