About us
Emily Lucas, owner of The Bayhouse talks about her passion for food & the area:
“I arrived on the West Coast in December 2003 and upon my first visit to Tauranga Bay and the Bay House I couldn’t believe my eyes…the place was just beautiful, like paradise on my doorstep. The restaurant had just been re-opened and I was employed as the general manager, a position I held for the next two years. I then took a year off to do some study and run a B&B in the bay, meanwhile the restaurant went up for sale and I decided it was an opportunity too good to miss…besides, what else was I going to do here?
I bought the restaurant in 2005 and still find every day presents me with new challenges and rewards. I have developed a huge passion for cooking and for satisfying my customers’ expectations and needs. I had never previously cooked in a commercial kitchen but have worked in hospitality my entire adult life – approx 18 years to date, mostly in management and front of house, but out of necessity I found myself in the kitchen and actually loving it!
I have now filled the position of head chef for the last three years and love the creativity involved in creating new dishes and menus and the everyday logistics of a busy service. As I was not trained in an institute I enjoy not having any limitations in my approach to food and cooking.
I consider my style of food to be very simple in style; I like to let the flavours of the food speak for themselves and take joy in balancing the components of my meals, ensuring they compliment one another without any one taking the limelight.
The restaurants history is steeped in fusion cuisine which is a style I personally enjoy and that I take pride in maintaining. I look forward to being able to cook for you when you visit us here in our little slice of paradise!”
Our Philosophy
Our philosophy today is very simple; we are located in what we believe to be one of the most beautiful places in the world and celebrate daily our idyllic environment and local culture. In recognition of this we use locally grown produce first and foremost and complement this with the best our country has to offer infused with the exotic flavours of the Pacific Rim.
Everything we serve to you is cooked to order and all of our condiments, oils, marinades, sauces and breads are made fresh on the premise daily.
Please advise if you have a time limit or specific dietary requirements. These can be catered to upon request.
One bill per tables unless by prior arrangement.
NO SURCHARGE on public holidays.
We do close for private functions so please check our Calendar section for such dates.
