dine at mt cook lakeside retreat

Dine

At Mt Cook Lakeside Retreat

To dine at Mt Cook Lakeside Retreat is to savour the tastes of nature.

Step into an uncomplicated world where food is real, the soil, air and water are pure and your dining experience is designed to honour those elements to the fullest.

The Retreat’s cuisine is rooted in what comes from our large vegetable garden and the local suppliers of our region. Guests have described their dining experience here as “foodie heaven.” Our cuisine playfully wanders the line between refined and rugged, borrowing from both fine dining and simple whole foods defined by freshness and the natural seasons.

Explore the foodie happenings around the Retreat, roll up your sleeves to participate, or just observe and enjoy time in the Retreat’s idyllic garden or bustling kitchen with our chef. All dietary preferences and requirements can be accommodated. 

A warm welcome is also extended to guests not staying at the Retreat who wish to reserve a table at Moraine Lodge.
Bookings are essential and can be made online.

One cannot think well, love well, sleep well, if one has not dined well.

— Virginia Woolf

Garden to Plate

At the Retreat, we love the garden and the pleasure we get from providing fresh organic ingredients for you. The garden is packed with berries, herbs and vegetables of all kinds, all with a forgotten taste that evokes the freedom of childhood.

What’s important to us is the authenticity and pureness of the food we serve, and we use local suppliers for things we cannot produce here, such as free range eggs, manuka honey, juices, apricots and cherries.

Our Culinary Team

Our wonderful culinary team of chefs Paul, Rafa and Cris are at the core of the exceptional dining experience we offer to our guests.

Head Chef Paul is highly experienced both in New Zealand and overseas. Paul is creative with fine dining and contemporary cuisine.  Paul is a kiwi and loves to present authentic New Zealand cuisine. “I love working here as it gives me the opportunity to bring authentic flavours to the menu.”

“Working at the Retreat is what I consider to be my dream job,” he said. “I get to cook the best quality local ingredients paired with produce grown on site in our organic veggie garden. We pride ourselves on the garden-to-plate philosophy, cooking from scratch and letting the seasons dictate the menu.”

Chef Rafa, who traveled to New Zealand from Brazil, said cooking is about love and happiness and conveying those feelings through the care taken to prepare beautiful food.

“The veggie garden is a magical place where I find inspiration to create new flavours,” Rafa said. “The chef’s life is a life of discovering, and it is where my heart feels complete.”

We are continually innovating to bring you fresh, exciting menus and experiences at Moraine Lodge.

Purchase your tickets to events on our website.

Billion Star Dining

Billion Star Dining

Date: By Arrangement

Time: By Arrangement

Stargazing at Pukaki Wine Cellar Observatory

Stargazing at Pukaki Wine Cellar Observatory

Date: By Arrangement

Time: By Arrangement

Mothers Day High Tea at Moraine Lodge

Mothers Day High Tea at Moraine Lodge

Date: Sunday 14 May 2023

Time: 11am - 1pm

Trust the Chef Dinner Reservation

Trust the Chef Dinner Reservation

Date: By Arrangement

Time: By Arrangement

Matariki Dawn Celebration and Breakfast

Matariki Dawn Celebration and Breakfast

Date: Friday 14 July 2023

Time: 6am - 8.30am

Tastes of Nature Cooking Demonstration and Lunch

Tastes of Nature Cooking Demonstration and Lunch

Date: By Arrangement

Time: By Arrangement

Matariki 9 Course Degustation Dinner

Matariki 9 Course Degustation Dinner

Date: 15 July 2023

Time: 6.30pm - 10pm

Rain or shine, it’s stunning. You can’t go wrong with this place. Luke and Kaye have spent a lot of time putting it together with love, care, and complete respect of their environment. You can feel their attention to every detail as soon as you walk through the door. The place is gorgeous, the energy serene, even the dogs are good company! We enjoyed the proximity to Mt Cook, the walks in the area, the delicious food, the majestic beauty of the place, the night skies, and above all the silence and privacy. I spent several hours just watching the colours of the sky and nature at different times of the day…and “stargazing 101” through Luke’s telescope was a wonderful experience too, on a very clear night. Thanks again to both of you for one of the most relaxing stays we’ve ever had.

Valerie F. Singapore
Valerie F.