Get ready to unleash your wild side, the Monteith’s Wild Food Challenge is set to return after an eleven-year hiatus. This May, more than 100 venues across Aotearoa are serving up daring dishes featuring the country’s most unexpected and adventurous ingredients, each expertly paired with a Monteith’s brew.
Participating premises range from viral-urban-takeaway spots to beloved local gastropubs. Each restaurant or bar has created a one-of-a-kind dish that celebrates the wild, the foraged and the unexpected, designed to tempt adventurous palates.
The 2025 lineup promises to be the most provocative yet, with dishes such as Kirwee restaurant Thirsty Acres’ primal tongue-to-tail feast of confit ox tongue, tartare, and oxtail croquette, daringly paired with the Wayfarer Pilsner. Or, perhaps something even wilder from Wellington eatery, The Arborist, serving up a wild boar scotch egg coated in Monteith’s Summer Ale batter, perfectly paired with Summer Ale. Regardless of their ingredients, each dish promises a culinary adventure.
The public will cast votes to determine a shortlist of five before an expert panel of judges determines the ultimate winner.
The Monteith’s Wild Food Challenge judging panel brings together three experts in fresh, wild ingredients. Sam Wild, a spear fisherman and marine biologist, brings a deep knowledge of seafood. Renowned chef Ben Bayly is known for his contemporary Kiwi cuisine and is a trailblazer for locally sourced ingredients. Emily Lucas, founder of West Coast Pie Co., is celebrated for her award-winning wild game pies.
DB Breweries Marketing Director, Fraser Shrimpton, sees the Challenge as a crucial initiative to rally Kiwis in support of their favourite local eateries.
“These bars, restaurants and gastropubs are the lifeblood of our local communities,” says Shrimpton. “The Monteith’s Wild Food Challenge is about encouraging Kiwis to step out of their comfort zones and experience something new while backing their local hospitality scene. We’re hoping to see more than 30,000 Kiwis head out to support their local eateries.”
Judge Ben Bayly, who himself owns of some of New Zealand’s most revered restaurants, reiterated this sentiment.
“Aren’t you a bit bored of seeing chicken on every menu? We have an incredible array of wild and unusual tastes here in Aotearoa, and tens of thousands of Kiwis are about to open their minds (and mouths) to try something a bit different,” he says.
“From the far North to the deep South, I’m excited to see bold, inventive bites that showcase our freshest and most unconventional ingredients.”
So, if you’re ready to take a walk on the wild side, head to https://monteithswildfoodchallenge.co.nz/ to find out which of your favourite local spots are participating and be part of New Zealand’s most thrilling food adventure. Let the Challenge begin!
