Beat master

Meet Pāpāmoa’s Stan Bicknell – a world-class drummer, teacher, creator and total rhythm freak who has turned his skill into a way of life. He’s proud to admit his craft is his obsession, and if you’ve got sticks, he’s got something to teach you.

photos JESS BICKNELL + GR ACESCAPE PHOTOGRAPHY

Stan was one of just nine players selected from more than 6,200 worldwide to audition for Los Angeles rock legends PRIMUS – a band he’s idolised since he was 14. The call-up marks a serious career milestone for the 28-year drumming veteran known for his precision, discipline and obsession with pushing limits behind the kit.

How did you get into music?

I started drumming at 13. I’d been playing guitar for a couple of years, but my stepdad noticed I was always tapping and suggested I give drums a go. The next day, I sat down at the school kit at Taupō Intermediate and gave it a crack... and honestly, it did not click. It wasn’t until about six months later that I picked the sticks up again and actually connected with it, and from that moment, I was hooked.

What do you love about drumming?

Honestly, I can’t say it any better than this – I’m absolutely obsessed. Even after 28 years behind the kit, I love it more than ever. I work on my craft daily and I’m constantly exploring new ways to push my playing forward. I’ve got a clear vision of the drummer I want to become in this lifetime, and every day is about chipping away at that.

Who/what influences and/or inspires you?

When it comes to drum influences, the list’s as long as my arm. Some old school greats like Buddy Rich, Tony Williams, and Vinnie Colaiuta. Some new school legends too, like Tomas Haake, Jon Theodore, Chris Coleman... just to name a few. As for what inspires me? Everything. Books, exercise, writing, time with mates, music, teaching – it all feeds the fire. I do my best to keep my mind and body fresh so I can show up fully, both on and off the kit.

Who are some of the well-known musicians you’ve played with in the past?

Here in NZ, I’ve played with Kimbra, Georgia Lines, Tiki Taane, Black Comet (with Laughton Kora) and Shapeshifter.

In Australia, The Bennie’s, Miami Horror, Tonight Alive, and Ecca Vandal. In the US, Natasha Bedingfield and Watsky.

I was also recently invited to audition for LA-based alternative rock band PRIMUS. Out of 6,200 submissions, I was one of just nine drummers selected. An incredible experience, to say the least.

What has been your favourite gig so far?

If we’re talking gigs, I’d say my most recent one with Natasha Bedingfield stands out. It’s heavy in the pocket, which basically means tight, locked-in groove. I love that, but there’s also room to stretch out and have some fun. She’s an absolute pro and a total pleasure to play with.

As for drumming experiences, getting invited out to Drumeo in Vancouver was huge. Jared Falk (the CEO) flew me over to film some courses and share my approach. That was a real milestone.

How did you get into teaching and what ages do you teach?

I’ve been teaching for 25 years (playing for 28), and it was a natural evolution as my skills grew.

Over the years, I’ve taught all levels and ages, but these days I mostly work with intermediate to advanced players – teachers, long-time band drummers, and experienced players looking to level up.

My focus is on the areas that really interest me: mechanics, technique and facility around the kit. I also place a big emphasis on looking after yourself off the drums, because it’s all connected.

What are your plans for the future?

About 18 months ago, I launched MasterMindDrummer.com – a platform where I offer drum courses and coaching programs to drummers all around the world. The concept is simple: develop the person alongside the player.

Right now, there are seven courses available, covering everything from Tuning and Mechanics to Single Kick, Chops and more.

The goal moving forward is to keep growing the site and the brand, while continuing to work on my own craft daily, sharing my journey, creating content and hopefully playing with more incredible international artists along the way.

STANBICKNELL

The talented tī lady

In another life, Amy Tihema-Madden would've been an expert

winemaker but the Hamilton mother of four has spent the past five

years perfecting the art of fermenting tea, and we are all better for it,

as UNO columnist JESS EASTON writes.

Amy Tihema-Madden never set out to create an award-winning, life-giving drink of deliciousness. All she wanted to do was to make herself better.

With post-natal depression, grief and anxiety darkening her horizon, soon after the birth of her fourth child and just before Covid-19, forming a company and learning the intricacies of running a business was the last thing on her mind.

Thanks to her kindly Chinese GP, who convinced her to go back to her people and find traditional Māori practices to heal, Amy (Te Aitanga a Mahaki, Te Whānau a Kai, Ngati Kohuru) found herself on a vastly different path.

Soon, she was deep in the forest, learning about rongoā and how nature's energy could heal.

Copious tears soaked fertile soil and Waikirikau fermented tea was born.

Booze-free is big business these days. For various health and social reasons, many people are looking for food-matched flavours and boutique brews that don't have the age-old after-effects. Non-alcoholic shrubs and tonics are becoming ever-more popular, while kombucha and other fermented offerings are flourishing.

Amy soon found that the more she learned about the healing power of native plants, the more intuitive she became at combining them with herbs, leaves, fruits, barks and flowers. Fermenting them was a way to preserve their potency and bring probiotic benefits into play.

We've been using Waikirikau brews at our Kitchen Takeover events for the past couple of years and the likes of Hā Raumati – manuka-infused with cucumber, lime and juniper additions – pair fabulously with so many of our delicious courses. The spectacular ruby-coloured Ngā Taonga ā Papatūānuku is indeed a treasure, while Horopito Chai and Kawakawa Kaha are more recent offerings. But what we love most is that Amy hand-picks all her ingredients, using maramataka principles, and then caresses the flavours out of her produce in a small commercial kitchen in her Hamilton backyard.

