22 February 2010

To: Chris Bindon
Subject: Keri and Marks wedding Friday 19 Feb

 

Dear Chris and Team,

 

We were guests at the above wedding and felt we must congratulate you and your wonderful team for such an outstanding food and quality of service. Your team members displayed excellent customer service, with an approach which was warm and friendly but professional. It made for a memorable day !

 

Thanks again

 

Best wishes

 

Julie and Gary

26 October 2009

To: Chris Bindon

Subject: Wedding at The Winehouse

 

Hey Chris

 

We wanted to express our sincere appreciation for the fantastic service we received from yourself and your staff during our recent wedding at The Winehouse.

 

From the start you made me feel that everything was under control and nothing was a problem.  I appreciated your advice on all aspects of the day.

 

We have received rave reviews from all our guests regarding the food and the courtesy that your staff extended to our guests.

 

I would highly recommend The Winehouse as a fantastic function venue.

The atmosphere, views, gardens etc make it very special.

 

Thanks once again Chris - it was great!!

 

As usual, I will be making sure that our guests staying here at Cranbury Court are informed about The Winehouse and the wonderful facilities/food etc you have to offer.

 

Here's to a great Summer season!!

 

Kind regards

Marama

1st October 2009

Dear Chris,

Now that the dust has settled and the house is quiet, my first task is to write to you.

I simply do not know where to begin to say thank you.

You were so easy to deal with and you made Kate feel very special, anything she wanted, did not seem to be a problem for you.

Shona was amazing, so calm and the evening ran so well, not once, did I wonder how things were going; she seemed to be there and in control at every turn.

The wait staff were pleasant and smiling, the food flowed and no one had an empty glass.

The food; we have had so many letters and emails of thanks and every one of them refers to the outstanding food. It really was delicious.

 

As Kate is our only daughter, we only had one chance at having a great wedding and you made that happen for us. Gary and I thank you so much.

Yours sincerely

Trudy

March 2009

Dear Chris and Team,

Thank you so much for an awesome evening.

The food was fabulous and commented on by all the guests and the service was spot on, we cannot recommend you highly enough!

See you soon for a spot of lunch

Zuz and Stu

26 January 2009

Dear Chris,

 

My partner and I visited the Winehouse and Kitchen in January this year. I wanted to let you know that we enjoyed possibly the best breakfast we’ve had – so much so that we were on your doorstop the next morning at 10am. I can tell you that had we not had a midday flight out of Queenstown that day, we would still have been with you for lunch.  

 

The concentration of quality dining options in your part of the world makes our travel plans (which are always made meticulously around an eating and drinking itinerary) a true dilemma in Central Otago, so please take our decision to return the next day as the best compliment we can give.

 

Your team is truly to be congratulated on two faultless meals, both matched effortlessly by warm and professional service. Our next visit to NZ in November will be at a more leisurely pace and a long lunch at the Winehouse & Kitchen our number one priority.  

 

Thanks again,

 

Vikki & Alex.

12 January 2009

Dear Chris

I am writing to thank you for providing a delightful lunch that my husband and I enjoyed recently at your restaurant. I ordered (and definitely ate) the Chardonnay platter, and I was particularly impressed with your pork terrine and the confit pork belly on a warm pea and mint puree. My husband had the lamb ragout… and I made sure that I had a sample of that also.

With my job and overwhelming interest in food and wine, I want to congratulate you on providing a product that perfectly fits both the setting and accompanying wines. I visit New Zealand regularly and have to say that the south island is more food tourism oriented with a better standard of food in restaurants overall (and I eat out a lot….).

If you could see your way clear to providing any of the mentioned recipes, I would be very much appreciative. Although I no longer cook professionally, I still recognise good food when I taste it. My thanks on a great luncheon experience, and I will be mentioning the venue to my friends and colleagues wanting to visit the region.

Regards Denise

12th January 2009

Hey Chris

We just wanted to say a huge thank  you for Saturday night.  We had a fantastic day and everything was perfect.  Thank you to you and all your staff at the Winehouse for all that you did to make our day so special.  You were all brilliant to deal with and very accommodating.  All our guests were raving about the food, surroundings and service, so thank you again for everything you did.
We will be back to sample some more of your lovely food and enjoy the views.

Regards
Maria and Garth

13th December 2008
 

My husband and I were lucky enough to venture down to Central Otago for a week last month, and were spoilt in our first meal down there by having lunch in your restaurant which turns out to have been the highlight of our trip! We are telling all of our friends that the Winehouse and Kitchen is not to be missed if they head down your way!

 

Now that we’re back to the reality of being home, I am trying to think of something special to do for Christmas dinner and thought I’d be sneaky and see if it’s possible to get the recipe of the fabulous agria potato and confit duck dish we had on the Pinot Noir platter as it so fresh and appealing. Is this something your chef would be prepared to share with us so that we show all of our Wellington friends what they are missing out on? We’re also hoping that the beetroot in our garden will be ready by Christmas to go into an orzo salad.

