Culinary invasion
An Independent feature nominates the ten best places to “eat Australasian” in London. These include The Zetter (NZ chef Megan Jones), The Providores and Tapa Room (Peter Gordon’s mini empire with fellow Kiwi's Anna Hansen and Michael McGrath), Gourmet Burger Kitchen (NZ concept with Peter Gordon as consulting chef), The Grocer (co-founded by Peter Gordon), and the Square Pie Company (best known for its uber-Kiwi steak & cheese).
(26 March 2005)
   

Galloping gourmet still in the saddle
Graham Kerr cooks up a storm on his new programme, Swiftly Seasoned.
(April 2001)
  

Big cheese #2
New Zealander Errol J. Baird runs a food importing business in  Jamaica. "He offers to the discerning gourmet New Zealand cheese and wine."
(2 July 2000)
                 

Kiwi Chef to Star at World Gourmet Summit, Singapore food festival
Little is known about New Zealand cusine here, but if chef Rick Rutledge- Manning's cooking is anything to go by, it's something to take note of: "...refined and light, yet - most important of all - full of flavour".
(12 April 2000)
               

Hallertau hops give organic beer a bite
Bateman's a family owned organic brewery in Lincolnshire has joined the swelling ranks of organic beers with Yella Betty Bitter, brewed with organic chariot pale malt and Hallertau hops from New Zealand - "wonderfully refreshing, with juicy malts balanced by aromatic hops and citrus fruit."
(27 July 2000)

By the people for the people  
Auckland trio, Tim Tregonning, Dan Phillips and Danis Roberts are crowd pleasers; their project, OurBrew is currently recruiting beer drinkers to unite and develop a collective drop by signing up online, voting and then launching the world's first crowd produced beer. Participants choose the style of beer, the name, logo, packaging and details for tasting and launch parties. Fascinated by the idea of crowd sourcing and funding, the boys at OurBrew asked themselves, "How could we bring crowd sourcing to New Zealand? It has to involve something Kiwis are passionate about, something that is a constant in our lives." The answer? Beer. 
(28 May 2008)

Chopped, but not out 
New Zealander Mark Simmons, 29, a sous chef at New York restaurant Public and until recently a contestant on popular reality show Top Chef, wants to open his own restaurant in the Big Apple serving antipodean cuisine. Simmons says he wants to introduce New York to more of New Zealand. "I definitely think there's room in New York for that," he said. "The produce and the protein that we have over there; it's from the purest, most pristine waters, and the greenest pastures." On Top Chef, Simmons had to contend with American-themed challenges. "Like a street party: we don't have street parties. And the tailgate - it was a first experience for me, but I had a great time on it. It was pretty awesome." 
(1 May 2008)

Feasts in factories 
New Zealander Margot Henderson, sought-after London gourmand and the other half of Arnold & Henderson catering, does not like to use the word 'simple' when describing their menus. "It's more like it has a sense of place," she says. At a recent Parisian soirée in a metal factory, 240 guests, including the French prime minister, sat down at long banquet tables while the cooks worked out of a makeshift kitchen. Dishes were served family-style from large bowls and platters; the entrée, veal shin on the bone, arrived with a knife sticking out of it. Arnold & Henderson has an impressive client list including Balenciaga, Marc Jacobs and Mulberry. Melanie Arnold and Margot Henderson began the catering business in 1995 when they worked together at London's The French House Dining Room in Soho. They now run restaurant, Rochelle Canteen in Shoreditch.
(23 March 2008)

Enlightened dining
NZ-owned restaurant Seamstress has won over critics and diners just weeks after its opening Melbourne. The four-storey modern Cantonese eatery is co-owned by Dunedin-born Jason Chan, who runs the successful NZ-themed cafe Batch in Balaclava, and Anthony Herzog. Executive chef Raymond Larkins is another New Zealander, who moved to Melbourne from Wellington four years ago. The trio earned a glowing write-up from veteran Herald Sun reviewer Bob Hart in their first week open for business. "Seamstress is the enlightened product of the combined experience and talents of two of Melbourne's better young operators," writes Hart. "They had a clear, shared dream, and they have realised it brilliantly." He goes on to describe Larkins' menu as "outstanding", "inspired" and "brilliantly executed".
(1 December 2007)