Her small personal passion has indeed become a successful business, albeit one that is still boutique and hand-crafted.

And the most important ingredient in her arsenal remains her aroha, the care and the nurturing, which shines through in every mouthful.

Jess Easton is a director and owner of Kitchen Takeover and Saint Wine Bar, complementing her career as a Tauranga-based lawyer.

Savour the balance

Delicious gluten-free, dairy-free recipes to balance blood sugar, boost your glow, and energise your body, created by holistic skin health expert Janine Tait and chef Isaac Weston.

photos TASH MITCHELL FROM TASTEFULLY STUDIOS

Beetroot and boysenberry cupcakes

This recipe can be used to make a dozen cupcakes, with a rich, chocolaty taste and a touch of sweetness from the boysenberries. Note: You can replace the boysenberries with any other berry but avoid strawberries if you have irritated skin.

makes 12 prep time 10 MINUTES cooking time 25 MINUTES

Gluten free, dairy free, refined sugar free

INGREDIENTS

1 cup allulose or monk fruit with erythritol (white granulated version)

2 cups almond flour (not almond meal)

1 ½ tsp baking soda

1 cup cacao or cocoa powder

1 cup beetroot, grated

½ cup boysenberries, fresh or frozen (defrosted)

½ cup coconut oil, melted

4 eggs, room temperature

METHOD

1. Preheat your oven to 160°C. Grease 12-cup muffin tin.

2. Add all the ingredients to a food processor and blend until smooth.

3. For cupcakes, bake for 25 minutes, or until a skewer inserted comes out clean. Allow the cupcakes to cool before removing them from the tins.

4. Serve with a dollop of coconut yoghurt and fresh or defrosted berries.

Everyday loaf

This loaf is the closest I have tasted to a wheat-based bread. It has the lightest texture and mildest taste of all the options in this book. Just keep in mind that it may take a little longer than most to toast, so adjust your toaster settings accordingly. You will need scales for this recipe.

makes 1 loaf | prep time 10 MINUTES | cooking time 40-50 MINUTES | GF, DF, RSF

INGREDIENTS

100g ground golden flaxseed/ linseed (grind 1 cup of whole seeds in a spice grinder if needed)*

1 cup almond flour

½ tsp fine texture salt

3 tbsp soya flour**

2 tsp of baking powder

2 tbsp olive oil

150ml water

4 medium-sized eggs

*Pre-ground brown flaxseeds are a convenient alternative to grinding the golden flaxseeds, though they will alter the colour of the loaf.

**Soya flour (also known as soy flour) is commonly available in Asian food stores.

METHOD

1. Preheat your oven to 180°C. If you aren’t using a silicone tin, grease or line a loaf tin.

2. In a bowl, blend the olive oil, water and eggs together using a whisk or stick blender until well combined.

3. Mix the wet and dry ingredients together until fully combined. Leave the mixture to stand for 5 minutes to thicken.

4. Pour the mixture into the loaf tin. Bake for 40-50 minutes, until risen. Please note that this bread doesn’t brown very much.

5. Check with a skewer to see if cooked. Leave to cool on the bench before removing from the tin. Once completely cooled, you can slice the bread and freeze it for an easy toast alternative.

Konjac noodle chicken broth

Noodles are a common blood glucose-spiking food, so finding a delicious alternative like konjac noodles is a real win. Konjac is a root vegetable that grows in many parts of Asia and is high in fibre, making it great for gut health. A 2013 study even suggests that konjac can reduce acne and improve skin health.

serves 4 | prep time 10 MINUTES | cooking time 1 HOUR 15 MINUTES | GF, DF, RSF

INGREDIENTS

1 large onion, peeled and chopped into chunks

4 cloves of garlic, peeled

2 whole star anise

5cm knob of fresh ginger, sliced into chunks (skin can be left on)

1 ½ tbsp salt

12 cups cold water

1.3kg whole chicken 1 pack (400g) of konjac noodles

Garnish: Spring onions, chopped coriander or other fresh herbs

METHOD

1. Place the water, chicken, onion, garlic, star anise, ginger and salt into a large pot (about 25cm wide x 15cm deep), ensuring the water covers the chicken.

2. Bring to a boil, then allow a rolling boil for 25 minutes with the lid on. After 25 minutes, reduce the heat to a simmer and cook for an additional 50 minutes, with the lid on, until the chicken is fully cooked and tender.

3. Remove the chicken from the broth and shred the meat, setting it aside. Strain the broth into a separate pot and discard the onions, garlic, ginger, and star anise.

4. Remove the konjac noodles from their packet and rinse under cold water for 1 minute (or follow the instructions on the packet).

5. Divide the noodles between bowls and pour the hot broth over the top. Add the shredded chicken and garnish with spring onions and fresh herbs. The leftover broth and chicken can be frozen together (without the noodles) for future use, or stored in the fridge for up to 3 days.

