With 30 years of experience in the hospitality industry, Craig Youngman opened Two Fat Stags with his partner six years ago. Building on experience and knowledge from his apprenticeship and chef qualification, Youngman strived for a restaurant to call his own.
Drawing on inspiration from the land and sea, Youngman used the very best of local and fresh produce to craft his singular style. Offering a blend of Mediterranean and Kiwiana, Youngman pushes boundaries with flavours from beef two ways to lamb rump, and te mana pulled lamb pie to a fresh salmon in filo with capsicum jam, baby spinach, and cream cheese.
What is singular about Youngman’s restaurant is a night when Youngman encourages his customer to “trust the chef.” After choosing a carnivore or vegetarian dish, customers are surprised by what kind of creation they will receive.
Youngman forecasts the future as needing more qualified staff. Though hospitality is a hard industry, he emphasised the importance of learning as much as possible and passing the knowledge on to someone else.
“Be the best you can be within the industry,” said Youngman. “Give people a good experience and be prepared.”
One of Youngman’s highlights in his career was soaking up all of the knowledge from chefs in Australia. Bringing what he learned back to NZ led him to be a finalist in the monthly Wild Food Challenge. As Youngman intends to continue providing good food and customer experiences, he looks onward to a future of sustainability with fair pricing at his restaurant.