Doctor vodka 
42 Below ambassador and "vodka professor" Jacob Briars discusses dirty drink names, Golden Globe shout outs and the social psychology of bars in an interview with the Sydney Morning Herald. Formerly a bartender at Wellington's Matterhorn, Briars now travels the world conducting a cocktail master class called Vodka U. "I developed this concept with 42 Below," he explains. "We conduct a tasting of as many as 25 different vodkas and explain how they are made and what makes them unique. We also cover what vodkas suit which cocktails and even taste a few cocktails, too." Briars' skills behind the bar were famously mentioned in a Golden Globes acceptance speech by Lord of the Rings star Elijah Wood. 
(10 January 2007)

Love at first bite 
The senior food editor at Gourmet magazine (USA) is a big fan of the Blackcurrant and Apple Glaze produced by NZ company, Forage. "I love this!" she wrote in the June issue. "I'd brush it over duck or pork, or even mix it with seltzer for a summer drink!"

Gourmet Burger Kitchen
London's Gourmet Burger Kitchen - the brainchild of three Kiwi entrepreneurs - is credited with starting the trend for "fast food for the organic generation" in a lengthy Guardian piece. Now boasting 8 restaurants, the GBK chain was founded in 2001 by Greg Driscoll, Brandon Allen and Adam Wills. "Food made with good quality, fresh ingredients is part of any New Zealander's upbringing," says Driscoll. "It's that casual but quality food experience you get in NZ we wanted to bring to London." GBK has inspired a slew of imitators, but the original remains "the biggest, best known and most successful." Driscoll, Allen and Wills recently sold their business to Clapham House for ?25 million, but will stay on as company directors (see previous Newzedge story). 
(2 January 2006)

Spoiled for choice 
Kiwi chef Rex Morgan takes Guardian food writer Jonathan Ray on a culinary tour of Queenstown. The eating extravaganza takes place at Morgan's recently opened boutique hotel, The Spire (competitors will be "hard-pressed to improve upon Rex's celebrated dégustation menus, the 10-course version of which he puts before me"), Joe's Garage ("the breakfasts are indeed amazing, great hangover food, and the best coffee in town"), The Coronation Bathhouse ("[recommended] as much for its spectacular position as anything else"), Wine Tastes ("Central Otago pinot noir just gets better and better, and here you can taste wines from almost every producer"), and Winnie's ("still feeling the effects of my Kiwi wine- fest earlier, I avoid the fine-looking cocktail list and order myself an awesomely good pizza.") 
(24 December 2005)

Food for thought 
A lengthy Independent feature examines Auckland's burgeoning food scene - and NZ's as a whole. While NZ has embraced café culture ("probably the best espresso experience outside Italy in about 13 years, skipping the Starbucks phase altogether"), the Kiwi meat and two veg dinner mindset has been a tougher nut to crack. "We are trying to educate our public by taking them on a taste journey, rather than offering them a stomach-filler," says Morgan. "We are getting there, slowly." Eateries leading the charge towards gastronomic greatness include Citron (Wellington), The Spire (Queenstown), Dizengoff, SPQR, Dine by Peter Gordon, Soul and The French Café (all Auckland). Says the writer, "Personally, I came to scoff, but left converted." 
(15 October 2005)

Pass the Watties?
1988 NZ Chef of the Year and Elton John’s former cook, Clive Hitchens, has returned to his roots, opening a meat pie shop in Alameda, California. Hitchens and partner, Donna, had been successfully selling gourmet pies at farmers markets since early 2003, before deciding to open their own restaurant, The New Zealander, this year. “The pies are dressed up for sure in his restaurant. Hitchens … uses gourmet quality ingredients - imported and free-range meats and his own curries - and wraps the meats in a pastry shell so delicate it defies the dish's reputation of being hearty. But they are still meat pies he's serving, a food that's gobbled up with grubby hands everywhere in NZ, at rugby matches, gas stations, corner stores, you name it.”
(25 September 2004)
     

