The Lodge Insider: Sept 2024

The following is an excerpt from our seasonal newsletter, the Lodge Insider, where we share exclusive updates, stories, and recipes. Our community received the full letter with access to an exclusive download on September 1st. Subscribe in the footer below to join this community for future letters.

Spring at Flockhill

The days are growing longer, and the promise of spring is in the air. We had a delayed start to winter here at Flockhill, with our first snow only arriving at the end of July! The sun is casting its glow just that extra bit earlier now, hinting at warmer days ahead. Winter isn’t quite ready to say goodbye though- and our team, full of skiers and snowboarders are still hopeful for a spring dump of snow to get a few more days up on the mountain.

Welcome to the Lodge Insider, your seasonal guide to all things Flockhill. We have many exciting updates to share this quarter, thanks for tuning in.

Planting has begun in the Flockhill Garden! Sally, our gardener, will be planting over 30 varieties of fruits from alpine strawberries through to berries and miniature fruit trees. We currently have 1,500 vegetable seedlings ready to plant with another 2,000 vegetable, herb, and edible flower seedlings coming in. We’re excited to share this garden space with guests this summer as it will serve as an alternative lunch spot. Harvest your own produce, wash and prep in the potting shed, then sit back with a cold beverage as your chef prepares a garden BBQ to enjoy at our long table under the pergola.

Speaking of fresh produce, the build of our fine dining restaurant Sugarloaf, was completed last month. Taylor, our head chef, immediately moved his office out of the admin block and into the kitchen. He’s been eagerly setting up his stations, prepping ferments, koji, and diving deep into menu development.

With a restaurant photoshoot scheduled for the end of October, the team has been organising all the finishing from cutlery to light settings, staffing to dining chairs. We’re working towards opening with the intention of making Sugarloaf an inviting extension of your accommodation here at Flockhill. 

Joining the team as our Sous, local kiwi Floyd Lyttle has had a diverse international career. In his first year working in a fine dining setting, Floyd was part of a team that brought their restaurant, Roots, from two to three hats. His time in Norway working at Under, a unique restaurant five and a half meters below the ocean surface, taught him many of the preserving and fermentation techniques that are woven into Sugarloaf’s narrative. Floyd is a new father, passionate about good produce and sustainable fishing practices. We are so excited to welcome him into the Flockhill family. 

If you’re interested or know of a keen hospitality professional that would like to join our dynamic team, please click here for more information.

If you’re staying with us this summer, now is a great time to start thinking about your activities. If you want to take full advantage of your time on the station, we highly recommend exploring our curated activities for your Canterbury itineraries.

A download of our activity guide was shared as a newsletter exclusive this season. For access to future exclusives and to read our full newsletter, subscribe to the Lodge Insider below.