Kerr and Ladbroke Catering...

Willowbrook Park is excited to announce a new partnership with Kerr & Ladbrook, winner of the NZ Wedding Industry's Outstanding Caterer award 2016.

Photo by Christel Yardley

Above: Ryan & Jody Ladbrook and Lisa & David Kerr 

with Head Chef Phillip McClean.

Their reputation for excellence, freshness of ingredients, and the highest quality service is why they took out the country's top title, and makes them a natural pairing for Willowbrook Park.

Here is a taster of their menu options for Willowbrook Park...

Wedding Reception - Plated Option 1

-----Canapés-----

Sweet Corn Fritters

Corn & spring onion fritters w steamed prawns & a mango & avocado salsa

Mushroom Risotto Ball

Truffle oiled mushroom & parmesan risotto balls w pesto aioli

Pork Belly

Slow braised pork belly skewers & toasted peanut jungle salt

-----Breads on Table-----

A selection of warm dinner rolls served with flavoured butter

-----Plated Main Course-----

(Alternately served to guests)

Prime Beef Eye Fillet

Prime Beef Eye fillet w a mushroom & tarragon butter crust, potato Dauphinoise & merlot jus.

Chicken Roulade

Chicken & bacon wrapped roulade w a red kumara rosti & creamy mushroom puree

--Each main is complimented by a selection of fresh vegetables--

-----Centre Salad & Greens-----

Tossed Green Salad

Freshly picked baby spinach leaves, mesculin mixed salad greens, tiny cherry tomatoes and sweet red onions, lightly tossed with balsamic and virgin olive oil dressing

-----Dessert Canapés-----

(on table dessert stands or tray service if mix n mingle time)

Lemoncello, lemon curd & gingernut cheesecake bites

&

Chocolate cups filled with silky chocolate mousse

Platters of family supplied “Wedding cake” with

freshly brewed Willowbrook tea & coffee

Wedding Reception - Plated Option 2

-----Canapés-----

Lamb Bites

Dukkah & Dijon lamb bites w Lebanese yoghurt dip

Mushroom Risotto Balls

Truffle oiled mushroom & parmesan risotto balls w pesto aioli

Chicken Bruschetta

Smoked chicken, olive & semi dried tomato on olive oil brushed bruschetta

-----Set Entrée-----

Summer tomato bruschetta

Ciabatta Bruschetta w slow roasted & fresh tomatoes, beetroot puree, feta whip 

& balsamic olive oil drizzle.

-----Plated Mains-----

(Alternately served to guests)

NZ Lamb Fillet

Tender NZ Lamb fillet wrapped in prosciutto w pressed lamb shoulder, potato fondant, minted cremoulata & balsamic jus.

South Island Salmon

South Island Salmon marinated in Chermoula w a Cannellini & haricot bean mash, roasted tomato chutney & micro salad.

--Each main is complimented by a selection of fresh vegetables--

-----Centre Salad & Greens-----

Tossed Green Salad

Baby spinach & mixed salad greens, tiny cherry tomatoes, sweet red onions, 

balsamic & virgin olive oil dressing

-----Petit Four Dessert Platters-----

Dark chocolate & raspberry torte bites

Mango, lime & vanilla Italian meringue tarts

Baby spiced apple pies w mascarpone & rock sugar pastry crisp

 Platters of family supplied “Wedding cake” with

freshly brewed Willowbrook tea & coffee

Wedding Reception - Plated Option3

-----Canapés-----

Fresh Tuna

Fresh Tuna seared w sesame seeds on a salt crisp & a toasted nori mayonnaise

Chicken & Bacon Pate

Chicken & bacon pate on New York peppered crostini & red currant jelly

Pork Belly

Succulent slices of pork belly on crispy crouton & pear & fig chutney

Scallops

Pacific Rim scallops w a vanilla, cauliflower puree & crispy shallots 

-----Palate Cleanser-----

Fresh pineapple, honey dew melon & mint shot

-----Entrées-----

(Alternately served to guests)

Cold smoked Salmon

Cold smoked salmon w prosciutto, floral tea jelly, courgette ribbons & crispy capers

NZ Lamb Tenderloin

NZ Lamb tenderloin w exotic mushroom marinated w salsa Verde & a chervil Dijon vinaigrette

-----Plated Main course-----

(Alternately served to guests)

18 Hour Slow Roasted Scotch Fillet

18 hour Beef scotch fillet served medium rear w parmesan polenta chips, a green peppercorn Béarnaise sauce & hydro watercress

Fresh Market Fish

Fresh Market Fish w crushed lemon & herb potatoes, seasonal greens, tomato & olive cheek concasse & saffron Beurre blanc

