Tourism NZ withheld further details of how the money is being spent, citing commercial sensitivities. <\/p>\n
Seven new jobs and a doubled waitlist <\/p>\n
Queenstown\u2019s Essence, which is found inside luxury hotel ROKI Collection, was the only New Zealand restaurant to receive two Michelin stars. <\/p>\n
ROKI Collection general manager Stephen McAteer said its waitlist had doubled from about four tables a night to eight. <\/p>\n
He said for the next four months, the restaurant was running at almost full capacity, with staff calling people on the waitlist as soon as tables became available. <\/p>\n
McAteer said they had hired another seven team members since receiving its stars. <\/p>\n
Food from the 10-course Journey tasting menu at Essence.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe award has allowed us to create more jobs and attract hospitality professionals who see New Zealand as a place where they can enjoy the lifestyle while building their careers in a Michelin Guide restaurant.\u201d <\/p>\n
In Wellington, Logan Brown managing director Steve Logan said bookings initially surged by about 25% to 30%. <\/p>\n
He said while the spike had since eased, forward bookings were \u201cthickening up\u201d weeks ahead, and the restaurant had employed another fulltime waiter. <\/p>\n
It is also preparing to reopen on Tuesdays, taking the restaurant back to six days a week after dropping to five during Covid-19. <\/p>\n
Logan said much of the immediate uplift had come from locals being reminded about the restaurant following its Michelin star, rather than international visitors. <\/p>\n
He expected the overseas impact to become clearer in summer. <\/p>\n
Record winter trading <\/p>\n
At Christchurch\u2019s Inati, co-owner Lisa Levy said 80 bookings arrived in the first half-hour after the Michelin announcement. <\/p>\n
She said the restaurant was now full every night and regularly booked several weeks ahead. <\/p>\n
Levy said before getting the star, domestic customers typically booked between a few days and a couple of weeks in advance. <\/p>\n
She said the restaurant was already receiving forward bookings through to March from international visitors. <\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019re seeing people planning their New Zealand holidays around dining at Michelin-recognised restaurants,\u201d she said. <\/p>\n
Levy said Inati has increased staffing, is opening later during winter and has been able to retain staff throughout the traditionally quieter season. <\/p>\n
She said increased restaurant demand was also flowing down to its suppliers. <\/p>\n
Auckland\u2019s Ahi has been fully booked every day since the Michelin announcement, according to co-owner Chris Martin. <\/p>\n
He said website traffic increased so dramatically in the first week that its web developer initially thought the site was being hit by bots. <\/p>\n
Martin said the restaurant recorded its busiest July and was tracking towards a record August, and staffing had increased to meet demand. <\/p>\n
International payoff may take longer<\/p>\n