A TASTE OF THINGS TO COME

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Perhaps you are curious about the large, fluid-shaped building that is sprouting up next to Cathedral Square? If so, head along to the ‘Taste of Te Pae’ pop-up next to our city’s emerging new convention centre. 

You’ll get to sample cuisine from the Te Pae Christchurch Convention Centre menu, take a virtual reality tour of the impressive new facility, and learn about the types of events that are due to be hosted here when it opens later this year. 

Te Pae Christchurch General Manager Ross Steele says the pop-up has been developed with locals in mind. 

Ross says he gets a lot of questions about the centre and what it means for Christchurch. 

“Convention centres are designed to bring in visitors and boost the economy, but they also exist to serve the cities they are built-in,” Ross said. 

“One of the meanings of our name ‘Te Pae’ is a place where people can gather. Along with being a showcase of the very best of Canterbury, we truly want Te Pae Christchurch to be a place where the community can come and share ideas, celebrate together, or learn something new.” 

The pop-up, which is located on the south side of the convention centre site on the Oxford Terrace promenade, includes a food truck and interactive displays. A virtual reality dome features Te Pae Christchurch’s walkthrough developed by local company Jix Reality. There is also information about the centre’s design, cultural narrative and role in the community. 

The food truck, manned by Te Pae Christchurch’s Executive Chef Desmond Davies, features food from the centre’s canapé and full-day menus, designed with an emphasis on locally sourced produce. 

There is a nominal charge for food, with all profits donated to Te Pae Christchurch’s charity partner, Cholmondeley Children’s Centre. Special culinary collaborations with local suppliers are also being planned to further highlight the incredible products on offer in Canterbury. 

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Te Pae Christchurch staff from across the business are on hand to answer questions, meet prospective clients or talk about employment opportunities ahead of the upcoming recruitment drive. 

“We’ve designed the pop-up to be a true reflection of Te Pae Christchurch’s service standards, design and food,” says Ross. “It’s been created using equipment, such as the food truck and outdoor furniture that will feature in the centre once open.” 

With the business events industry working off long lead times, often 2–3 years in advance, Ross says it’s important Te Pae Christchurch is in the market, showcasing what the centre can do while growing demand, so that when the markets open up, “we can play our role in Christchurch’s post-COVID recovery.” 

The pop-up will be open to the public four days a week, from Wednesday to Saturday between 11am and 3pm on weekdays and 10am to 3pm on Saturday, through until 15 May. 

Keep an eye on Te Pae Christchurch’s Facebook page for information on weekly menus and special events, such as culinary collaborations and recruitment sessions. 

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