Fire-led seafood and Hunter Valley wines

Âpé is joining the Newcastle Tuna & Seafood Festival this July with a one-night-only dinner built around tuna, fire, flavour, and friends.

On Thursday, 23 July, Tuna, Fire & Friends will bring together bold seafood dishes, charcoal cooking, Nikkei-inspired flavours, and matched wines from Andrew Thomas Wines.

Created especially for the Newcastle Tuna & Seafood Festival, Tuna, Fire & Friends is a four-course dinner celebrating local seafood with Âpé’s signature fire-led approach.

Tuna, Fire & Friends

When: Thursday, 23 July 2026
Where: Âpé
Time: TBC
Cost: $175 per person
To book, visit Tuna, Fire & Friends

Guests can expect bold tuna and seafood dishes shaped by charcoal and Nikkei-inspired flavours, bringing together Japanese and Peruvian influences across the menu.

The evening will also feature a dessert finish from Nic Pedemonte, with special guest chef Tim Montgomery joining the kitchen for the one-night-only event.

Each course will be paired with wines from Andrew Thomas Wines, adding a Hunter Valley touch to a night centred on fire, flavour, and fresh seafood.

Seafood Trail Dish

Ape is serving Chilean Style Local Tuna Sando, created by Nicolás Pedemonte.

The dish features panko-crumbed tuna loin on Japanese milk bread with chilena salad, avocado, Japanese kewpie, and pickled red chilli, bringing together crispy, fresh, creamy, and lightly spicy flavours.

It’s available:
Dinner: Monday–Thursday, 5pm–9:30pm
Lunch: Friday–Sunday, 11:30am–2:30pm

Newcastle Tuna Fest returns in 2026 bringing a bigger, bolder celebration of seafood, local restaurants, and the city’s coastal dining identity. Launching on Sunday, June 28, with the Grand Opening Event, Newcastle Tuna Fest continues throughout July with the festival centering around the Newcastle Seafood Trail, with around 30 participating venues across Newcastle each creating a signature tuna or seafood dish.

This article was produced by HUNTERhunter in partnership with Newcastle Tuna Festival. Thank you for supporting the partners who make HUNTERhunter possible.