Spiced hot chocolate

A warming and aromatic drink, perfect for a cosy moment. This latte is rich with spices and a healthy cacao kick.

serves 2 prep time 5 MINUTES GF, DF, RSF, Vegan

INGREDIENTS

6 cardamom pods (seeds removed)

5 whole cloves

¼ tsp nutmeg

1 tsp cinnamon

2 tsp cacao or cocoa powder

2 tsp maca powder

1 tbsp monk fruit with erythritol (white sugar version) or allulose

1 cup almond or soy milk

1 cup water

METHOD

1. Remove the seeds from the cardamom pods. Use a mortar and pestle or spice grinder to grind the cardamom seeds and cloves into a powder.

2. Place all the ingredients, including the ground spices, into a pot. Warm the mixture over medium heat, stirring regularly. Take care not to let it boil.

3. Pour into mugs and serve warm.

From Tauranga to the top

In just four short years, Tauranga’s hip hop dance studio Space has made a big splash on the international scene. Founders Summer Tyson and Cameron Smith tell us they’re just getting started.

words KARL PUSCHMANN | photos NINAG PHOTOGRAPHY

Space Dance Studios may have only opened its doors five years ago, but time is running out. They only have 12 months left on the clock to hit their goal, Cameron Smith tells UNO. The goal is a simple one: become the best hip hop dance studio in the world.

Easy, right?

“There’s a Tall Poppy Syndrome in New Zealand, where it sounds super outrageous to say we want to be the best in the world,” Cameron says, before smiling and adding, “We’re currently third.”

After speaking with Cameron and partner Summer Tyson, their wildly ambitious target seems not just doable, but entirely feasible. They are determined and focused, they are putting the work in and then putting in some more work, and they are achingly close to hitting it. “We’re proud, but not satisfied,” Cameron says. “There’s a deadline. It’s really important for us to cram and work hard to make things happen.”

Opening their own dance studio was their dream. When that became a reality, they simply added to the dream.

“It was like a script to a movie. Just boom! Let’s make this happen. We always say that it not working wasn’t an option,” Cameron says. “Failure was not an option. It’s the only thing in life that we do. It’s the only thing in life that we’re good at. It had to work. There was no way it couldn’t work.”

The pair worked hard to ensure Space launched successfully. They offered anybody who wanted to dance, regardless of skill or ability, free classes for an entire term, and worked seven days a week in the studio.

“When you’re building something from the ground up, it’s important,” Cameron says. “Summer and I love it. We weren’t looking at the clock or time watching, like, ‘Oh, it’s five o’clock, I’m off now’. We were doing it from a place of passion and a place of fire.”

Their arrival didn’t go unnoticed. Their unorthodox approach influenced every decision. While everyone was zigging, they zagged.

“Everybody else’s studio was white, so we said, ‘let’s paint ours black’. Everybody else was doing exam work, we said, ‘let’s not do exam work, and run open classes’. Everybody was competing locally, we said, ‘No, we’re going to compete internationally’. We tried to do something that didn't follow that formula. It was either going to work or it wasn’t. But we were going to make sure it did.”

And it has. Last year’s third place at the World of Dance Competition was the greatest endorsement of their unique methods. Which also extends to their teaching.

“We do treat our dancers like athletes. From what they eat, to how they sleep, to their training regime. Some of these dancers are sometimes training up to 14 to 16 hours a day,” Cameron says. “It is unbelievable for dancers who are sometimes aged 11 and 12. We’re super fortunate to have an incredible community of parents who support these kids. Their parents are the grounding and the roots of what makes these kids successful. It is very normal for Space to train until sometimes 2am. The next morning, they go to school at 9am, so it is a wild, wild, wild world that Space lives in.”

And while it is extremely full on, competition for one of the 40 spots on the Space Pro Team is fierce, with people flying from all over Aotearoa to audition. Needless to say, even getting into the team is gruelling.

“It’s a relentless audition. They come in and they train for a weekend, and we select the top 40 dancers.

This kind of training regime is simply what it takes to reach the international standard. At the Worlds, which can be considered the Olympics of dance, there are 53 countries, with over 100 teams and 500 dancers all competing in brutal knockout rounds. Just the document that tells you what the judges are looking for runs 200 pages. This provides the necessary context for their approach.

“We consider dancing a sport,” Summer says. “Someone’s got to win at the event and someone’s going to lose.”

“Our job is to pour gasoline on the fire,” Cameron adds. “These kids come in with this raw fire, and our job is to make it go crazy.”

The pair are straight-up in saying a place on the Pro Team isn’t for everyone. They tell hopefuls what’s in store and the physical and mental pressure involved. “If people can survive a year in Space, they can survive a year anywhere,” Cameron grins. “We try to create an environment that pushes life skills, learning and that work ethic. We feel so grateful that people believe in what we do and trust us with their kids and with their growth. It’s a big responsibility to not just train good dancers but to train good humans as well. Dance is purely the form that we use to teach life skills.”

“We always say hard work always pays off, and that luck doesn’t exist to us. The hardest-working team will win.”

With only 12 months remaining for the pair to achieve their goal of winning the World’s, their international rivals better be working bloody hard. Because Summer and Cameron certainly are. And they have every intention of making sure the competition has their work cut out for them.

SPACESTUDIOS.CO.NZ

The secret ingredient

Stacey Jones discovers a passionate foodie dedicated to creating authentic Greek experiences.

As UNO’s food writer over the past three years, few experiences have been as memorable or heart-warming as Yiayia’s Little Kitchen. Tucked away down a gravel drive in Matatā, opposite Whale Island, Caterina Murphy’s home opens up a world of Greek-Cypriot flavours and traditions just waiting to be uncovered.

