Honoka Kawashima, the reigning Aotearoa NZ Barista Champion of 2023, has secured fourth place in the World Barista Championships held in Busan, South Korea. Outshining 60 competitors from nations worldwide, Honoka’s journey to the final day of the World Barista Championship,( hosted last weekend at the BEXCO Centre as part of the World of Coffee Asia event), has been a testament to her dedication and talent reports the New Zealand Specialty Coffee Association. “Her approach to coffee, akin to the art of origami, blends simplicity with intricacy, resulting in captivating presentations. Embraci ..read more

Egmont Street Eatery, a cornerstone of Wellington’s culinary scene, known for its inventive cuisine, has announced its transformation into Egmont St Deli & Diner, a fresh concept that retains the spirit of creativity and community that local patrons have come to love. Under the new moniker, Egmont St Deli & Diner will continue to deliver the same quality, innovation and service that has made it a beloved destination, while embracing a focus on a more casual and approachable dining experience. The owners say the transition reflects a commitment to adapting to an ever-evolving hospitali ..read more

Over 1000 TRENZ delegates are set to arrive in Wellington today, staying at least until Friday May 10, to attend the tourism industry conference at the Tākina Wellington Convention & Exhibition Centre.  Rebecca Ingram, Chief Executive of Tourism Industry Aotearoa (TIA) which manages the event, says TRENZ is in its 30th year, and has become the most significant trade event on the industry’s calendar.  “TRENZ is a critical step in ensuring New Zealand is competitive and well represented on a global tourism stage. It’s where business gets done for many New Zealand tourism operators ..read more

New Zealand’s cheese industry is in fine heart with the NZ Champions of Cheese Awards showcasing a great collection of the finest, from large makers through to boutique producers and even schools and technical institutes. The Kiwi cheese industry’s celebration event, the NZ Champions of Cheese Awards Gala Dinner in Hamilton was held on Thursday May 2, marking excellence in New Zealand cheese craftsmanship. Twenty-six trophy winners were announced following an extensive evaluation in early March assessing more than 250 locally produced cheeses, with the finest 187 already honoured with gold, s ..read more

Think your toastie tastes top? The Great NZ Toastie Takeover is back for winter and organisers of the annual competition are once again on the hunt for the country’s supreme toasted sandwich. Returning for a seventh year, the popular competition is open to all New Zealand eateries, with everyone from cafes, bistros and hotel eateries to bars, pop-ups, hole-in-the-wall eateries and food trucks taking part.   With entries now open for 2024, competition rules remain the same. Each creation must be sandwiched between two slices of bread and able to be eaten by hand. Each toastie must also co ..read more

Education for hosted buyers, day buyers, and the next generation of event managers will be a strong focus for MEETINGS 2024, the largest gathering of business events professionals and service providers in New Zealand. The organisers say this year’s event at Rotorua’s Energy Events Centre on 19 and 20 June will be the biggest yet, with 246 stands representing 205 businesses from 18 regions of New Zealand including 36 new exhibitors. New to MEETINGS 2024 are education sessions for buyers, held during lunch breaks, covering a wide range of relevant and trending topics. Day buyers registering be ..read more

For pie makers around New Zealand autumn signals the time for selecting which pies to enter in the Bakels NZ Supreme Pie Awards. The stakes are high and many bakers say customer feedback is a major part of the decision-making process of entering. Last year Michelle Liddell of Chill Café in Whangamata entered the Pie Awards for the first time as a way of honouring her husband who had recently passed away. He had loved the pies she made. Little did she know that her business was about to get a huge boost. And then the phone rang… “He said (NZ Bakels Managing Director Brent Kersel) we’d won an a ..read more

International hotel group, Accor has announced one of Sydney’s finest heritage hotels, Hotel Woolstore 1888, is joining its portfolio of Handwritten Collection hotels this month. The agreement is with the hotel’s new owners Shakespeare Property Group. The iconic Darling Harbour property was originally built in 1888 and is the fourth oldest of 21 surviving wool stores in Sydney, however, with its contemporary design and industrial-chic interiors with modern and pop art, nothing is considered old-fashioned about the hotel. First opening as an hotel in 2013, the four-level sandstone and brick bu ..read more

By Marisa Bidois – Restaurant Association of New Zealand CEO The recent breakdown of the Wynyard Quarter crossing bridge serves as yet another setback for hospitality businesses already grappling with significant challenges. This critical route, now unexpectedly out of service, exacerbates the plight of local restaurants and cafes, some of which are reporting staggering customer declines of 50-80 percent. This highlights the broader issue of how infrastructure disruptions in our CBD’s impact vital commercial activities. As cities embark on infrastructure projects aimed at long-term improvemen ..read more

New Zealand’s food and beverage producers, large and small, are being invited to enter their products into the 2024 New Zealand Food Awards. For more than 35 years the New Zealand Food Awards, owned and operated by Te Kunenga ki Pūrehuroa Massey University, have enabled food and beverage producers to showcase their latest and greatest technical innovations. Designed to celebrate all players in the industry ranging from FMCG, artisan and primary food producers to ingredient supply companies and everything in between, there’s a place and category for all businesses to be involved. Award organis ..read more