”my goal is to create a food culture akin to Italy or France, where food is cherished and celebrated as an integral part of special occasions, traditions, and cultural appreciation.”

Jacob is the chef de partie at the Strong Room in Feilding. He says he was raised around a farming lifestyle and became familiar with farming and meat processors as he was growing up. He says it is a privilege to be able to cook with New Zealand beef and lamb as he sees those industries as the backbone of many communities.

Jacob says his lamb dish was inspired by the Kiwi roast with his take on the classic mint jelly swapped for mint mayo to add a creamy texture and confit potatoes instead of roast potatoes. He kept the bean mix simple to bring out the flavour of the vegetables and lightly marinated the lamb backstrap so as not to overpower its delicate flavour but add a depth of flavour. He then covered the dish in fresh foraged herbs as being environmentally conscious, he believes the way forward for cooking is foraging for as many ingredients as possible. Sweetbreads have always been a treat for Jacob, and were the perfect addition to add a crunch to the dish.

Jacob’s beef dish was inspired by the classic kiwi bbq where he focused on charred flavours. He chose a volute to represent the mixing of meat flavours which you get from bbqs and used beer in the dish to match the culture surrounding a bbq. While it's themed for a bbq he showcased beef tongue as his secondary cut because it's one of the richest cuts of meat and deserves a spot light on the plate. The eye fillet has been dry aged to maximise flavour then covered with umami from the onion dust to compete with the deep flavour of the tongue. He used bone marrow in the roux which he sees as a healthy fat that carries a lot of flavour to give a deeper stronger beef taste and bring the dish together.