--Each main is complimented by a selection of fresh vegetables--

-----Centre Salad & Greens-----

Tossed Green Salad

Baby spinach leaves, mesculin greens, tiny cherry tomatoes and sweet red onions, 

lightly tossed with balsamic and virgin olive oil dressing

-----Dessert-----

Chocolate Decadence

Decadent dark chocolate torte w forest berries & vanilla crème fraiche

Platters of family supplied “Wedding cake” with

freshly brewed Willowbrook tea & coffee  

Wedding Reception - Buffet Option 1

-----Canapés-----

Baby tartlets

Roast red pepper, caramelized onion & feta tartlet

Lamb Palmiers

Sweet onion puff pastry Palmier w NZ lamb tenderloin & a mint & walnut pesto

Prawn on a Blini

Citrus steamed prawns w ginger, micro cilantro crème & mini blini

-----Buffet Mains-----

Meats

Roasted Chicken Thighs

Grilled chicken thigh with Thai coconut & coriander curry & topped with golden toasted almonds

Prime Beef sirloin

Prime beef sirloin w a Dijon, thyme crust & red onion jus

South Island Salmon

South Island salmon w a roasted tomato & lime chutney

-----Salads & Vegetables-----

Rosemary & Garlic Roasted Potatoes

Rubbed with sea salt, fresh rosemary and garlic and roasted in virgin olive oil until golden crisp

Greek Salad

Greek styled salad of cucumber, red tomato & capsicum, black olives, feta & basil leaves

Kumara, Avocado & Green bean Salad

Roast Kumara, avocado & green bean salad w honey & mustard dressing

Seasonal Greens

Wok tossed seasonal greens w a hoisin, sesame & ginger sauce

Hand-picked Green Leaf Salad

Baby beet, rocquette & mizuna leaf salad finished with pickled red onion and chardonnay vinaigrette

-----Breads-----

A local selection of freshly baked breads served with flavoured butter

-----Dessert Platters-----

Lemon & lime mini tarts w mascarpone

Orange poppy cakes w chocolate ganache & pistachio crumb

Petit Pavlovas topped w cream & seasonal berry compote

Wedding Reception - Buffet Option 2

-----Canapés-----

Herbed potato cake, cold smoked salmon, dill crème fraiche & Sango sprouts

Fresh cherry tomato, basil pesto, feta cream on a poppy seed tortilla crisp

Korma spiced prawn tails w a refreshing yoghurt dip

Chicken & bacon pate on New York peppered crostini & red currant jelly

-----Palate Cleanser-----

Fresh pineapple, honey dew melon & mint shot

-----Buffet Mains-----

Meats

Oven Roasted Salmon

South Island Salmon, boned & roasted in our kitchen, glazed with bush honey, soy & sweet chilli

Char Roast Eye Fillet

Eye fillet of beef marinated, char-roast cooked to medium rare served beautifully tender with our own tomato chilli jam

Roasted Chicken Thighs

Oven roasted crispy skinned chicken thighs, lightly drizzled with a spiced cream sauce

& topped with golden toasted almonds

-----Salads & Vegetables-----

Potatoes w Garlic Aioli

Gourmet baby potatoes roasted with garlic aioli

Roasted Pumpkin

Roasted pumpkin w crunchy pumpkin seeds, rocket, & creamy feta drizzle

Orzo Pasta

Orzo pasta w semi dried tomato, parsley & almond pesto

Cauliflower Salad

Char grilled cauliflower, toasted cashews, baby spinach & creamy feta mayo

Greek Salad

Moroccan pearl barley w honeyed baby carrots, pine nuts, currents & a Caper Verde dressing

Hand-picked Green Leaf Salad

Baby beet, rocquette & mizuna leaf salad finished with pickled red onion and a chardonnay vinaigrette

-----Breads-----

A local selection of freshly baked breads served with flavoured butter

-----Dessert Platters-----

Petit Pavlova w vanilla cream & raspberry compote

Chocolate brownie bites w white chocolate ganache & walnuts

Lemoncello, lemon curd & gingernut cheesecake

Mmmm, Yum Yum!

Website Launch...

This Easter we officially launched our new website:

www.willowbrookpark.co.nz

We shall of course, continue blogging at willowbrookpark.blogspot.com; but are now open for bookings and enquiries through our shiny new portal.

Thank you for all our loyal reader who have followed the progress over the years. We will not dispoint you - we will still share the best of our daily exploits with you here on the blog; but please spread the word far and wide that we are open and ready for you!

David and Peter.

The 'Big Reveal'...

Above: The courtyard with the pond, awaiting placement of the fountain in the centre and some goldfish.

