Prices for Nigella Lawson's upcoming visit to Southland are drawing mixed reactions from the community.

ILT Stadium Southland general manager Nigel Skelt said organisers would soon be ready to announce the "special guests" that would be appearing with the British celebrity chef on January 26.

He said they would "absolutely" be easily recognisable names.



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It was hoped that the guests could be announced - as well as the exact format of the black tie evening, by the end of the week - Skelt said.



"Nigella's got an interesting story to tell, and we hope she'll tell that story."

Reuters Nigella Lawson is coming to Invercargill - but it'll cost you to see her.

About 80 tables and 800 tickets were available for the evening, Skelt said. He said enquiries had come in from all over the South Island.

"At the moment we're getting an interesting cross-section. There's a lot of men who have expressed interest."

ILT Stadium Southland marketing and business development leader Laura Morrison said table prices for the evening with Lawson - $3995 plus GST for a table of 10, $4995 plus GST for a VIP table, and $5995 plus GST for a platinum VIP table - were about the same price as the Joseph Parker fight in August.



"In events, you have to take risks in hoping things will sell," she said.



"But I think the [success of the] Joseph Parker fight gave people confidence."



Venture Southland conference and events team leader Liz Williams said she believed Lawson's appearance would be the most expensive event held in Southland in some time.



"It's a huge opportunity for our region," she said.



There were people who would probably still pay the high prices to see Lawson, Williams said.



"There are people that sort of ticket price excludes," she said.



"But there are people who will go. It's about a balance. My personal view is there is a market for that type of event here."

The cheapest tickets to see Nigella Lawson are $399 per head.

But Southland Boys' High School catering and hospitality teacher Scott Richardson said the fact the cheapest tickets for the event were $399 per person meant it would be a hard sell.

Richardson said he had eaten at Michelin-starred restaurants around the world in places such as New York, sometimes even meeting with the chefs, and had not paid more than $400 for a meal.

He said he recently ate at Roots in Lyttelton - voted "restaurant of the year" by Cuisine magazine - and said prices were $185 for a 12-course meal, or $310 with matching wine pairs.

"It would have to be something pretty impressive for that $399 value," he said.

RIchardson said some of his students would sometimes discuss Lawson for things other than her cooking.

"Some of the older boys have talked about her for other reasons, if you know what I mean."

Lawson is scheduled to appear on January 26 at 6pm at Stadium Southland. The appearance would come one day after she's scheduled to appear at the Langham Hotel in Auckland.

Prices for that event go up to $7995 plus GST for a platinum VIP table.

PRICE COMPARISON: NIGELLA LAWSON AT STADIUM SOUTHLAND

Tickets to see Nigella Lawson at Melbourne Town Hall in Melbourne: $43.63 NZD ($39.76 AUD)

12 course meal with wine match at Roots restaurant in Lyttelton: $305 NZD

12 course meal at Alinea in Chicago, USA: $315 NZD

Meal at Noma in Copenhagen, Denmark: $363 NZD

Cheapest ticket to Nigella Lawson event in Invercargill with four course meal: $399 NZD

Ben Mack: @benaroundearth