 

Thanks and regards

 

Rebekah

5th November 2008

Hi Chris,

Please pass on a big thank you to Henry (for having us at his venue) and all of the staff. We had a wonderful time when we played there a week or so ago. Thank you also for the wondrous wine which went down ever so well.

Hopefully we will be returning to New Zealand so may be able to do it again.

Cheers di bird


13th October 2008

Dear Chris, Kirsten & Alex,

On behalf of myself, Grazza, Simon and Nicola, we would like to thank you for the fantastic day we had on Saturday 6th September. Not only did we have gorgeous weather and a super venue but the food, wine and fantastic service provided by the Winehouse made it a very successful party. We have received rave reviews by numerous guests on every aspect of the Winehouse.

Thank you all very much. Sorry it has taken so long for us to thank you Grazza and I left the next day for a change of scenery and arrived back last week. Please pass on our thanks to all staff involved.

With kind regards,

Shirl, New Zealand

18th September 2008

Dear Chris,

I wish to thank you so very much for the wonderful cooking demonstration and scrummy lunch you gave our group of women last Thursday. It was a fantastic beginning to our conference and the ladies raved about the experience. I just know many of them will be trying to replicate the recipes in their own kitchens & enjoying your wines! I do hope you have the opportunity of doing this again for others as you are a 'natural' at presenting & you have a magical location to showcase your food & wines. All the very best & many many thanks for all your work, & time, you gave me.

Regards, Mary

August 2008

 

The Cuisine 100 of the Best New Zealand Restaurants 2008 Guide rates The Winehouse & Kitchen as 4 stars and gave us the following review:

 "The rugged Kawarau Gorge makes an impressive Central Otago setting for this farmhouse-style restaurant. Elegant yet rustic food proves more than a match for the admirable wines of owners Henry van Asch and Tom Hutchison. Chef Chris Bindon and his team focus on sourcing the best local ingredients, with the freshest of vegetables and herbs from their kitchen gardens, eggs from their on-site chooks and the finest from other local producers.
The courtyard of this charming 100-year-old farmhouse is the place to dine when weather permits. Potager gardens are themed to wine varietals, echoed in the exceptional platters designed to match the various wines made by the owners' labels: van Asch wines, Hutchison's Rock Ferry (grown in Marlborough) and their joint label, Freefall, named in honour of the neighbouring Kawarau Bridge Bungy. The staff are engaging and friendly, and their wine knowledge and wine recommendations excellent."

18 May 2008
Subject: Compliments to the Chef

8 April 2008
Subject: A very belated thanks!

Dear Kirsten 

First, very belated but heartfelt thanks for your generous hospitality when we brought our friends to the Wine House and Kitchen – they were blown away and I must say I was too. The neat thing is that they expected NZ to be a one off holiday of a lifetime. Instead, they are now planning their return trip. Had they come a few years ago, I am pretty sure they’d have been joining the immigration line.

We had a brilliant lunch with you guys and my one regret is that Elaine and I don’t live closer. We’d be regulars for sure. There was no need for you to shout the drinks, since I think your tariffs are more than reasonable – but you gave us super service and we can’t stop smiling when we talk about the visit so sincere thanks!

Hope it’s not too long before we can make it back over your way and very keen to while away time in your courtyard. I remain deeply impressed and very grateful at the privileges you’ve given us when we visit.

Kindest 

Graham, New Zealand

17 March 2008
Subject: A big thank you

Hi Kirsten and Alex,

It’s taken so long to get round to finishing all our thank you cards and letters and it could never be complete without thanking the A TEAM at the Winehouse & Kitchen. You guys rock. You two made everything a breeze, Kirsten - from the first time we sat down and had a glass of wine with you last year, and Alex to the very end of our wedding night. We absolutely loved the food, lots of people commented on it, it was perfect. I must say by my Third piece of Strawberry Cheesecake I was sufficiently satisfied! And the crackling, ah the crackling… The service was great, having worked lots of functions years ago I can confidently say it was first rate. Alex was a dynamo. I loved that she kept our drinks topped up all night on top of all her other duties. A real nice touch and the icing on the cake. It was very special having someone give us such personal attention.

The layout was great. Thanks for your guidance there, it was logical and worked very well. The whole venue was cool and I still didn’t get to spend much time out by the fire. The evening just seemed to disappear so quickly and we couldn’t get enough.

Thank you all, including all the chefs and the gardener, and all others behind the scenes for making our wedding day so special. We’ll remember if forever.

Cheers

Dan and Rachael, New Zealand

5 March 2008
Subject:Party March 1st

Hi Kirsten

Just wanted to let you know that everyone had a wonderful time on Saturday night at Michael's birthday. There were many compliments about the venue, the food and particularly the staff that looked after us. Please pass on our comments and a big thank you to you all for making this occasion so enjoyable.

Best regards

Anne, Ontario




10 February 2008
Subject: Function last Friday evening

Afternoon Kirsten,

Just wanted to say that I have had nothing but positive feedback about the dinner and the service on Friday evening.  It went well as you had assured me.  Pity I never got to check out your venue - but maybe next time.  Many thanks again for your help.

