THE BUSH TABLE

Forest • Feast • Fire

THIS ISN’T A RESTAURANT. IT’S A GATHERING.

Hidden deep within the native bush at Te Aratipi Station, The Bush Table brings food, fire, people and place together.

A journey out of town and onto the land—through paddocks and beneath the native canopy—where generous food, country hospitality and a little wildness collide.

Join us on Saturday 5 December 2026 for our first public long lunch. Just 25 minutes from Havelock North, yet a world away from the everyday.

FOREST

A walk beneath the canopy, through native bush and towering limestone, to a table hidden from view.

FEAST

A seasonal menu celebrating the best of Hawke’s Bay, served generously and shared around one long table.

FIRE

Locally farm-raised meat and seasonal produce, cooked over live fire in front of you.

THE JOURNEY

From town to table—and back again.

01 — LEAVE TOWN

Meet your hosted return transport in central Havelock North and leave town behind. As the road carries you into rural Hawke’s Bay, hear stories of the landscape, the people who have shaped it and four generations of farming at Te Aratipi Station.

02 — STEP ONTO THE LAND

At the farm gate, Ro meets you and leads the way across working sheep and beef country and beneath a native canopy of tawa and tītoki.

The leisurely 20-minute walk winds through the forest to the Holding Pen—our arrival bar, where the table can be glimpsed but the full reveal still awaits. Over a welcome drink, Ro and Ed share stories of the land and what lies ahead.

03 — GATHER BY FIRE

When the time is right, your hosts guide you to the Bush Bar and the table beyond.

Enjoy fireside bites as Katie and Miriam cook over flame and coals, then take your place for a generous, shared farm-to-plate feast. Expect beautifully cooked meat, seasonal vegetables and salads, and something sweet to finish.

Our drinks celebrate Hawke’s Bay and the people behind its bottles, with wines from some of our favourite smaller producers, locally inspired cocktails, beers and thoughtfully chosen alcohol-free alternatives.

Our DJ sets the soundtrack as the afternoon unfolds. Settle in, pass the plates and enjoy the company around you. There’s time for stories, another fireside moment and perhaps even a little dancing.

04 — THE JOURNEY BACK

As the gathering draws to a close, climb aboard for a Can-Am farm adventure, winding between dramatic limestone outcrops and across the hills, with sweeping views towards the Pacific.

Your hosted return transport will be waiting to take you back to Havelock North, completing the journey from town to table—and back again.

YOUR EXPERIENCE INCLUDES

Return group transport from central Havelock North with Mates Travel
A hosted farm and forest journey with Ro and Ed
A guided 20-minute walk across farmland and through native bush
Welcome drink at 'The Holding Pen'
Fireside bites and a seasonal shared live-fire feast by Katie Bachman and Miriam. A leisurely long lunch at one communal table.
A curated selection of Hawke’s Bay wines, cocktails, beer and thoughtful alcohol-free and low-alcoholic options
Music from our DJ, set among the limestone rocks
A scenic Can-Am farm vehicle journey back to your waiting transport
A native tree planted on the farm for every experience booked

MEET YOUR HOSTS

Ro & Ed Palmer

The Bush Table is hosted by Ro and Ed Palmer at Te Aratipi Station, a fourth-generation family farm in Maraetōtara.

For Ro and Ed, hospitality is about sharing the land generously bringing people out of town, away from four walls, onto the land and into nature.

From the first welcome to the final farewell, they’ll host you as they would friends: warmly, informally and with a distinctly country sense of occasion.

MEET THE CHEF

Katie Bachman

At the heart of the fire is founding chef Katie Bachman.

Le Cordon Bleu-trained, Katie brings experience from kitchens and resorts across the Caribbean home to Hawke’s Bay.

Each seasonal menu celebrates the best of the region—locally farm-raised meat, seasonal produce and ingredients from Hawke’s Bay growers, makers and artisans, cooked over live fire and shared generously around the table.

JOIN THE FIRST PUBLIC TABLE

Saturday 5 December 2026, 11am - 5pm
Introductory price: $425 per person + $25 Humanitix booking fee

An all-inclusive long lunch. Allow approximately 6 hours, including return transport.

Come with friends or come ready to meet some.

Everything is taken care of. All you need to do is come along.

Contact the host of The Bush Table - The First Table

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