Celebrate Jamaican Independence Day with Appleton Estate – A One-Night-Only Dining Experience

In honor of Jamaica’s 63rd Independence Day on August 6, 2025, Appleton Estate invites you to participate in a powerful celebration of culture, flavor, and heritage at Advieh Restaurant & Bar in Auckland. The Middle Eastern cuisine dine-in will plate up a Jamaican-inspired food and beverage menu, created in collaboration with award-winning mixologist Adam Neal and renowned chef Gareth Stewart. Tickets to Jamaican Independence Day with Gareth Stewart & Adam Neal are available on Ticket Fairy.

Chef Gareth Stewart looks to his Jamaican roots and treasure trove of family recipes to curate a contemporary take on traditional Jamaican dishes like the Caribbean favorite Toto coconut cake, jerk lamb ribs, and the Jamaican national dish, ackee and saltfish, to name a few.

Exploring his menu, Gareth expressed, “Jamaican cuisine is about resilience, joy, community – it’s food with a story. If guests leave with full bellies and fuller hearts, feeling like they’ve been part of something soulful and genuine, then I’ve done my job.”

Chef Gareth Stewart has a strong affiliation with Jamaica, as his ancestors immigrated to the UK from Jamaica in the 1950s. He stated, “Food was–and still is–a cornerstone of our family life. From childhood memories of visiting my grandma’s house, where something was always bubbling away in the Dutch pot, to big family gatherings filled with laughter, spice, and soul, Jamaican cuisine evokes powerful emotion and nostalgia for me. Reconnecting with that through this event is not just a culinary experience, but a deeply personal journey of identity and remembrance.”

Gareth also voiced that designing the menu was “a creative challenge and a personal responsibility,” as he wanted to “honor the authenticity of Jamaican food while elevating it for a fine-dining context, without losing the soul that defines it.”

Orchestrator of four cocktail bars/restaurants, Adam Neal has devised a unique cocktail card that complements the menu’s complexity and heat. These consist of a coffee dessert, citrus-based cocktails, and a concoction swirled with Appleton Estate 15-Year-Old Black River Casks Rum, inspired by the Black River, significant to Jamaica’s rum-making history.

Of this cocktail list, Adam remarks, “Most people associate rum with mixers or tropical beach-style cocktails, but we’re challenging that stereotype. Our cocktails aim to highlight the depth, elegance, and adaptability of Appleton Estate.”

Adam Neal also discussed how he went about perfecting cocktails that complement Gareth’s Jamaican-inspired menu. He said, “We studied his dishes closely and thought about how each cocktail could either mirror those flavour profiles or offer a contrast that enhances them. For example, with Gareth’s spicier dishes like the curry goat, we’ve introduced cocktails that are bright and citrus-forward to help cleanse the palate and elevate the overall experience.”

Appleton Estate, based in the heart of Jamaica since 1749, is known for its meticulous rum craftsmanship from cane to cup. The brand offers one of the most comprehensive aged rum portfolios in the market.

Tickets to Jamaican Independence Day with Gareth Stewart & Adam Neal at Advieh Restaurant and Bar in Auckland are brought to you by Ticket Fairy

You May Also Like:

Non-profit Music Festivals That You Should Know

Yolanda Be Cool to Headline George FM Club Classics Party in New Zealand

Wilkinson, K Motionz, and More Confirmed for New Zealand’s Hidden Valley 2025