The Forge - Fine Dining Experience
The Forge is Taveliroyal Hotel's intimate 24-seat chef's counter, where Executive Chef Mara Tūhoe runs a single nightly tasting menu built entirely around what arrived from the farm, coast, or forest that morning. It is designed for guests who regard dinner as an event worth planning their entire Auckland itinerary around - not a convenient afterthought. The counter format puts every guest directly in view of the kitchen action, making each of the nine courses a live, unscripted moment.
Nine-Course Seasonal Menu
Chef Tūhoe rebuilds the menu each week based on Clevedon oysters, Waikato lamb, and Hawke's Bay produce - meaning no two visits across a month produce an identical meal.
Open Counter Format
All 24 seats face the pass directly, so guests watch each dish plated in real time - an immersive format that collapses the distance between kitchen craft and the dining experience entirely.
Single Nightly Seating
The Forge operates one seating at 7 pm each evening, giving the kitchen team full focus on a single service rather than the volume pressure that dilutes quality in larger Auckland dining rooms.
Private Group Booking
The full 24-seat counter can be reserved exclusively for private dinners - corporate events, celebrations, or intimate gatherings - with a bespoke menu developed in direct conversation with Chef Tūhoe.
Morning Market Sourcing Tour
Guests who book the Chef's Table add-on join Tūhoe at the Auckland Ferry Building Farmers Market at 7 am, selecting the produce that will appear in their own evening meal later that day.
Post-Dinner Kitchen Access
After service concludes, Chef Tūhoe opens the kitchen for a private walk-through - explaining technique, plating decisions, and the sourcing story behind each dish in a candid, unrepeatable conversation.