High steaks
Bloody Mary’s restaurant and Greenstone Creek prove the vital role of supplier relationships in beefing up performance.
Nestled in the heart of Christchurch at Rydges Latimer Hotel, Bloody Mary’s restaurant has made a name for itself as an iconic premier steakhouse and whisky lounge, renowned for its extensive grill menu, perfectly executed sides, and sophisticated but comfortable ambience.
But what makes an establishment iconic? Chef Chris Walker argues that while a beautiful space and a talented team are key ingredients, what ultimately sets the good apart from the great is one thing: consistency.
To ensure consistent quality in his ingredients, Chris places a lot of value on the importance of personal relationships with the suppliers, saying, “It goes beyond reliability of quality product, although that’s important, too. When I’m looking for suppliers for the restaurant, I want to have a deeper understanding of where the product comes from, how it’s cultivated, and the journey it takes before showing up here.
“But beyond that, I want to be able to pick up the phone and share a vision for a dish and let the suppliers contribute to its execution. The experience we create for diners is so much greater than the sum of its parts if we treat it more like a collaboration rather than simply placing an order.”
And Greenstone Creek, who supply the kitchen with grass-fed, free-range beef, feels the same.
“People tend to think of the supplier relationship as a very one-way, transactional affair,” says Greenstone Creek National Account Manager Rachel Chamberlain. “But it doesn’t have to be – in fact, it shouldn’t be. That’s why we like working with Chris and the team at Bloody Mary’s, because we’re invited into the process of creating dishes, so we can supply them with the best cuts for the job. In return, we trust them to really hero the product, and to do it justice on the plate. We know our exceptional cuts will be handled with expertise, so the customer experiences our product in the very best light, the way it was intended.”
Greenstone Creek is ANZCO Foods’ award-winning, premium grass-fed New Zealand beef brand, hand-selected and aged for exceptional tenderness and taste. Their Master Graders choose only the best grass-fed beef to wear the Greenstone Creek name, following a stringent selection process that considers marbling score (must be 4+ on selected steak cuts), pH levels, fat cover, and fat colour to deliver the ultimate eating experience to consumers every time.
Because so little beef meets the brand’s criteria, it is sold exclusively in the New Zealand domestic market and, even then, can only be found on the menu of a selection of New Zealand’s top restaurants, including Bloody Mary’s.
While the beef is undoubtedly the hero, it’s in good company; wild venison striploin, Akaroa salmon, and Canterbury lamb rump round out the menu. Each dish that comes from the kitchen can be expertly matched with a wine or whisky from the restaurant’s extensive beverage list. Not to be overlooked, the dessert menu holds its own, with the 70 per cent dark chocolate Rocher developing its own cult following amongst locals.
You’ll find Bloody Mary’s on the ground floor of the Rydges Latimer Hotel, 30 Latimer Square, Christchurch Central.