10 October 2025 - 12 October 2025
Step into an exceptional celebration of fine food, world-class wine, and breathtaking wilderness at this year’s Food & Wine Weekend at Poronui. This exclusive event features Angie Atkinson, acclaimed sommelier and owner of Blanc Distribution, who will personally lead exquisite tastings and wine pairings throughout the weekend.
We are also honoured to welcome back celebrated chef Phill Blackburne, former Poronui Head Chef and now the award-winning talent behind Embra. Embra was awarded a prestigious two-hat rating by the Cuisine Good Food Guide in 2023/24/25 and named Regional Restaurant of the Year. Phill will showcase his passion for game and refined culinary techniques in an intimate Wine Cellar Dinner.
Beyond the table, guests will enjoy a weekend of immersive experiences at preferential rates. This is an exclusive opportunity to indulge in the very best of Poronui. Places are strictly limited.
Angie Atkinson, owner of Blanc Distribution, has a varied background in the wine and hospitality industries.
A former restaurateur in Wanaka and Auckland, Angie worked with several small New Zealand wine brands helping them market and sell their wines before becoming a wine writer for M2 & M2Woman, North & South magazine and contributing to several other publications.
A Certified Sommelier & WSET Diploma holder (the step before Master of Wine) Angie has spoken at many Winetopia events, been involved in NZ Winegrowers benchmark tastings and frequently helps with hospitality staff wine training.
She launched Blanc Distribution in 2021 and now works with many brands and imports wine and spirits from all over the world, introducing new and exciting products to the NZ market.
Phill is a born & raised Taupo local and got his first taste for cooking as a wee lad, starting off helping his mum with baking. He started working in a professional kitchen at the early age of 12, he loved spending his every weekend and school holidays working in a local cafe, and then eventually chose to do his cooking apprenticeship at the Millenium right here in Taupo.
Like many Kiwis, Phill left Taupo for his big O.E., finding himself in Edinburgh and in the hands of an incredible mentor, Chef Dominic Jack at the award-winning Castle Terrace Restaurant. Here, Phill’s food journey really took off. Over a course of an 8 year journey, he worked his way up from a Commis Chef to Head Chef. In the midst of this, there was also a 2-year break in New Zealand, where he found himself as the Head Chef at Poronui Lodge. Inspired by his time both in Scotland and at Poronui is Phill’s love for all things game.
During his time in Edinburgh he met his now-wife Nora, and together they have made their way back to Taupo to open Embra in 2022. Embra is the place where Phill has been able to put his creativity to great use, creating menus using kiwi ingredients and combining these with French & British cooking techniques.
The menu is a tribute to Poronui’s wilderness, where native ingredients are elevated through thoughtful technique in a celebration of New Zealand’s untamed bounty.
It’s a journey that invites guests to taste the wild, the refined, and the unexpected, all in one unforgettable evening.
The Wine Cellar Dinner begins with a series of bold, briny canapés. Think caviar, tartare, and oysters with cucumber and lemon.
From there, the menu unfolds with game-rich dishes and refined technique: smoked rabbit, eel cannelloni, and Embra’s signature spelt risotto offer moments of depth and restraint.
Pheasant Balmoral and Sika Wellington bring richness to the table, before a birch sorbet resets the palate.
Dessert is playful and nostalgic, with petit fours that nod to Phill Blackburne’s Scottish roots. Each course is paired with wines curated by sommelier Angie Atkinson, whose storytelling will guide guests through a tasting experience that complements the menu’s depth and character.
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