Caterina’s culinary journey took flight last year when she launched a small vegetarian catering business. “I’d worked in education all my life,” she recalls, “but my foodie dream was always simmering away in the background. So I asked for reduced hours at work and went for it.”

The community’s response exceeded her wildest expectations. “People loved the plant-based menus and soon started asking about classes,” she laughs. “That’s when I knew Yiayia’s Little Kitchen was meant to be.”

Food, Caterina explains, is edible history. “I learnt alongside my mother,” she says. “Anyone can hand you a recipe, but what you don’t get is the story – the rituals, the history and the cultural bonds formed in the kitchen.”

On her mum’s side, her family roots trace back to Cyprus, where the cuisine marries Greek traditions with Middle Eastern influences. “Lemons, pomegranates, ground coriander are the flavours that tell the story of our island,” she adds.

She remembers the artichoke season in their garden as a ceremonial affair: each leaf dipped in olive oil and lemon juice, savoured one by one until only the heart remained. Being part of the Flavours Of Plenty Festival with her Big Fat Greek Cypriot Feast in April was the turning point last year. Held at Awaponga Hall, her diners raved not only about the food but also about the stories woven through each dish.

“I married a man who grows fresh vegetables for me,” she jokes. “Watching people discover plant-based Greek food was incredible, and by the end, everyone was begging for more events.”

Looking ahead, Caterina is planning her first cooking classes for the public, including a shakshuka master class – “it works for breakfast, brunch or a light dinner”.

Another favourite will be filo pastry workshops alongside vegetarian Koupes inspired by childhood picnics in the Troodos mountains. Later this year, she’ll host “table of eight” long lunches: a meze feast at her home where no one leaves hungry. If you’re after the next big secret foodie find in the Bay of Plenty, Yiayia’s Little Kitchen is it. And the secret ingredient, as Caterina will tell you, is simple: love.

YIAYIASLITTLEKITCHEN

Winter warmers

The top secret food experiences you need to know about.

words STACEY JONES

It feels like winter has truly set in now – grey skies, chilly nights, the same old dinner on repeat. But fear not, you don’t have to wander far to warm your cockles. Here are our food columnist Stacey Jones' top-secret foodie experiences in the Bay of Plenty that’ll light up your winter with a fantastic food adventure.

Mid-Winter Gin-Mas
June–August

Matahui Distillery is warming our cockles this winter with their Mid-Winter Gin-mas workshop, where you’ll have the chance to make your own custom gin using mid-winter Christmas botanicals. At $95 per head (roughly the cost of a decent shop-bought bottle), it’s the steal of the season. Paul Horak, Matahui’s master distiller, will guide you through small-batch botanicals (he even snagged New Zealand’s Best Botanical Spirit award). The distillery is located in Matahui, just 20 minutes from Tauranga. It's the perfect spot for a fun weekend away from the city.

To book, visit:

MATAHUIDISTILLERY.COM/GIN-LAB

Shuck Yeah!
June–October

Have you ever wanted to slurp an oyster moments after it left the water? Tio Ōhiwa’s twice-daily, 90-minute cruises across Ōhiwa Harbour make it possible at New Zealand’s only Māori-owned oyster farm. Your journey begins with a guided history of the estuary, winds past Ohakana Island and Tauwhare Pā, then drops anchor at Ōhiwa Oyster Farm. There you’ll learn to shuck, dress and serve your own oysters, tour the processing plant and walk away with a dozen (or more) of the freshest Ōhiwa oysters you’ll ever taste.

To book, visit OHIWAOYSTERS.COM and use code BOPEATS for 10% off.

Diggin' It
June-July

Truffle-hunting season (late May–July) is here and in the Bay of Plenty we are graced with some of New Zealand’s highest producing truffle farms. Trufflewood in Paengaroa invites you onto their farm to hunt Perigord truffles, famed on TVNZ’s Country Calendar and featured on plates at Amisfield and Ahi. Follow expert dog Simba as he leads you through the orchard floor to unearth these rare gems. Once you’ve dug up your treasure, indulge in a guided tasting, including local cheese, butter, ice cream and more.

Visit BOPEATS.CO.NZ for tickets and use the code UNO10 for $10 off.

My Big Fat Greek
Cooking Class
Thursdays, June–August 2025

Step inside Yiayia's Little Kitchen at Caterina Murphy's cosy Matatā home, perched opposite Whale Island on a tranquil rural property, and roll up your sleeves for a hands-on Greek cooking class. Under her warm and welcoming guidance, you’ll learn to craft pipinghot moussaka layered with silky bechamel, hand-stretched pillowy pitas to fill with homemade hummus and tzatziki, and fold flaky filo for sweet baklava. Along the way, Caterina will share the stories behind each recipe, the traditions they spring from, and the love she pours into every dish. After cooking, sit down together to feast on your creations, savouring an experience you’ll be talking about long after the last bite.

Contact YIAYIASLITTLEKITCHEN@GMAIL.COM for classes.

Te reo rising

Reena Snook is bringing world-class, all–te reo Māori theatre to Tauranga, creating a bold new direction for Baycourt.

words SUE HOFFART photos TE POU THEATRE & THE DUST PALACE + DAVID COOPER

Work has become undeniably personal for Baycourt Community and Arts Centre manager Reena Snook. Four years into her tenure, the drama school graduate and first-year te reo Māori student is championing a production that combines a theatre and circus spectacle with dialogue entirely in te reo.

