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Contact Name: Joanne Okeeffe
Phone: 07 542 1301
Fax: 07 542 2116
Website: Click here

Street address
300 Rocky Cutting Road
Tauranga

Postal address
300 Rocky Cutting Road, RD 5,
Tauranga

Ridge Country Retreat

Dining at Ridge Country Retreat

Ridge Country Retreat specialises in the best fresh New Zealand foods, with a lean towards organic-based. For Guests or booked Functions only.

The menus are designed to reflect the personal tastes of our guests and our Executive Chef is happy to work with special dietary requirements as well.

New Zealand is highly regarded internationally for its clean image and fresh food. Ridge Country Retreat is ideally situated in the Bay of Plenty, long having been regarded as the 'fruit bowl' of the country.

With our close proximity to the coast - just minutes away - which ensures access to fresh-today seafood, we also pride ourselves on our selective choices when it comes to the best ingredients whether it be lamb, beef, venison, or the locally grown fruit and vegetables.

International cuisine and innovative menus are an integral part of the Ridge Country Retreat experience - savour the  flavours on offer from our Executive Chef - complemented by a superbly matched wine, the warmth of a crackling open fire and the dulcet tones of soft music playing for you.

Imagine the utter relaxation that takes over as you receive a luxurious spa treatment, the ambience of soaking in a hot Jacuzzi with nothing above you but the stars…  

Tauranga’s Ridge Country Retreat offers provision for small conferences, intimate weddings and or simple getaway weekends, yet has been designed in such a way that the whole experience is one never to be forgotten.
 

At Ridge Country Retreat the delicate textures and innovative menus that are an integral part of the dining experience and require the personal skills of Executive Chefs.

Introducing James Broad - Cuisine Concepts

There are few people who truly love what they do for a living.  James Broad is one of them. Whether at work in a bustling downtown restaurant or an intimate luxury lodge, his expertise and passion is immediately evident.

A chef for nearly 20 years, his experience includes four years in London and a year as fulltime polytechnic lecturer teaching trainee chefs.  He also spent three years passing on his skills to secondary students and young adults; and his qualifications include a diploma in professional cookery as well as a certificate in adult teaching.

Today, as director of Cuisine Concepts, he is called upon regularly to help set up restaurants and design menus, as well as trouble-shoot for established kitchens. He is also heavily in demand as a chef at luxury lodges, top restaurants and private functions; and conducts regular cooking school classes. 

He is a self-confessed perfectionist when it comes to taste and presentation, but without the fiery temperament sometimes seen in the industry. On the contrary, his enthusiastic and warm personality makes him easy to work with – and sees him booked well in advance throughout the year.

Talk with him for five minutes and his passion for food is obvious: from the simple beauty of a slow-roasted tomato to what he calls 'serious seafood,' cooking for James Broad is not just about the food, it's about the beauty of life.

Evening dining
Part of the pampering at Ridge Country Retreat is the presentation of the freshest quality food, using organic produce wherever possible. Our menus are designed to be evocative, to make dining with us an absolute experience.

You can choose to be an informal part of the process of creation, as is the European trend where interaction takes place between the chef and patron, our kitchen and dining area is designed for just such an event.

Or, if part of a wedding or conference or special event, we can ensure the transition between kitchen and tables is a smooth, unobtrusive event.

Nor do we forget those who choose to have a quiet, private time – we can set up an elegant dining table in your suite where the view is perfect for that tete-a-tete.

At Ridge Country retreat, we are here to make sure your needs are taken care of in the way that best suits you. Following is just one example of a menu that has been designed to create a dining experience you will linger over. 

A sample Menu for Guests

Chef's selection of Canapés :

Olive Tapenade and feta crostini
Vegetable rice paper rolls with Soy Dipping Sauce
Brie and walnut tartlets

Panfried Scallops
resting on fresh asparagus with
a light hollandaise sauce

Beef Fillet,
on Kumara Mash,
fresh greens and
a merlot jus

Chocolate risotto
 with hazelnut praline and vanilla parfait