Kai a la Kiwi
A NZ themed restaurant – The Kiwi Grille - is doing a roaring trade in Newburyport, Massachusetts. According to owner Bruce deMustchine (ex-Hawkes Bay), the Grille served 10,000 happy customers in its first 8 weeks of opening. All meat on the menu hails from NZ, as do 85% of the wines on offer and numerous other ingredients. A day after the Grille’s June 1 opening, the state of Massachusetts held its first annual New Zealand Day.
(16 June 2004)
   

What's cooking good looking?
NZ-born Brad Farmerie – head chef at Peter Gordon’s Public – was named one of the New York culinary scene’s rising stars, in a Post piece entitled ‘Lord of the Ranges.’ As well as “impressing diners and restaurant reviewers with dishes like kangaroo with coriander falafel, grilled ox tongue and New Zealand snapper,” Farmerie is reportedly turning the heads of female foodies with his “boyish good looks.”
(7 March 2004)
   

Quality tucker
Significant New York Times feature ‘The Other Down Under’ chronicles NZ’s culinary revolution - from land of the long boiled mutton to world-class gastronomic player. The new breed of Kiwi chefs are seasoned travellers who weave international flavours with local produce to create an entirely unique cuisine. Says interviewee Alistair Brown – of Wellington’s Logan Brown Restaurant – “What we see and taste, we want to emulate or improve on when we come back home. We are a very young country, not stuck in tradition.” The Times’ tour encompassed the eateries and vineyards of Martinborough, Wellington, the Hawkes Bay, and Auckland, with highlights including Logan Brown (where “quality is as dependable as the tides”), Martinborough’s Wharekauhau Inn (“under pink clouds at dusk it made an unforgettable impression”), the Te Whau vineyard and restaurant on Waiheke Island (“an award-winning restaurant of Corbusier-inspired design … [which] offers more than 600 wines, including every big NZ name), and Auckland’s O’Connell Street Bistro (“if we could have stuffed [it] into our luggage and brought it back to the States, we would have”). A Toronto Star feature attributes a swell of interest in NZ produce in Canada to - what else - the Lord of the Rings. "Never has a country's public profile been raised so high, so fast. Its food exports capitalize on the pristine environment, the lush pastures and clean waters, the fresh air, the reverse seasons."
(14 January 2004) 

Deep south delights
The Australian finds the university city of Dunedin a "hearty mix of charm and character – with plenty of wee surprises". In the 'Scotch Broth' Stephen Brook includes culture and characters during a visit to the rugby ground known as the 'house of pain', Carisbrook; takes in the the "thrilling wildlife" of the Otago Penninsula, (including majestic Royal Albatross: "its massive wingspan makes it the 747-400 of the bird world"); heritage and history at Olveston House and Larnach Castle; a strenuous stroll up the world's steepest street; beds (Corstorphine), bars (Di Lusso) and eats (Home); and, of course, a visit to the scarfie fuel manufacturer, Speights Brewery (above).
(04 October 2003)   
       

Wild West Coast food in Hokitika
Hokitika's Wildfoods Festival rates a mention in a New York Daily News feature on icky eating. "More than 20,000 adventurous eaters gather to sample such delights as bulls' penises and sphagnum moss," states the incredulous writer, who goes on to detail the Middle Eastern penchant for sheep's eyes and the insect treats available on the Iowa State University's etymology department website.
(6 July 2003)
  

Tastefully turning heads
Turner NZ restaurant - serving up an all-Kiwi array of food and wine - stands out in the sea of Italian, Asian and American cuisines on offer in Southern California. Says an enthusiastic reviewer for Coast Magazine; "Prepare to leave with more than just a satisfied appetite. You'll likely have the urge to pack your bags and take that long-awaited trip to New Zealand."
(May 2003)
  

Round one...
"The food is sooooo good -- we want to lick our plates. And the breathtaking views - islands, harbours, volcanoes." Edmonton Journal travel writer is so impressed by his whirlwind North Island tour he's already planning a southern sequel.
(8 February 2003)
  

