Our Story
Inspired by the alpine beauty of Arrowtown and Italy’s Aosta Valley, Aosta serves vibrant Northern Italian flavours using the freshest seasonal produce from Central Otago. Our menu is a modern celebration of local ingredients, creativity, and bold taste in every dish.
About Us
At Aosta, we celebrate the unique connection between Arrowtown and Italy’s Aosta Valley, both set on the 45th parallel, shaped by dramatic landscapes and a deep love for exceptional food.
Our menu blends the traditions of Northern Italy with the best seasonal produce from Central Otago, preserved and prepared to capture the flavour of our region all year round. Subtle French influences, a reflection of the Aosta Valley’s Franco-Italian heritage, add refinement to our hearty, mountain-inspired cuisine, rooted in the land we proudly call home.
About Chef Ben Bayly
Aosta’s menu is led by acclaimed New Zealand chef and restaurateur Ben Bayly, working alongside Head Chef chef Josh Phillips. The Arrowtown restaurant was recognised with a MICHELIN Bib Gourmand in 2026 and Two Hats in the Cuisine Good Food Guide.
Born and raised in Te Awamutu in the Waikato, Ben spent almost a decade honing his craft alongside world-class chefs in France, Italy and the UK before returning home. Today, he is one of New Zealand’s most respected chefs, celebrated for his passion for exceptional local produce and nurturing the next generation of culinary talent. In 2026, Ben was also honoured with the MICHELIN Mindful Voices Award, recognising his contribution to New Zealand’s food culture.
At Aosta, Ben and Josh bring the flavours and traditions of Northern Italy to Arrowtown, combining authentic Italian influences with their own creative approach and showcasing the very best of Central Otago’s seasonal produce.
Beyond his restaurants, Ben is also the host of A New Zealand Food Story, now in its fifth season. The television series follows Ben as he travels around Aotearoa meeting the farmers, growers, fishers and food producers shaping New Zealand’s food culture. Celebrating the people and stories behind our exceptional produce, the series now reaches audiences in more than 100 countries worldwide.
The Kitchen Today
Ben’s vision is carried onto the plate each night by Head Chef Josh Phillips, who trained in kitchens across the UK and France before joining Ben’s team. Under his hand, Aosta’s kitchen has become one of the most decorated in the South Island — earning Two Hats and Regional Restaurant of the Year at the 2025 Cuisine Good Food Awards, a Bib Gourmand in the inaugural MICHELIN Guide New Zealand, and for Josh himself, Cuisine’s Clyth MacLeod Rising Talent of 2025. A hunter and forager, Josh brings wild game and Central Otago’s seasons into Ben’s Northern Italian framework — proof that the story Aosta set out to tell is in very good hands.
