Chef Alastair Wilson

Executive Chef, Alastair Wilson of Minaret Station Alpine Lodge was born in Mosgiel, then educated in Christchurch in New Zealand's South Island.  Al’s grandmother was a huge influence and introduced him to cooking which he turned into a career aged just 17.

Al has worked at a number of New Zealand’s most awarded restaurants including The George in Christchurch, as well as Clooney Restaurant and Mollies Boutique Hotel, both in Auckland.

Al headed offshore and was chef to the Ambassador at the New Zealand Embassy in Brussels where he showcased New Zealand beef & lamb on the global diplomatic stage. Prior to joining the team at Minaret Station, Al then worked for our national carrier Air New Zealand, where he travelled throughout Asia, exploring ways to further innovate Air New Zealand’s business class menus.

For Al, cooking at Minaret Station is about showcasing the very best of our backyard. Whether it is Te Mana lamb, beef or venison from Minaret Station’s own 50,000 acre farm, or crayfish, blue cod, paua and whitebait from the West Coast & Fiordland, Al enjoys matching these, with the freshest local produce from growers in Central Otago’s basin.

When he’s not in the kitchen or working with our growers, Al escapes to the backcountry with his fly rod and his notebook, thinking of new ways to present the bounty he has to work with.