With Wellington On a Plate now on, Preston's Master Butchers are taking centre plate. In fact, they've been holding centre plate in Wellington for 108 years, with the current owners Scot & Rod Preston's grandfather Arthur opening his first Wellington butcher shop in 1904.

It's now the fourth generation that ensure Preston's meat products are headlining acts at Wellington On a Plate. Sons of the current owners, Campbell, Hamish and Andrew are part of the supply chain that supplies high quality lamb, beef, pork and chicken to leading chefs across the region.

Preston's Pirinoa lamb has proven most popular with local chefs. It's sourced from one of the Wairarapa's most renowned farms - Pirinoa Station - which is perfectly positioned between the Ruamahanga River and the native bush on the hills of the Haurangi Forest Park. Fertile silt from the river combined with coastal salt air provides the perfect recipe for sheep to thrive on, and produces tender, succulent meat.

It's not surprising then that Logan Brown Chef Shaun Clouston will be braising Pirinoa lamb shoulder in Pinot and The Whitehouse's Paul Hoather is grilling Pirinoa lamb cutlets. The Grill and Cafe at Solway Park are filling their boots with Pirinoa - the Cafes having a lamb pie, while the Grill's serving up lamb tenderloin jardiniere. Last, but certainly not least, the Wellesley's Marc Soper who recently won "Chef of the Capital" will be hosting a three course lunch at Pirinoa Station itself - and there are no points for guessing the star of the menu there.

However it's not just Preston's lamb that will be featuring at Wellington On a Plate. Preston's is Wellington's exclusive supplier of specially selected Hereford Prime beef. Boulcott St Bistro Chef Rex Morgan will be indulging his customers in a Hereford BBQ short rib burger, the Portlander will make a braised short rib its centre piece, and Floriditas will be offering an enticing Hereford Striploin.

Arbitrageur will be serving a Petit Sale made with Preston's pork belly, and Capri will be serving a Chicken Supreme utilising Preston's sourced product.

"We're proud to be working with great chefs to bring fantastic food to locals - and those travelling from further afield", says Preston's Master Butchers' General Manager, Andrew Preston.

"The great thing for passionate foodies is that anyone can call into one of our shops and buy exactly the same product that the top chefs are using, and recreate fine food at home.

"We've got experienced and passionate butchers that will ensure they get the right cut to cater", Preston says.