“This is something I wish a young me could have seen,” Reena says of the Te Tangi a Te Tūī performance being staged in Tauranga in August. “One reviewer called it transformative, and I’m convinced that’s true. It’s an experience that really could be pivotal for a lot of the young people we’re bringing into our theatre.”

Baycourt will host the August 6 opening night of a tour that encompasses four other North Island centres. And Baycourt is also gifting tickets to all students attending a school-only performance on August 7.

“We want to remove as many financial barriers as possible because nothing should stand in the way of rangatahi experiencing world-class performers. This young audience will hear stories grounded in indigenous culture, they’ll hear te reo Māori on stage and that’s likely to feel powerful and personal to many. Perhaps they’ll see a pathway I couldn’t imagine at their age.”

When Te Tangi a Te Tūī had its Aotearoa premiere at Te Pou Theatre in Auckland last year, Reena was immediately determined to bring the production to Tauranga. A long-standing connection to two of the project’s key creators helped: Eve Gordon of The Dust Palace and Tainui Tukiwaho of Te Pou Theatre attended drama school with Reena in Auckland.

The work also marks a strategic shift for Baycourt as the centre moves towards broadening and complementing its current programme offerings. Reena acknowledges Baycourt’s “incredibly rich history” that’s achieved so much. But, she recognises some voices and stories haven’t been as visible as others.

“As a community arts centre, we need to take deliberate steps to bring people from all parts of the community onto the stage and into the audience,” she says.

Te Tangi a Te Tūī, which tells the story of the tui’s song and its evolution over the centuries, is a positive step in that direction. “It’s the first time we’ve been able to support a professional production performed fully in te reo Māori. I love the way this show honours our Pākehā audiences too, with the cirque theatre and universal story elements ensuring it’s accessible and understandable for everyone.

“There’s no tokenism here. We’re not just putting a Māori theatre production on stage to meet a diversity quota. One of the goals is to offer Pākehā a safe entry point into te ao Māori – something they can genuinely connect with and enjoy, without feeling like they’re being overwhelmed or excluded.”

Reena shares how she has spent much of her life distanced from her Ngāpuhi roots and how a deep sense of not belonging shapes some of her story. “As someone of mixed heritage I often felt I wasn’t ‘brown enough’ to be Māori or ‘white enough’ to be Pākehā.

“That’s a tension that has informed my approach to programming and community engagement. I want to create spaces and experiences where people of all backgrounds and identities can feel recognised and valued.”

It was only after relocating from Auckland to Tauranga with husband Greg, in 2018, that Reena began closely examining her own identity. (She left a job as senior producer at performing arts platform, Auckland Live, to take up a Tauranga City Council events management position).

She speaks of an unexpected sense of connection with Tauranga mana whenua and how the warm welcome spurred her to begin tracing the threads of her whānau and whakapapa.

“It’s funny the further away I got from my tūrangawaewae in the Far North, the more I wanted to learn about my Māori whakapapa.”

Alongside her personal cultural awakening, Reena realised she missed the performing arts world and its creative people. So, when the Baycourt role came up in 2021, she pounced. Presenting Te Tangi a Te Tūī will be a career high.

“For those who still doubt the calibre of Māori theatre, this production is set to challenge that perception entirely.”

“It’s special that Baycourt is the tour’s first stop and I’m proud our local rangatahi will see themselves reflected on stage. For some in our audience, this may also be their first visit to a traditional theatre.

“It’s critical Baycourt supports work like this, so that culturally powerful storytelling reaches the communities that need to see it most.”

BAYCOURT.CO.NZ

Italian soul, Kiwi style

Discover a modern taste of Italy with a family legacy at Coco’s Trattoria.

words HAYLEY BARNETT

A love for Italian cuisine runs in the family for owners of the new and beautifully modern Coco’s Trattoria. Chloe Meredith and Nik Zoraja met while working at one of his family's restaurants in Matamata, one of three Italian restaurants owned by Nik’s parents. He was in the kitchen, she worked front of house. Fittingly, Nik’s parents met the same way: chef and waitress, side by side.

Hospitality has long been the family business. While the family's Mount Maunganui eatery recently changed hands, the family still owns the Matamata and Ohakune spots. Now, Chloe and Nik have stepped out on their own with Coco’s.

“We’re really lucky everything has run so smoothly since opening in November last year,” says Chloe. “Our team came with us from previous roles, so they know how we work. It made things seamless, especially with a baby on the way!”

That baby, little Enzo, was just nine weeks old when UNO sat down to chat. “We decided to do it all at once — open a restaurant and have a baby,” Chloe laughs. Coco’s marks new territory for the pair. “We weren’t sure about opening inside a mall. We’ve always been in niche areas and hadn’t worked with a large corporation like Bayfair before. But the support they gave us made it all possible.”

The move has paid off. Steady foot traffic has kept them busy, and they’re looking forward to winter, when cravings for comforting pasta and slow-cooked meats kick in.

When the UNO team visited on a sunny autumn afternoon, two things stood out immediately: the authenticity of the food, and the speed it arrived. Within minutes, the table was brimming with fresh pasta, Napoli-style pizza, Italian snacks, and rich, slow-cooked dishes.