Well, the first Wedding was a huge success with a very happy bride and groom and family. Everyone seemed to have a great night, and it was Peter's and my pleasure to host such a wonderful event. So, with our first event behind us we can now start to share all the progress over the past few months. Because I'm a bit of a tease I'm going to reveal a little bit more everyday until you have seen everything, so for the next fortnight please stop by for your daily dose of dazzling beauty as we unveil Willowbrook Park.

 Day One: The Foyer

Welcome inside the front doors to the foyer. Trevor is busy arranging flowers ahead of the wedding...

What a wonderful job. The flowers were from the gardens at Willowbrook, as well as from my Grandmother's garden. In the background you can see the 2 framed etchings I bought in Dubbo of classical urns. They are paired with a display case flanking either side of the front door, and a bronze and ormolu winged urn continuing the classical motifs. I am going to use the cases to display our intaglio collection, which is too large to frame, and will look quite dramatic on the backdrop of the red felt which is lining the bottom of the display cases.

Above: View towards The China Room and the hallway towards The Dining Room. You can just catch a glimpse of the chandelier above.

Below: Another arrangement on a little gilt wood table in the spiral nook of the staircase. In time this is where our replica of the rape of the Sabines will stand.

 Below: A view of the foyer from the entrance to the Salon.

Below: A view down into the foyer from the staircase.

Time for lights out. Sleep well. Come back tomorrow to see more of the chandelier and how they raised the 6 foot crystal colossus up into the dome.

Gala Opening and Royal Fireworks...

We are having fun planning the gala opening for this November. How precipitous given that we are a way off finishing yet!

Dress: Cravat Noir.

Guest list: Hand picked family and friends.

Donations at the door for our selected charity.

Invitations ready to be sent to the engravers.

Champagne in the cellar.

Canapes and Caterer chosen.

Floral arrangements planned.

Music chosen, and String Quartet arranged to play the rejouissance from Handel's Music for the Royal Fireworks at 10pm for a firework display. 

The pyrotechnics will be launched from the upstairs terrace whilst the guests enjoy them from the cocktail lawn below. Hopefully the evening will be more successful than the actual Royal fireworks display in 1749, arrange by George II to celebrate the end of the Austrian Wars of Succession. It rained for the entire time, and the stage, erected in Green Park for the display and musicians, caught fire!

The Hotel Inspector...

Peter and I have watched enough episodes of The Hotel Inspector to be able to put WBP through the Alex Polizzi critique before we open, which is useful. There is a perverse enjoyment in watching some of the cringe making hotels and B&Bs that Ms Polizzi has to endure. And like her predecessor Ruth Watson, she is not afraid to tell it like it is, which is also often amusing (her line to one couple stating their idea was "like the bastard child of a thousand maniacs" made me chuckle).

So, at present we are busy choosing ingredients for our breakfasts, costing them out per head, settling on an appealing presentation which says 'wholesome homegrown traditional English with a modern twist for the discerning palette' (quite a lot for a plate to say really). 

We have also been working on the menu and website wording; deciding what necessities and luxuries should be included in each guest room; what should be kept on stand by for requests; what level of service our guests would expect; and what is a pointless money sink (i.e. the out dated minibar of many a faded hotel). 

Our point of difference is that we offer an intimate boutique experience where very few guests have the run of a very large and well appointed estate. The wedding and event venue aspect aside, our core business as a luxury lodge is at the end of the day provision of a bed and breakfast. Guests should have the best night's sleep followed by the best breakfast they've ever enjoyed in a setting of unparalleled beauty with elegant unobtrusive hospitality.

The Bed Part

Guests will stay in five star luxury in one of the manor house's three themed suites. Each suite has been impeccably finished, from the hand-carved furniture and luxurious soft furnishings, to the fine art and antiques curated from our private collection which complement each elegant interior.

Named after famous English country houses, The Chatsworth, Blenheim, and Brideshead Suites will offer all the traditional elegance and luxury of their namesakes. Furnished with authentic Georgian furniture, fine silks, and original art by artists such as Chagall and Picasso. A night at Willowbrook will always be a night to remember. 

Each of our exquisitely appointed suites includes:

·         A fruit basket and complimentary bottle of champagne.

·      Hand carved beds dressed with the finest quality bed linens from around the world.

·         Fresh cut flowers from our gardens.

·         Art and antiques curated from the Willowbrook Park collection.

·         Air-conditioning with in-room climate control.

·         Fully complimentary gourmet snacks.

·         Espresso machine.

·  Pillow menu to select the ideal pillow for your stay. (Upon booking you can choose from soft Goose down, firm fibre and hypoallergenic pillows).

·         Iron and Ironing Board

·         Nightly turn down service

Our suites will also feature the latest in modern technology to suit the requirements of all guests whether they are travelling for business or pleasure. This includes:

·         Complimentary WiFi.

