WellingtonNZ.com,
New Zealand 

Named after Wellington’s airport code, WLG promises Melburnians a unique Kiwi food and wine experience delivered by Wellington’s top chefs and sommeliers - right in the heart of Melbourne’s cultural hub.

WLG’s menu reflects the seasonal nature of New Zealand’s top restaurants and its environment transports you to what Lonely Planet Best in Travel 2011 calls the coolest little capital in the world. Food not typically available in Australia is infused with locally sourced produce, including regional cheeses, oils, coffee, meat, seafood and chocolate. Wines are sourced from Wellington’s neighbouring wine regions - the boutique wine producing areas of Martinborough and Wairarapa to the north, and the iconic Marlborough to the south. This year we'll also be joined by our friends from Hawke's Bay.

This year’s culinary affair will include tasty tapas-style shared plates created especially for WLG by some of the Wellington regions most sought-after chefs for only $35 AUD per person. AND if you haven’t had the chance to visit some of the greatest wine regions in the world (yet), including Hawkes Bay, Martinborough and Marlborough, you’ll be able to sample what’s on offer across the ditch for only $30 AUD a bottle or a mere $7AUD a glass.

The cuisine isn't the only local flavour at WLG; it's served with Wellington hospitality to match. Some of the city’s best chefs and front of house staff will fly over to be at Melbourne's service at WLG in November.

When: Tuesday, 15th – Sunday, 27th November, 2011. Opening hours: 6pm til late. Closed Mondays
Where: WLG Pop-up (taking over Rue de Fleurus for a two-week period) 153 Gertrude Street, Fitzroy, Melbourne
Cost: $35 for a 3 course meal (Sharing Platter, Main Course, Dessert, Tea/Coffee)|
Tickets: The first two waves of tickets sold out pretty swiftly, but if you missed out on tickets, never fear! There are walk ins available each night, we have outdoor seating available which we will not ticket in advance – so if the weather’s good, come on down! 

Who’s involved

While they’re busy prepping the menu, confirmed Kiwi chefs manning the WLG kitchen throughout the pop-up’s mouth watering two weeks stint will include:

Rex Morgan, head chef at Boulcott Street Bistro, and one of the select few chefs to have won all of New Zealand’s culinary awards.

Shaun Clouston, head chef at Cuisine Magazine’s Restaurant of the Year 2009, Logan Brown, one of the signature venues on Wellington’s eclectic Cuba Street. Shaun spent five years in Sydney in the early 2000s, cooking at La Grillade, and Wildfire.

Jacob Brown, owner of one of the hottest new restaurants on the Wellington menu, The Larder, located in the heart of the city’s film studios in Miramar. Jacob previously worked at Sydney restaurants Tabou, Hyde Park Café and Fuel Bistro.

Tom Hutchison, head chef and owner of Capitol, one of the Wellington’s most successful restaurants.

Terry Lowe, head chef at Black Barn Restaurant and Vineyard, Hawke’s Bay voted by Cuisine Magazine as New Zealand’s best winery restaurant in 2011.

Want to know more?

Check out this clip that wraps up WLG last year. It's an amateur Windows Movie Maker job however it should give you an idea of the buzz that this event creates. We also had four top food bloggers at WLG in Sydney 2010: Grab Your Fork, He Needs Food, Souvlaki for the Soul, A Table for Two who also made it over to Wellington for some culinary good times during Visa Wellington On a Plate.

• Follow @dineinWLG and #WLG on Twitter for exclusive WLG competitions and the latest info.
• Find out more about Wellington's food and wine scene and the local producers and winemakers that make this region so special. 
• Sign-up to our eNewsletter for more about Wellington's food scene and for hot deals and the low down on all things Wellington. If you have any questions about the event, email us about it at popup@wellingtonNZ.com.

See below for a list of producers and winemakers who are at WLG Melbourne and get recipes and tips on where to get your hands on all this good stuff.

• Download 'wlg-fresh-2011.pdf' PDF, 4.5 MB