“It’s been a learning curve,” says Chloe. “We’ve never done a sharing-style menu like this. In past restaurants it was entrée, then main. But sharing works well in a faster-paced setting like this.”

Despite its mall location, Coco’s doesn’t feel like it’s in one. With a refined fit-out and a thoughtful menu, it delivers a full restaurant experience.

“While we’re quite traditional, we always say we’re Italian-style, inspired by Italian cuisine, but with a Kiwi twist. For example, traditional Italian pasta isn’t very meaty, but Kiwis love meat, so we adapt.”

Adding to the authenticity, two of their chefs and two front-of-house staff are from Italy. “They often say it reminds them of home. That’s the best feedback we could get.”

Though Coco’s is their first solo venture, Chloe and Nik have brought years of experience, and genuine passion, to the table. Balancing business and new parenthood, they’ve created a space that blends tradition, warmth and a modern take on what great Italian dining should feel like.

COCOSTRATTORIA.CO.NZ

A story of past and present

Dean Flavell is restoring Tauranga’s heritage by bringing taonga Māori home, one treasure at a time.

words DEBBIE GRIFFITHS

For Dean Flavell, a decision in 2003 to accept the role of Poutiaki Māori for the Tauranga Heritage Collection was easy. He’d already recognised one of the taonga that would sit in the future Tauranga Museum as linked to his own ancestor, and wanted to ensure it was kept safe.

“We have the remnants of an ancestral meeting house called Tamapahore, which once stood at Karikari Point,” he says. “It belongs to Ngā Pōtiki and it hosted many renowned members of Māori society including King Mahuta, the third Māori King. It was heartbreaking to find the relic not properly cared for. There’s a better way to honour our ancestor and the skill that went into this carving.”

Dean has pieced together the story surrounding it, finding connections to our most turbulent time: the New Zealand land battles at Gate Pā, Te Ranga and the bush campaign in the late 1800s. Tamapahore wharenui was an example of Māori meeting houses that emerged after the beginning of the Kīngitanga movement.

“Māori had a lot of their lands confiscated, but on what was retained they built larger houses to accommodate community gatherings,” he explains. “I imagine there were a lot of things that local Māori needed to discuss, so it was a place of coming together to contemplate the past and the future.”

It was in the tiny eastern Bay of Plenty community of Nukuhou that Dean was raised by his grandfather who spoke f luent Te Reo. “Our road was gravel and there was one shop that sold saddles, clothing, milk, lollies, everything,” he recalls.

“Our elders would speak Māori amongst themselves and when we went to town they’d revert to English. I love that today the knowledge is broader. Even if it’s simply place names or greetings, it’s becoming normal to hear Te Reo and I have great talks with my Pakeha friends speaking Māori and English together.

After a stint in the military, Dean learned traditional carving techniques, taking charge of the work on a wharenui in Whanganui when he was just 20. He launched his own carving school there and later worked as an educator at the local museum.

“I moved into curating and exhibition design overseas, including a time at Osaka in Japan, and then came back to New Zealand to a letter on my desk asking if I’d come to Tauranga to work on a new museum for the region.”

That was 24 years ago and for Dean it was an opportunity to locate artefacts around the world to help tell the story of Tauranga Moana.

“There are key taonga in other institutions,” says Dean. “In 1987 we started the work to find them and we’ve been creating relationships with the museums that have them. Some are in Wellington and Auckland and there’s a kite from the voyage of Captain Cook in the British Museum. It’s huge and quite unique. We know it’s safe and one of the thoughts is to replicate it in some way.”

For Dean, the Taonga Māori Collection is to keep safe the taonga tuku iho (treasures from the ancestors) that embody cultural stories, traditions and histories and an acknowledgement of the people who are no longer with us.

“Their stories live on and we get to share them with future generations through the new Tauranga Museum,” he smiles. “Good things take time. It’s been a long journey, but I’m really excited about where we’ve landed.”

TAURANGAHERITAGECOLLECTION.CO.NZ

Plenty under twenty

In part two of Plenty Under Twenty, Stacey Jones hunts out the best cheap eats under $20 that the Tauranga region has to offer.

words STACEY JONES

Rikarika

I put the call out to the local community recently, asking for their favourite meals under $20, and the response was meatier than a pie from Patrick’s Pies — hundreds of recommendations flooded in.

So, after a fair bit of eating (it’s a tough job, but someone’s got to do it), here’s my pick of the best cheap eats in the Bay of Plenty this month. From dumplings to falafel, sushi to curry, these are the top spots serving up serious flavour without breaking the bank.

The Rising Tide

Weekday wins

If you’re happy to dine out earlier in the week, you’re onto a winner-winner dumpling dinner. Let’s start with a ridiculously good deal over at The Rising Tide on a Monday in Mount Maunganui – and now at their new spot in Ōmokoroa.

For just $15, you can treat yourself to five mouthwatering dumplings paired with a pint of craft beer. I’d recommend the mushroom dumplings, but they’ve also been branching out with limited-edition flavours like lemongrass and lamb. Yum.

East of the middle

Next up is one of my all-time favourites: Falafel Metro. They serve up the crispest falafel known to humankind, wrapped in a house-made pita softer than a fluffy white cloud for just $17. Total steal. Even the most die-hard carnivores won’t miss the meat here.

