The people behind what we cook, eat and drink are the true drivers of the New Zealand food & drink story. The movers and shakers that have led their communities, inspiring and motivating the good people of their towns to step up, collaborate and get involved. So much work from so many passionate and dedicated visionaries has gone into making Hawke’s Bay into the amazing playground for foodies that it is today. What are we looking for when we talk about a legend within the business of food and drink? Meet six of the visionaries that have been nominated in our search for the 2021 Hawke’s Bay ..read more

What will 2021 bring? In particular, for our hospitality industry it’s a big question. This is a collection of conversations that I had across a time period that spanned lockdown to the end of 2020 to find out the different approaches our hospo folk are taking in New Zealand, and how they are feeling about their future. I also wanted to take the opportunity to recognise their impressive work through immense challenges and celebrate some wins. One thing is for sure, we can no longer take great hospitality or the talented teams behind a great experience for granted. It’s time for us as customers ..read more

This renowned New Zealand chef and ex-restaurateur has sliced up his heart to serve it to you in a multitude of pieces in this episode. As a result, it is a conversation that is way too special to be condensed into 40 minutes… it’s a story of an uncompromising quest for taste, texture and flavour, unending curiosity, incredible skill and great resilience.  As the phenomenon that is Visa Wellington On A Plate draws to a close at the end of October, this month-long celebration of all things food and drink in Wellington has once again dished up a fantastic array of deliciousness alongside pl ..read more

I'm told that Wellington had well and truly established itself as New Zealand's culinary capital in the 80's. The long lunch was in and as patrons quaffed champagne through their expense account meals it seems 'French Inspired' was the theme behind the most discerning menus. Chef, food writer and quintessential dinner party bad-boy Grant Allen is reuniting an incredible lineup of chefs over 3 fabulous nights during Visa Wellington On A Plate to celebrate favourite Welly restaurants and dishes from the era that brought us lobster bisque, flambé and eggs in aspic. At the time Grant was sashaying ..read more

In a post-COVID world what does Visa Wellington On A Plate bring to the table with regards to tourism, economic development and the telling of the all-important New Zealand food story? The festival runs for the month of October with hundreds of venues right across the greater Wellington region participating, and along with all of the excellent eating and drinking options on offer, there is no denying that WOAP builds a special spirit of collaboration. Hear from Sarah Meikle the Chief Executive of the Wellington Culinary Events Trust and Program Manager Beth Brash on finding common ground at a ..read more

Amisfield Restaurant & Cellar in Central Otago is home to New Zealand’s Cuisine Good Food award-winning Chef of the year Vaughan Mabee. So it stands to reason that this superb winery restaurant should be on your radar as one not to miss. In the lead up to the awards last year Vaughan had held the title of New Zealand’s most innovative chef for 2 years running. Vaughan then led his talented team to take home 3 hats at last year's Cuisine Good Food Awards. One of the great pleasures about producing this podcast is that there is always a helluva journey and a terrific story to tell when it co ..read more

The third in our series of very personal kitchen conversations, this episode celebrates Chand & Sid Sahrawat. They are the couple behind 3 highly respected and loved Auckland restaurants, Cassia, Sid at The French Cafe & the Cuisine Good Food Awards Restaurant Of The Year 2019, SIDART. Listen as we share two very different conversations. The first before Covid-19 and the second post lockdown as the Sahrawat's were coming to terms with what the aftermath of a global pandemic might mean for their business. We start at the beginning, where the paths of these two diverse and extr ..read more

Our very special guest is one of those people with a name that is instantly recognised and following that recognition, there is always a big smile. She is one of our most loved New Zealand restaurateurs, a South Island legend with a career spanning well over 40 years and she has played a HUGE part in transforming two sleepy regional towns into international destinations. I caught up with Fleur Sullivan (long-distance) as she sat in her restaurant kitchen, behind closed doors during lockdown. I wondered how this magnificent woman had ended up in the tiny town of Moeraki at 'Fleurs Place ..read more

There is a fabulous new show on THREE. It airs at 5.30 on Saturdays and it’s called  A New Zealand Food Story. It follows multiple award-winning chef, Ben Bayly, as he works towards opening his new Restaurant Ahi,  with an aim to encapsulate the essence of New Zealand. So there is really no better time than now to take a look at how Ben has become one of our highly respected NZ chefs. Ben has been extremely generous in the telling of his story that concludes with a question that many hospitality professionals are asking themselves right now. “How do we still keep the same experience ..read more

It’s a glorious but tough gig working your way up the professional culinary ladder. Working long hours, in sometimes hot and cramped spaces, giving so much of yourself for very little in return. You can understand why many don’t end up choosing to be a chef. However, those that do, that stick at it and find a great employer, an inspiring mentor, a platform that allows them to shine. Those young chefs have a light in their eyes and a fire inside them that demonstrates just how rewarding a career carved in a professional kitchen can be. So it was with great interest that I accepted an invitation ..read more