Kind Regards

Kim, New Zealand

11 December 2007
Subject: Re: Time

Hi Kirsten

Just wanted to say a BIG thankyou for having my group of Senior Citizens for lunch on the 28th November.  The meal was delicious and your staff looked after us beautifully. Everyone enjoyed their outing, so will see you again sometime next year!

Happy Christmas and best wishes for 2008.

Helen, New Zealand

11 June 2007

 

Just a quick note to say thank you so much for your kind hospitality on Friday on behalf of Alanah and myself!

 

The highlight was definately the wonderful lunch and wine tasting at the Winehouse and Kitchen! Such a fab setup and either nice and casual if you want a platter and some wine or something more formal too if you want a serious lunch (or breakfast!). Was great to see in person and will pass on my comments to the teams here.

 

Thanks again for your kind hospitality, lovely to catch up with you both and thank you also for the gift of wine at the end. I know Alanah has taken her's back to London!

Look forward to catching up next time you are in Auckland.

 

Thanks and kind regards

Anna, New Zealand

3^rd January 2007
Subject: Perfection

Just got back to Sydney and we were both compelled to write and congratulate you on the most amazing lunch experience we had at your establishment on New Year’s Eve (day).

We arrived unannounced and were made to feel welcome, even though you were unsure if we could e accommodated. We had the gnocchi and fish pie and both dishes knocked our socks off. We eat out all the time, these meals were top class. 10.

Washed down with several glasses, various years, of the van Asch Pinot Noir. Again, top class. 10. Brought a supply to take away – hope you have distribution in inner Sydney!

Service, again, 10. The three staff who served us were fabulous. Switch on, friendly, efficient and thoughtful. As  an owner of a business in Sydney, I know how difficult it is to have staff reflect a company’s vision. Yours do.

The venue itself and the scenery – perfection. The sun even came out, it was warm. Unreal, 10!

Lastly, and this may seem insignificant, but I drink long blacks. Your establishment is the first in YEARS to produce it properly… a double shot with hot water on the side. Well done, can’t believe it, 10 again!

We hope that you and your business thrive and we look forward to visiting you again.

Jen & Julian, Australia

19 December 2006
Subject: RE: Christmas Party

Hi Kirsten,

I just wanted to drop you an email to say thank you for all your help in organising our Christmas function.  Everyone had a great night and we were very impressed with the stunning venue.  The staff made us all feel very welcome and provided excellent service and the food was great, so please thank the chef and kitchen staff for us. 

Thanks once again and have a great Christmas and New Year.

Claire, New Zealand

4 December 2006
Subject: Friday Night

Thanks Kirsten for a great night on Friday, everyone thoroughly enjoyed themselves.  You have great staff and an amazing venue.

Regards,

Sarah, New Zealand

23 August 2006

Hi Kirsten

Just wanted to say a big THANK YOU! to you and all of your staff.

The food was great and the service awesome. Everyone was saying how great the venue and food was. Also , thanks again for sorting out the rugby, this made for a very entertaining evening.  People were still talking about it on Sunday afternoon!!

Have a good week

Regards  

Alison

18 August 2006
Subject: Wedding Videos at Winehouse and Kitchen

Hi Kirsten

Firstly, I've been meaning to email and let you know how much my partner and I enjoyed dinner at the Winehouse and Kitchen the other night.  It was absolutely magnificent, and the staff had nothing but praise for the entire evening.  The vege main course was without doubt the best vegetarian meal I've ever been served in a restaurant.  

Overall I would rate the evening 10 out of 10.  We go out for dinner twice a year and seriously, everything was magnificent, right down to the Rolf Harris Annual!  So big thanks to you and your crew.

Thanks again for a great evening!

Kind regards,

Michelle, New Zealand

14 August 2006
Subject: Thanks

Kirsten,

Thanks for the fabulous lunch on Saturday. It still rated Number 1 even after dinner at Saffron!!!

We had a great fun weekend and your efforts to contribute to that are much appreciated!

Kind Regards,

Sharron, New Zealand

6 August 2006
Subject: THANK YOU!!!

Hi, Kirsten.
I just wanted to thank you and your team for doing such a fantastic job on Friday night. All of the feedback has been very positive.Everyone had a wonderful time. They enjoyed the food, wine and hospitality. It was a great suggestion to set up a TV and movies for the children in the conference room. They loved it and it gave their parents a chance to socialise with fewer interruptions.

I can personally attest that every dish was wonderful. We couldn't have asked for more.

Thank you for all of your hard work on our behalf.

All the best.

Susan, New Zealand

1 May 2006
Subject:  Re: Winehouse & Kitchen - Queenstown

Just got back from NZ and we went to the Winehouse!  It is awesome...wonderful staff and amazing food and wine ­ perfect for small groups.  We had lunch there after the bungy!  The room is all decked out to look like an original 'front room' - lovely wood paneling and gorgeous comfy leather furniture with a roaring fire.....just what we needed after a bungy in the rain! Check it out if you have time! 

Cheers for now

Kate, United States of America