Holy lamb of Godzone
Two of the culinary world’s US icons, Julia Childs & Emeril Lagasse, dined on the finest lamb in the world, courtesy of Newport Beach, California-based Noel "King of New Zealand gourmet food" Turner in a two-day fund raiser to benefit the James Beard Foundation hosted by chef and restaurateur Zov Karamardian.
(December 2001)
         

Stella food in New York
Stella, a dark, candlelit bistro garnering acclaim in New York, is owned by Anna Weinberg and Paul Masters, a husband-and-wife team from New Zealand. "It has a comforting niceness about it," writes food critic Moira Hodgson, "more like the sort of restaurant you used to find in the Village in the 70s than a slick Soho bistro".
(15 October 2001)
                     

Tui Flower and ANZAC biscuits
Tui Flower, the "Julia Child of New Zealand" shares her ANZAC biscuits recipe with readers of the Los Angeles Times.
(2001)

Have mint-sauce, will travel
New Zealand lamb, herb-crusted and juicy, makes the menu at Bangalore's "Globetrotter's culinary festival".
(20 April 2001)
             

Kosher in Canterbury 
Christchurch is visited by some 20,000 Israeli backpackers annually, and to cater for these numbers, the city will soon be home to New Zealand's first kosher restaurant. Rabbi Mendy Goldstein, formerly of Brooklyn, New York, views the restaurant as a first step in building a future for New Zealand where "Jewish living is convenient and enjoyable" for travellers and especially for its general Jewish population. Ten-thousand Jews live in New Zealand. The article also discusses the history of Jews in Dunedin, which bills itself as the "World's Southernmost Jewish Community". 
(12 May 2008)

Tastebuds will travel 
Guardian reporter Emma Johns and friend spent a two-week culinary tour of New Zealand "exploring the local flavours before attempting to recreate them ourselves." From fine-dining in Wellington to cooking lamb fillet off a cliff in Arthur's Pass: "One great incentive to roam, on any New Zealand road trip, is the extraordinary proximity of its different landscapes. A few hours' drive can take you almost anywhere, from the coastline to the snowline; you can eat prawns for breakfast on the beach, lunch on farmed venison on the plains, and drink your sundowner atop a 3,000ft mountain." 
(10 February 2008)

China wine and dine
Aotearoa wine and cuisine has gained a significant foothold in China with the opening of the first restaurant and bar dedicated to premium NZ produce. Located in Guangzhou, China's third largest city, Back Street 19 Matakana Estate restaurant and bar is a joint venture between Matakana Estate and Goldridge Estate Wines, and Chinese business magnate Mr Yifei Li. "[Guangzhou's] financial elite, like many other affluent Chinese, are rapidly developing a sophisticated appreciation of premium Western wines and cuisines," says Matakana and Goldridge Estates Managing Director, Peter Vegar. Back Street 19 is located in Guangzhou's exclusive residential area of Ersha Island. 
(1 September 2007)

Potential World Heritage sites in NZ 
UNESCO is considering three NZ locations as potential World Heritage Sites at the request of PM Helen Clark, who is also NZ's Minister of Culture and Heritage. The Waitangi Treaty Grounds, Kerikeri Basin and Napier's Art Deco historic precinct have all been suggested as worthy of World Heritage protection. Known as "the birthplace of the nation", the Waitangi Treaty Grounds at Russell were the location for the first signing of the Treaty of Waitangi between Maori and the British Crown in 1840. The Kerikeri Basin in Northland saw the birth of Christianity and bi-cultural society in NZ, with the arrival of European missionaries in 1819. Napier's Art Deco historic precinct was built following the town's near complete destruction from a massive earthquake in 1931. 
(16 July 2007)

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Burger boom 
A restaurant chain founded by three New Zealanders has become one of the most successful businesses in the booming UK "posh burger" market. Gourmet Burger Kitchen was established six years ago by school friends Greg Driscoll, Brandon Allen and Adam Wills. The trio sold the business to restaurant investment company Clapham House Group for NZ $25.7 million in 2004, staying on for 18 months as directors before cashing out. Since the start of the 2006 financial year, Clapham House has added 13 GBK outlets to the chain, and is currently looking for a further 100 sites across the UK. 
(10 June 2007)

 

