Supreme Woman In Food & Drink 2024 Nadia Lim Nadia is the real deal having blossomed from her start as a young winner of New Zealand’s MasterChef competition to becoming a cook recognised in almost every household in the country. She has had her own cooking show and numerous TV appearances including as judge of MasterChef New Zealand and has authored many well-loved cookbooks as well as heading her own magazine. Co-founder and the face of My Food Bag, her most recent venture, with husband Carlos Bagrie, is the ownership and daily running of Royalburn Station in Central Otago. It is one ..read more

Focussing on small yet achievable steps to help form new habits can be the significant difference between our health resolutions resulting in real changes rather than uncomfortable feelings of guilt or disappointment when we set goals which are too out of reach for us to realistically achieve. What can these small steps to healthier change look like? Who better to ask than Joelene Ranby, founder and Wellness Manager at Resolution Retreats. Here she shares her tips on ways we can make our health resolutions stick. Joelene understands the many pressures women feel daily. In a life full of ‘busy ..read more

Omotenashi’ is the Japanese way of hospitality, an ethic imbued with thoughtfulness and quietness, expecting nothing in return – and it’s deeply ingrained in the culture. Tokyo-born Yuka O’Shannessy, curator at Ponsonby’s Public Record, says she finds real pleasure in cooking and hosting. “I love to entertain and serve guests, but the thought behind this is part of me; it’s something I do subconsciously.” She calls the interaction “a silent exchange” – it is not pushy or showy – and believes it derives from the tea ceremony born 400 years ago in the Edo Period when everyday citizens were invi ..read more

It might be a stretch for Cuisine to claim a part of Chantelle Nicholson’s success, but back in 2004 the magazine had a tiny role to play in setting her on the path that today sees her as the internationally lauded chef/owner of London restaurant Apricity and recipient of a coveted Michelin Green Star. A newly graduated law student, Chantelle was working at an office job in Wellington when she picked up her Cuisine magazine and read about Chef Search, an amateur cooking competition run by Gordon Ramsay. She entered, made it to the final six and so impressed judge Josh Emett, then head chef at ..read more

AUCKLAND Trolley-service Champagne – need we say more! – well, go on, The Nightcar on Queen St has all the buzz of a hidden cocktail bar and noodle dishes to slurp on, too. Cotto has become Otto with a team of new owners keen to usher in a fresh start for their loyal staff, suppliers and customers. At the Grand Millennium Auckland on Mayoral Drive, find Ember a casual bistro under the eye of chef James Kenny and The Aviary cocktail bar in the atrium. Kookoo is a new Dominion Rd spot bringing trad Korean flavours to diners – try the Korean-style whole chicken served with sticky rice. Is it a r ..read more

It is no secret that pinot noir is my desert-island variety (as long as that island has a way to keep the bottles cool). It is the most widely grown red variety in New Zealand; Wairarapa, Nelson, Marlborough, North Canterbury and Central Otago are all capable of making good pinot. Great examples are perhaps a little rarer in Nelson and Marlborough currently, but the potential definitely exists. So, what makes a great pinot noir? Even in Burgundy some would swear by Chambertin’s size or weight while others insist on Musigny’s silky elegance. Whether it’s Chambertin, Musigny or even La Tâche th ..read more

They say great wines can be made in bad vintages: while the vintage overall may be disappointing, someone somewhere will succeed in making a great wine. It’s just that the truly great wines are few and far between in a tough year. But, in a good year? Here in New Zealand pinot noir is a barometer for vintage quality and, as you will see below, the results of Cuisine’s latest tasting reveal what those in the wine world already know: 2021 was a spectacular year. The 2021 wines shone bright against their 2022 compatriots, as 2022 was a much more challenging vintage. In 2021 the conditions were ..read more

Kyoto is Japan’s ancient capital, best known for its traditional streets, thousands of temples and the chance to catch a glimpse of geiko or maiko (Kyotos’ geisha). It is also fantastically popular, so is it possible to dodge the crowds and queues in search of the quiet appreciation of this city’s charms? The authors invite you to wander with them through their favourite neighbourhoods, finding moments to pause at even the most popular tourist sights and taking detours and and uncovering ‘secrets’ including cosy old-world kissaten (vintage coffee houses), fossicking for precious crafts such a ..read more

IN BRIEF Tucked away on Lake Road in Takapuna, this traditional Japanese gem is filled with locals who know the value of a deliciously long-term relationship. WHY CHOOSE THIS RESTAURANT? If your tastes run to sushi trains or sashimi served in bamboo boats delivered on a conveyor belt then Kyoya is not for you. Established in 1995, here you will find Takapuna’s longest-running Japanese restaurant serving traditional cuisine to a fiercely loyal customer base. ABOUT THE MENU It feels like Japan in this rustic wood-lined dining room as you watch the wooden platters for the tasting plates being pr ..read more

I didn’t know what I was getting myself into when joining a group of powerful Waikato women called the Soil Sisters in sprawling Hamilton East. So, with my fear of being buried alive in the back of my mind, I solicited the assistance of Cuisine editor Kelli Brett to be my bodyguard for the day. They would have to get through her first and then I maybe could have the chance to make a run for it if things went downhill… Generally on A New Zealand Food Story we visit the great Kiwis who grow, hunt, fish and farm. People who make world-class ingredients that I can buy, jazz up, marvel at their d ..read more