Japanese feasts

If Japanese is your vibe, Chidori Ramen might just take the crown for the best meal under $20 in the BOP. I’ve been going there since the day they opened, and my go-to is the patina ramen with extra chashu and a ramen egg — it never lets me down. Pro tip: their set meals are a great deal too, and the chicken karaage is a personal favourite.

Happy Fryday

Right next door is Chicken Fryday, a fried chicken lover’s dream. Half a Korean-style fried chicken sneaks in at $19.50. Slather it in wasabi mayo for a flavour punch, or, if you’re feeling brave, go for the hot and spicy sauce — it’s hotter than Satan’s breath and will leave you sweating like you’ve just run a marathon.

Rikarika

Sushi secret

Still in the Japanese lane, pop into Rikarika — the new spot where Falafel Metro once stood. Their sushi is arguably the best in the Bay, thanks to husband-and-wife team Brian and Rika, who take a near-religious approach to perfecting their rice. Grab a sushi set for just $15, or if you’re after something lighter, a mini rice bowl for $12. I’d recommend the tofu teriyaki. Plus, the owners are some of the nicest people you’ll ever meet.

Bananarama

Just a hop, skip and jump from Rikarika is the wildly underrated Banana Blossom Café, serving up Malaysian Cheesy Chilli Fried Eggs for $18.50 — a fusion combo of absolute yum. And if your wallet can stretch just a smidge over a crisp $20, their laksa at $29.50 is all manners of “fork yeah”.

Best of the rest as voted by locals

• For the locals in Matua, Head Loco got plenty of shout-outs for its Japanese grubs.

• Kebab lovers, Kebab Istanblue in Mount Maunganui is a go-to.

• Early risers, Pronto Burger does a $9 breakfast combo, including coffee – absolute steal.

• Curry cravings? House of Spice in Fraser Cove serves up generous portions, and all their curries are under $20.

• Vietnamese food enthusiasts, Pho Vina (just off Wharf Street) dishes up authentic, soul-warming goodness for under $20.

The secret’s out — I’ve taken over @bop.eats, and I’m officially dedicating my life (and my stomach) to uncovering the best eats in the Bay. That means I’ll be diving even deeper into the best eats across the region, starting with another round of budget-friendly bites that prove you don’t need to spend big to eat well.

New York state of mind

UNO catches up with local film director James Ashcroft in New York to discuss his new thriller, the demons driving his films, working with Robert De Niro and Stephen King, and how he achieved all of this from the shores of Mount Maunganui.

words KARL PUSCHMANN
photos MIKE ROOKE | hair + make-up TALITHA DAENG SITUJU

This sounds made up but it is entirely true. A local film director who lives in Mount Maunganui has just released his second film, The Rule of Jenny Pen. The terrifying psychological thriller stars internationally renowned actors, Geoffrey Rush and John Lithgow.

When UNO calls, the director is in Manhattan, New York, in pre-production for his next movie, The Whisper Man, which he is making for Netflix. The star of this dark thriller? Acting legend Robert De Niro.

Once wrapped on that, he’ll begin work on his next project, Danny Coughlin’s Bad Dream. This is based on a story by famed horror author Stephen King, who kept the fan favourite story aside specifically for him.

As I said, it sounds made up. Rush, Lithgow, De Niro, King... they’re all bonafide legends and the guy linking them all together lives just down the road? Really?

It sounds not just improbable, but impossible, and when I ask director James Ashcroft if he ever has to pinch himself when thinking about all this. He looks a little perturbed and answers, “No. I don't.”

He pauses and looks around the Manhattan apartment he’s calling home for the next little while and then adds, “My wife would be the first one to say I should try just... you know... celebrating a bit and acknowledging who I’m around and everything.”

At the moment he doesn’t have time to stop and smell the roses. Given the level of achievement we’re talking about here, it should come as no surprise that James funnels extraordinary amounts of his time, energy and focus into his work. But, as I’ll discover through our chat, this is by design. Keeping busy keeps his own demons at bay. We’ll get to them in a minute. But for now, I only want to know one thing.

How did all of this happen? The Rule of Jenny Pen is based on a short story by Aotearoa author Owen Marshall. It’s set in a retirement village that outwardly seems lovely but hides a dark and disturbing secret after dark. Its premise is frightening and its realisation by leads Rush and Lithgow is both believable and brilliantly horrifying.

The movie is James’ follow-up to 2021’s Coming Home in the Dark, the acclaimed thriller that caught Hollywood’s attention after gaining buzz at Sundance, the prestigious tastemaker film festival.

When success came knocking, James was prepared to answer. The script for Jenny Pen had been sitting in his desk drawer for 11 years. He seized the moment and approached his dream leads for the movie. He knew he had a great story and a great script. He knew they’d both be amazing in the roles. He knew he was asking them to temporarily relocate to New Zealand for filming and to take a substantial pay cut.

He asked them anyway.

“My father was somebody who was very much about, ‘You can't know, unless you find out,” he says. “It was really important for me to have them [in the film]. I grew up watching them. I had to disguise my fanboy-ness for a long time. I‘m not sure if I‘ve even revealed it to them.”

To his delight — and surprise — the pair were quick to sign on. Rush agreed in four days. Lithgow made James sweat by taking seven.

“The material really frightened him,” James admits. “It‘s quite confronting. John is one of the nicest human beings on the planet and the part required him to do a number of things that are less than savoury.”

