Perched high above the sea on an idyllic gently sloping hillside in the Bay of Islands is Paroa Bay Winery and Estate. A boutique vineyard, two luxury villas, and two beautifully crafted off-grid cabins (soon to open) are dotted around the vast estate; at their heart is award-winning Sage Restaurant. We sat down with head chef Dan Fraser to find out more about the menu, which is putting Northland firmly at the top of the culinary map.
Looking out from the al fresco dining area at Sage, the views are consuming. Here, the experience is about the remote beauty; the pristine natural environment, the fresh sea air, and the decadence of escape.
It’s these experiences that inform Dan’s carefully curated seasonal menu, which is underpinned by the abundance of fresh, locally sourced ingredients from land and sea. His is a uniquely creative brand of New Zealand cuisine — there’s an unabashed pride for his region that emanates from every dish.
Seafood is sustainably fished and line-caught, produce is collected from growers down the road or the expansive on-site gardens — often, it’s hand-picked by Dan’s team; there’s a deep connection with the natural environment that is hard to rival. “Our chefs work to strike the perfect balance between creative flair and allowing the ingredients to be savoured as they are,” Dan tells us.
With all dishes thoughtfully matched with wines from Paroa Bay Winery, the culinary journey at Sage is full circle, not dissimilar to Dan’s career. He began his days in the culinary world in the kitchen at Euro, working under Simon Gault as a senior sous chef. When he decided to make the move north, he was appointed to oversee the kitchens of The Duke of Marlborough Hotel, Charlotte’s Kitchen, and Eagles Nest as executive chef, before taking over at Sage. “I appreciate the intimacy of working at Sage compared to large-scale venues. Sage allows me more time to add extra value to the dishes we create. Having gardens on site at the restaurant and around the vineyard has been amazing to experiment with while lowering our purchasing footprint and providing the best quality fresh produce.”
It’s this that has driven Dan to expand his repertoire with local ingredients. “I’m passionate about working with local suppliers, and since moving to the area I have dedicated a lot of time to creating relationships with the amazing growers and producers in our region. Living in a semi-tropical climate allows us to grow a wide variety of produce abundantly.”
In terms of Dan’s top dishes, Ruakaka farmed pāua is at the top of the list. “Our farmed Ruakaka blue pāua fritter with celery, apple, and preserved lemon soured cream has been a constant feature on our menu, as has our Fiordland crayfish risotto with fennel, jalapeño cream and squid ink sago wafers, which was the first dish I put on the menu. I wanted a standout feature dish and I haven’t been able to remove it as it’s consistently the most sought after.”
Dan’s commitment to locality is evident, but it’s the carefully layered elements that shine; kūmara rēwena bread with Rawhiti honey butter and Paroa Bay salt, for example. As the Cuisine Good Food Awards 2023/2024 judges, who awarded Sage One Hat, put it: “It doesn’t get more local than that … It’s the wise diner who visits Sage.” Sitting here taking in the breathtaking backdrop, and savouring the invigorating botanicals of a Paroa Bay Sauvignon Blanc, or the light and engaging creamy peach and apricot tones of a Paroa Bay Rosé over a long lunch or intimate dinner, it’s not hard to see why Sage has received its many accolades.
Win an $11,000 luxury weekend for four at Paroa Bay
Includes:
– Two nights luxury accommodation at Tarāpunga Villa for up to four people
– Dinner at award-winning Sage Restaurant with wine pairing
– In-villa private chef dinner with wine pairing
– Daily breakfast provisions
– Welcome bottle of Louis Roederer Champagne
To go in the draw, enter your details below and make sure you’re following @paroabaywinery and @homemagazine.nz on Instagram:
Travel and transfers are not included. Winner must stay at Paroa Bay Winery before 11 December 2025. Bookings are subject to availability.
By entering, you agree to receiving occasional email communications from Nook Publishing and Paroa Bay Winery/The Lindis Group