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Piece of cake LA 
Times food writer Amy Scattergood introduces Americans to the humble pavlova: "a dessert with an unexpected, rustic elegance." As well as providing a step-by-step recipe, Scattergood details the historical and cultural background of the iconic Australasian pudding. "Now the national dessert of both [New Zealand and Australia], the Pavlova has come down to us as a kind of edible symbol, not only of balletic art, but of colonial ingenuity. Unlike its ornate meringue cousin the vacherin, a beautiful if rather fussy dessert, the Pavlova is composed of a free-form meringue upon which whipped cream and fresh fruit are piled with lovely abandon. That's it."
(23 May 2007)

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A taste of Nelson in New York 
A NZ-themed gastropub, Nelson Blue, has opened in New York's burgeoning Seaport area. Owned by Pauli Morgan, a Nelson-born veteran of New York's bar scene, the 100-seat restaurant features a suspended waka, Steinlager on tap, a bar shaped like a ship and views of the Brooklyn Bridge and East River. Kentucky-born Eric Lind, of Brooklyn's feted Flatbush Farm restaurant, has signed on as head chef. 
(2 May 2007)

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Surfing the Menu in NZ 
NZ chef Mark Gardner will co-present the fourth season of popular cooking show Surfing the Menu, with London-based Australian Ben O'Donoghue. Gardner, 29, replaces O'Donoghue's previous co-presenter, Australian Curtis Stone. The fourth season comprises an eight-part tour of NZ, showcasing the country's food and scenery in equal measures. "I have been watching a lot of the food channels lately and checking out the other shows. And I just think we've just got a lot more punch and excitement," said Gardner. The series will see O'Donoghue and Gardner cooking innovative meals in between heli-skiing, surfing and scuba-diving with sharks. Gardner will present his signature barbeque dish: freshwater trout with fejoa wrapped in flax. The series premieres on Discovery Travel & Living, May 8. 
(1 May 2007)

 

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Roast with the most 
Edge establishment Batch Espresso is cutting it in Melbourne's razor-like café scene, with more stellar reviews in the city's leading newspapers. Herald Sun: "[Owner Jason Chan] works the coffee machine and the room, making beautiful coffee and good conversation. He's the consummate host … The menu is choice. In fact, it's choice bro, eh? Chan is proudly Kiwi and the menu features NZ wines, smoked salmon and fruit juices." The Age: "Last year [the Age] Cheap Eats again recognised a Carlisle Street cafe with its best barista prize, describing Jason Chan's Batch Espresso as 'a coffee-themed retreat.' Café lifestyle magazine Crema wrote: 'Move over Wall, Batch is in town.'" 
(7 February 2006)

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Te Rapa creams the opposition
Cream cheese from Fonterra's Te Rapa site won a silver medal at the World Championship Cheese Contest in Wisconsin; its 97.55 out of 100 score less than half a point behind the winner. Known as the Cheese Olympics, the WCCC is the largest event of its kind, boasting 1,792 entries from 18 countries this year alone. Te Rapa cream products process manager Dave Waterman was particularly pleased to win such an award in the US, the undisputed home of cream cheese. 
(31 March 2006)

 

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Flash Gordon
The Times profiles NZ’s most famous cooking export, the “arch-exponent of fusion food” Peter Gordon. As well as owning the Sugar Club, Providores and Tapa Room (all in London), Gordon is consultant chef to Changa (Istanbul), Public (New York) and Dine (Auckland). His latest book, Salads: The New Main Course, cleverly mixes the fundamentals with the exotic. “He seems to want, as ever, to bring the whole world to our tables."
(9 July 2005)

   

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Steaming in Seattle
Kiwi Carl Sara was a finalist in the World Barista Championship in Seattle. The prestigious competition was won by Denmark’s Troels Overdal Poulsen.
(19 April 2005)
   

NYC pie fix
NY Daily News profiles Kiwi Gareth Hughes, the brains behind NYC’s Down Under Bakery. “In Australia and NZ, meat pies are as central to the culture as pizza in New York,” says Hughes. Popular flavours include steak and Portobello mushroom, steak and cheese, steak curry and – of course – the “marvellous addictive mince.”
(29 March 2005)

Perky paradise