easy
6 hours
Suitable for most fitness levels with light walking and standing required during foraging and cooking.
Spend a day at Hapuku Kitchen in Canterbury, New Zealand, foraging fresh ingredients and cooking a seasonal feast with chef Fiona. This private full-day class offers a hands-on farm-to-table experience tailored to your taste and skill level.
From $2075 • 6 hours • Private Cooking Class
Experience a unique culinary adventure with a private class at Hapuku Kitchen, where you’ll forage for fresh ingredients in a stunning rural setting. Join chef Fiona to create a seasonal feast, learn cooking techniques, and enjoy your creations with local wines. Customize your experience to suit dietary needs for an unforgettable day.
6 Hours - 8 guests maximum
Specific dietary requirements can easily be accommodated in a private class environment. Private classes can be customised and are often flexible around start and finishing times.
Join chef Fiona in her rural cook's kitchen to prepare and enjoy a seasonal feast inspired by the wild Kaikoura landscape, from ingredients you've harvested and foraged from her extensive garden. To ensure you’ll be cooking with only the freshest produce available, the menu is created the day prior, after Fiona has wandered through the garden.
The day begins with an introduction to the kitchen and the menu for the day. This is discussed over a cup of locally roasted coffee, tea and our favourite freshly baked goods. We’ll then embark on a journey around the Hapuku Kitchen property, foraging in the garden for fruit, vegetables and herbs. The extensive tour provides plenty of opportunity to discuss Hapuku Kitchen’s gardening philosophy with Fiona and her passion for ensuring the provenance of all the produce used. You’ll also have the chance to roll up your sleeves and plant something. Depending on the season this might involve sowing some seeds or planting vegetable seedlings, shrubs or possibly even a tree.
Once you have completed the harvest, collected the eggs, and fed the pigs and cows, you’ll return to the kitchen and as a group, prepare the various dishes that make up the menu. With help always at hand, you will learn many techniques and tricks on the creation of the dishes of the day.
To finish the day, simply relax and enjoy the feast accompanied with wine or beer from some of Fiona’s favourite Canterbury and Marlborough winemakers and brewers. Delicious home-made non-alcoholic beverages are also available, such as sparkling elderflower and cucumber.
When making your booking, please inform our team about any food allergies. In a private class setting, we are able to accommodate any dietary requirements.
Inform the Hapuku Kitchen team of any allergies or dietary restrictions prior to your class for a fully customized menu.
Wear comfortable, weather-appropriate footwear and clothes suitable for garden foraging and light farm work.
Private classes are limited to small groups and fill up quickly, especially in peak season, so early booking is recommended.
Although meals are included, bring water and light snacks for comfort during transitions in outdoor sections.
The Kaikoura region has strong Māori cultural heritage with traditional food gathering practices influencing local cuisine.
Hapuku Kitchen emphasizes sustainable gardening and ethical animal care to reduce environmental impact and foster biodiversity.
Protect your feet during outdoor foraging and farm activities.
Adjust for changing temperatures during morning and afternoon.
spring specific
Protect yourself from sun exposure during garden walks.
summer specific
Stay hydrated throughout the day.