Xin chào everybody! We chat to Chudi Vũ of Pho Yen in Auckland, where every bowl of pho is a story and is inspired by her mother’s 35-year legacy of crafting Hanoi’s iconic noodle soup. Chudi brings the same love and heritage to various Auckland markets, including Botany’s Wednesday Night Market. Think bone-based 24-hour simmered broth balanced with subtle spices…

Kelli is the editor and owner of New Zealand’s iconic and much-loved food and wine magazine Cuisine and Director of Slick & Sassy Media Ltd. An award-winning journalist and broadcaster Kelli sits on the judging panels for some of the world’s most prestigious restaurant rating lists...

Is there anything Sam Low can’t do? He’s a champion barista, Master Chef winner, restaurant judge, a much-loved Insta-star plus a Chinese food expert. He’s also the author of one of our current fave books, Modern Chinese and an all-round nice guy too. And– yay! – he’s shared some of his a-mazing recipes and culinary wisdom with us…

Özlem Warren is an award winning Turkish food writer and cookery teacher. She frequently travels to teach Turkish cookery in the USA, Türkiye, and Jordan. Her recipes and articles are published in major newspapers and magazines, including...

Growing up in Auckland, Mrinal's culinary passion was sparked at a young age and influenced by the rich flavours of his Indian heritage. Train as a chef at AUT and eager to expand his culinary experience, he embarked on a journey exploring some top kitchens in...

Robert Oliver is a New Zealand chef who was raised in Fiji and Sāmoa. He has developed restaurants in New York, Miami, Las Vegas and Sydney, ‘farm to table’ resorts in the Caribbean and food programmes in New York City. His books Me‘a Kai (Random House, 2009) and Mea‘ai Sāmoa (Random House, 2014) were written…

Nic is chef de partie at Onslow in Auckland. He was raised in Oamaru and Dunedin and was inspired to cook from a young age by his mum and his nana. This inspiration grew into a passion and eventually became his career path…

Brett McGregor's remarkable culinary journey has taken him from Masterchef NZ to becoming an acclaimed author of 3 award winning cookbooks. His passion for food is fueled by his love for travel and people, continuously refining his craft in some of the world's best kitchens…

British-born chef Paul Froggatt has been working in New Zealand for over 11 years. 10 of these he has been the Executive Chef of Huka Lodge known as the “Grand Dame of New Zealand” and he was also crowned the title of “Luxury Lodge Chef of the Year”…

Chetan developed his love for cooking from a young age, inspired by his mother’s incredible kitchen skills. He went on to become a chef and develop his skills at some of India’s most renowned luxury hotels, such as Oberoi, Taj, Radisson, and The Leela Palace…

Born in the state of Perak in Malaysia, Roy studied in London before arriving in New Zealand in 2006 to chase his culinary dreams in Wellington. His culinary style focuses on using a mash-up of innovative techniques and wood-fired cooking to highlight the pure flavours of each ingredient…

Cameron trained to be a chef at CPIT but has actually been cooking since the age of 10. Inspired by his Nana’s passion for food, cooking soon became his life-long love and career. While studying he was fortunate to get a job at the Crown Plaza and have mentors like...

Kate is an internationally experienced and highly awarded designer/art director by trade. After working on some of the world's biggest and most demanding brands for some of the advertising industry's top names, she moved back to NZ and shifted her focus to running her own business. Now living in Grey Lynn with her husband, two young boys and dog. In 2019, Kate and her husband Levi Slavin founded Ironclad Co. with their business partner Joe Carter…

Andy Hearnden, better known as Andy Cooks, is a digital chef who creates online cooking videos for his 14 million subscribers across YouTube, Instagram, TikTok, and Facebook. Awarded YouTube Australia’s Top Creator in 2023, Andy creates educational, entertaining food videos to help inspire people to cook better food at home. Known for his signature “Hey Babe” and “Order’s Up”…

Dean has been head chef at Schnappa Rock for six years. Aged twenty-seven and with ten years of culinary experience, he is deeply passionate about all aspects of hospitality, from food and ambiance to service. At Schnappa Rock, he has proudly created a menu that emphasises fresh...

Geoff Ross was born and raised on a dairy and deer farm south of Auckland. He attended Lincoln University where he graduated with a B Com (Agricultural). In 2018 he received a Doctor of Commerce from Lincoln recognising his achievements as a serial entrepreneur. He founded 42 Below and was a director and chairman of The Trilogy Group and the Savor Group. Geoff has been a trustee of Melanoma NZ and the Endangered Species Foundation. He is currently a trustee…

Janika ter Ellen is a reporter and presenter for Three’s Newshub. She has been a journalist since 2010, covering stories like the Scott Guy murder trial, Cyclone Gabrielle and more recently, whistleblower suppliers calling out New Zealand’s supermarket duopoly. She lives in Te Atatū South with her husband Ross Karl and their 4-year-old son Eden, and loves swimming in big waves, walking tourism…

Rachel, a prominent business leader, is a strong advocate for the Māori economy and sustainability in the food and beverage sector. Her commitment to kaitiakitanga has been evident throughout her career, from founder of sustainable seafood company Yellow Brick Road, to her time as chief executive officer of Māori-owned food and beverage company Kono, and now in her current role as co-founder…

Trudi is a longtime NZ broadcaster. Originally based in Northland, she spent 20 years across Auckland radio and TV before escaping the hustle and bustle for the Bay of Plenty. Currently running an organic kiwifruit orchard, she’s heavily involved with Food Writers NZ (for whom she was president), and has a weekly Sunday slot on Magic Radio as well as being the voice of More FM, NZ-wide…

Junda Khoo is a Malaysian chef and owner of successful and accoladed chain eatery Ho Jiak in Sydney. In 2022, Junda’s innovative creations led to him being nominated as a finalist for Chef of the Year by Sydney Morning Herald’s Good Food Guide. Ho Jiak Town Hall was also named as one of the top 80 restaurants in Australia by Gourmet Traveller and was awarded one Chef’s Hat in recognition…