Michelle Freeman, Rae Ellis and Chris Vile were the faces behind Queenstown’s legendary Vudu Café and today operate Bespoke Kitchen in Isle Street. QT Magazine spoke to them about their award-winning café style.

What keeps you motivated to innovate at Bespoke Kitchen?

Innovations come seasonally for Bespoke, Central Otago has its unique and delicious food bowl of stone fruits and vegetables and winter time sees the menu changes as we capture the late harvesting fruits for the baking and breakfasts. Seasonal greens create heartier dishes required for fuelling cosier winter conditions. Firewood comes inside for the dinning room and courtyard fireplaces and wool blankets are unpacked for the courtyard. 

 What was the concept for the neighbourhood café?

The formula came from a desire for a slower paced spacious café site to nurture both customers and our own creativity. We wanted to offer food innovations for growing dietary needs in a changing food culture. Being on the town’s perimeter afforded us purpose-built facilities, a larger dining room, attractive outdoor areas and gardens with a stunning view.

Tell us about the café setting?

Nestled on the hill between Queenstown and Skyline gondola the café is an oasis of calm in Queenstown’s hustle and bustle creating a relaxed experience for customers to linger by the fire in the heated garden courtyard or beside café windows to enjoy the view. Bike stands out front cater for adventurers coming off the Skyline tracks and there’s a street full of carparks for locals. Three garden beds, a green house and bee hives add to our fresh, café culture.

 What are some recent additions to the café?

Our large new onsite baking room has brought beautifully prepared additional food to the café cabinets and expanded our range of catering and speciality cakes to order. The produce garden is forever expanding with seasonal herbs, flowers and vegetables alongside the beehive and glass house. Recently completed roadworks have opened up access with wide boulevards and the café is just five minutes’ walk from downtown.

What are your speciality baking and catering services?

We cater for corporate events and celebrations serving fresh, seasonal and beautifully presented dishes using organic and locally sourced produce where possible. We are experts in raw, vegan and gluten free cooking and happily cater for specific dietary needs. Our range of speciality cakes, morning and afternoon teas are available for order online. This includes our popular Vegan Chocolate Cake, Tunisian Lemon Cake and Carrot, Walnut and Pineapple Cake to name a few.

 What are you looking forward to this winter?

We love the awesome winter vibe in town with lots of visitors and locals enjoying the mountains and we are looking forward to seeing snow covered hills on bluebird days. Bespoke Kitchen’s rustic colonial building, open fires and alpine views will continue to deliver a genuine Queenstown experience this winter.