·    An iPad with internet access and a variety of apps including subscriptions to international  magazines and the Willowbrook Park app for guest convenience.

·         In room Bluetooth audio system.

·         Flat screen TV with access to digitally stored and live streaming media.

·         Phone with complimentary local and national calls.

·         Conveniently placed bedside USB charging sockets.

·         Printing and Business Services

Every room has a beautiful and well-appointed marble ensuite with elegant Rowe and Perrin fixtures including powerful invigorating shower-heads and deep tubs for a relaxing soak. Every stay  includes:

·      An exclusive Molton Brown toiletry hamper for a truly pampered experience.

·      Additional spa items available upon request

·     Slippers, robes and brollies provided for the duration of your stay (and for purchase if desired).

The Breakfast Part
The mark of distinction of a Willowbrook breakfast is its freshness: the fact that you can see the animals being ethically farmed, see where the eggs are collected daily and the seasonal produce is plucked from the ground. 

Above: Full English from Pinterest

Willowbrook Breakfast

This hearty cooked breakfast is a contemporary take on the classic full English using only home grown and locally sourced produce. It includes home baked artisan breads, beef sausages, bacon and free range eggs all from Willowbrook Farm, served with  fresh seasonal produce from our potager garden.

Continental Buffet

Guests can help themselves from a wide range of wholesome cereals, pastries and homemade breads served with fruit from our orchard. The buffet is served with a variety of fresh juices, homemade preserves, teas and coffee.

We also hope that our many finer acts of hospitality will provide pleasurable memories for guests, such as cocktail hour, where guests are invited to join their hosts and watch the glorious sunset over the park whilst enjoying a complimentary cocktail and canapés in the Grand Salon or on The Terrace.

We will be subjected to the same 'Hotel Inspector' treatment when the officer from Qualmark comes to accredit us for our star rating under the "Boutique and Lodge" category. We will be hoping to get an endorsement such as this:

So, with the unutterable words of Ms Polizzi ringing in our heads we will ensure that everything surpasses the inspector's standards next year when he or she pays us a visit.

Manor House Update...

We are now exactly 1/3 of the way through the build and the roof for the manor has just been laid...

Last week the timber trusses and framing were completed in preparation for the roof, as well as the courtyard area and foundations for the carriage house and chapel...

We are tracking on time and on budget so far. I have watched enough Grand Designs to know that is quite something (hope I'm not speaking too soon...)

 Below: Some pictures of the raised cocktail lawn starting to take shape (taken prior to the roof going on)...

Construction Progress: Week 12...

The masonry is almost up to the first floor. It is hard to get a scale of the Manor from the photos, and it certainly looks surprisingly small at this stage, but we are assured by many who have built houses before that they always look small when they are being built, and once they are finished and plastered they look more like one would expect. The width across the front of the house (below) is 36 metres (120 feet).

Below: View of the South Facade (Front of Manor House) from across the courtyard:

 

From left to right: Gold Drawing Room, Biliard Room, Foyer, China Room, and Dining Room.

Architect's Model and Elevation of same:

Below: Views of the North Facade:

Kitchen far left, Ballroom far right, and the Informal Entertainment Area in between, all opening out onto the North Terrace.

 Architect's Elevation of same:

Below: View of the West Facade, with the Ballroom on the left and Gold Drawing Room on the right The width of the manor in this view is 20 metres (66 feet):

 Architect's Elevation of same:

Below: The view of the East Facade, with Dining room on left and Kitchen on right:

Architect's Elevation of same:

 Above and Below: Panoramic views of the Informal Entertainment Area looking over the North Terrace

Below: 360 degree video of the Foyer

The Entrance Begins...

And so, the work on the entrance has begun. It started with removing the fence along the road frontage, removing the Black Walnut tree to the left of the driveway, re-centring the driveway (which will involve shifting the avenue of plane trees 3m to the left this winter), and starting to put in the footings for the wall.

Above and Below: The Black Walnut tree

Above and Below: Removing the Leiland hedge (Temporarily) which I had planted on the day of the royal wedding.

Below: The Walnut being felled...

Above: Morning

Below: Next Afternoon

It was a shame that the Black Walnut had to go. I don't like cutting down trees, but it was right in the way, and it was quite old (branches would usually fall down during high winds). It will be replaced by a pair of weeping willows on either side of the entrance. But to assuage my guilt further, I called the local wood turners' association and offered the wood to them. Black Walnut can make some stunning pieces, and it would have only ended up as firewood otherwise...

 

 Above: Planks of Black Walnut

Below: Some turned Black Walnut

 Pity there was not quite enough to make a black walnut counter top...