One Queenstown pop-up restaurant has proven so popular it’s returning permanently.
QT Queenstown’s Lil Red, focused on high-quality and creative cuisine using locally-sourced ingredients with a strong no-waste ethos, first opened in 2021.
Tomorrow, the 40-seat restaurant will reopen its doors and is set to epitomise fine dining, led by executive chef Ryan Henley.
His approach embraces local ingredients blended with traditional Japanese techniques.
The menu, which features South Island produce and proteins, changing with the seasons, includes Black Origin Wagyu beef, from Christchurch, seafood from Stewart Island’s Gravity Fishing, Canterbury Whitehart Kurobuta pork, and eggs and lamb from the Crown Range’s Royalburn Station.
QT Queenstown’s rooftop honey, from Tiaki Bees’ hives, will also be highlighted.
Henley butchers whole animals to utilise every inch of the animal across his menus, recognising the importance of sustainable practices, and nose-to-tail cooking.
Designed for sharing, the menu includes small and large plates, along with fusion-twist deserts, and a full beverage menu which celebrates some of Central Otago’s best drops.
‘‘I’m incredibly excited to make Lil Red a destination on the Queenstown dining scene and showcase the best of the South Island in my own way,’’ Henley says.
‘‘I’ve built wonderful relationships with local suppliers, going out on the boat with Nate from Gravity Fishing, to working with Nadia [Lim] and the team at Royalburn Station on a grow-to-order basis.
‘‘I’m learning so much about treating ingredients with integrity and celebrating some of the world’s best produce, which will come through in the dishes at Lil Red.’’
With over 20 years’ experience in award-winning venues throughout New Zealand and Australia, Melbourne’s three-hatted restaurant Vue de Monde, The George in Christchurch, and Pescatore, Henley is excited to helm an elevated dining experience and showcase his culinary expertise.
Additionally, QT Queenstown is launching its art space, dubbed Gallery 6, next Wednesday night.
The inaugural exhibition will feature the work of local artist Alexandra Weston, who’ll set the tone for the rotation of local art in the gallery.
