Brokenwood Wines filled glasses and newly-acquainted diners met chef Prabhat Kumar Prawin, who has been in charge of Locavore's kitchen for just six weeks.

Prabhat and voco Kirkton Park are a good fit. General manager Penny Crossley is committed to on-site sustainability (zero food waste and an on-site water recycling treatment plant and solar farm are just the beginning) and Prabhat started a Farm to Fork program in Fiji.

"I worked at one of the best restaurants in Fiji and turned a one-acre farm to three acres by taking over some of the resort's golf course," the classically-trained chef said.

"I've worked with a lot of French chefs over the years and my food has a French influence. Since I've been in the Hunter Valley I've been playing with local wines for sauces and sourcing local produce for absolute freshness. Our kitchen garden is only small but it is growing. Our signature cocktails, for example, are all inspired by what is grown in our garden."

Crossley's aim is to grow 80 per cent of vegetables used by the kitchen on-site. Beehives and chickens on the property already supply honey and eggs.

At last weekend's inaugural lunch 40 guests sat at a long table under the gum trees overlooking rolling hills while Newcastle's Jerome sang and played guitar in the background. On the menu was a home-grown vegetable salad; quinoa salad with beetroot and local seasonal vegetables; slow-roasted beef striploin, fried kale and muscat wine jus; dukkah spiced chicken thigh with glazed carrots and pan jus; and pan-fried barramundi with snow pea tendrils, sugar snap peas and saffron velouté.

Fire pits were a welcome distraction from the brisk winter winds sweeping the valley.

Prabhat returned to the kitchen for Locavore's dinner service: think pan-fried scallops, squid ink and cauliflower puree with citrus salsa; fish gravlax with beetroot pulp, red onion puree, black caviar and radish salad; sous vide chicken breast with blistered cherry tomato, balsamic glazed carrots and pesto foam; and confit duck with caramelised onion polenta, baby beetroot, asparagus tips, snow pea tendrils and pan jus. He took the time to explain each dish, its providence and its inspiration, and said he was excited to continue "playing" with local produce. Prabhat was particularly proud of his dessert: chocolate fondant with passionfruit poached pear, freezer-dried mandarin, crispy chocolate pearl and vanilla ice-cream.

The next in the monthly Long Lunches on the Lawn series at voco Kirkton Park Hunter Valley is on August 3 and features Usher Tinkler Wines. Tickets are on sale now.