But once Lithgow was in, he was all in. His performance in the film is menacingly unsettling. Made even more so by his delivery of one of the finest, mostly accurate, Kiwi accents ever captured on film.

“I‘m seeing John next week so I‘ll pass that on to him. He’ll be very gratified to hear that,” James grins. “It’s very hard to get right and we were all aware of its difficulty.

Many fine actors have stood at the base of the Everest-type challenge of that accent... But John was very committed. I would notice him talking to different people, like an extra or a caterer, and if he liked their accent or their range and tone, he’d ask them to say certain words that he would listen to and practice and try and master it that way.”

That James was so interested in the process isn’t surprising when you learn he began his career as an actor, appearing in TV shows and films. His acting love, however, was the theater. But, as he tells me, “It‘s incredibly hard to sustain a viable living as an actor in New Zealand. It's near impossible”.

It was at cast drinks after performing in a middling play to a disinterested audience that he had a revelation.

“We’d gone down to the bar to bitch and moan about how the director doesn‘t know what they‘re doing, and how the theatre should do this and that. And I thought, ‘If I don't change something I‘m going to be leaning on this bar with a bunch of moaning actors in 20 years singing the same old song’. It was a case of going, ‘You need to do something about that, James’.”

It was then he decided to move behind the scenes. Directing, he realised, would use all his talents. It’s a job that requires concentration, collaboration, managing relationships and steering a ship towards a singular vision.

“I would find it very frustrating that all those decisions were made by somebody else,” he says. “Part of me was unfulfilled. I wanted to be the boss. I‘m interested in the big picture.

I love working with people who are great at what they do and leading them together in a cohesive way that brings about the whole.”

“I thought I was going to find stepping away from acting very, very hard,” he says. “But since getting behind the camera, I‘ve been more curious and more passionate about the craft of acting. And I enjoy actors a lot more.”

He sheepishly admits to being a “very competitive actor,” back in the day. Someone once likened him to the “John McEnroe of actors,” telling him, “You can give a really good game, but it‘s not always pleasant to be around.”

“I think they meant it as a compliment,” he chuckles. “I‘m not sure...”

James and Geoffrey Rush on the set of The Rule of Jenny Penn.

When UNO Zooms in for our interview James had only been in New York for a few days.

“I‘m missing my family terribly,” he says. “I burst into tears when I arrived in Manhattan last Saturday, because it really hit me; ‘Oh my God, I'm going to be gone for nine months’.”

The plus side that he’s identified is that he’ll be “cocooned in the work,” his removal from his normal everyday life forcing him, “to live it and breathe it in another way.”

The New York air is very different to the sea-salted breeze of the Mount. He and his family moved here from Wellington 10 years ago and have now “put down very deep roots,” in the area.

“It was a very big change of scenery and took a long time to get used to,” he says. “I moved from running the National Theatre Company to wanting to pursue that goal of film. My wife and I, we had two kids at the time, we've got three now, we were going, ‘What else are we wanting from life?’.”

Along with giving film his best shot, James realised he also wanted to be a stay-at-home parent.

“I didn’t want to miss out on that time with my girls,” he smiles, thinking of his three daughters, who are aged seven, 11 and 13. “It’s a great place to raise a family.”

Then, he laughs and says, “But I’m still the most uptight person on the beach.”

James sees the world in grey. It’s where his fascination as a filmmaker lies. In his view, the world isn’t black or white. The material he’s drawn to reflects this.

“I don’t believe in good and bad people. I believe in good and bad actions or intentions. As human beings, we all have those within ourselves. It’s something that we grapple with throughout our lives,” he says.

Working in the creative industries, first an actor, now as a director, that darkness is never far away. Whether auditioning for a part or pitching a film project, James says the industry has a “99 percent rejection” rate.

While things are going swimmingly now, he’s definitely not relaxing or coasting, saying “you’re only as good as your last job. And the next job won’t necessarily come”.

He tries not to dwell on these things. Instead, choosing to pour his energy into making things happen for himself.

“I don’t want to wait. It’s important to me to develop and create things in the way in which myself and my peers want to. How do you get Geoffrey Rush and John Lithgow in your movie? You give them a script you think they will respond to. You go, ‘I think you might be interested in this strange little story I want to tell that I want to tell in this way’.”

He pauses a beat, then says, “They’re definitely not going to be in it, if you don't ask them.”

The work keeps him too busy for his hang-ups. The failed pitches. The rejections. The worry. The anxiety. These haven’t been conquered. But they have been successfully minimised. He refers to them as “distractions,” attempting to thwart his goals.

“I don’t think I’ve overcome them at all. They’re always there. I’m not worried about Robert De Niro being the lead in the new film that I’m directing. I don’t have time to worry or be anxious about working with Bob. What I have to be clear about is; What are the objectives and actions that I’m going to give to him? What are the questions he might have? That makes it all about the work. It’s when I'm not working that those doubts start to creep in and become distractions.”

“Late in life I found weightlifting. It helps keep it steady and keep that boiling of anxiety that can come up at times under control. Having that level of fitness and health in my daily routine helps and has really been good at keeping that volume down and manageable. Because it’s always going to be there. Everyone has it. It’s not something to fix or dispel. You've got this much space inside. If I’m going to fill it up with work, then there’s very little space for all that unhealthy noise to exist. That’s why I have seven or eight projects on the boil at different stages at the moment. I find that incredibly energising to move around and helpful to quell those professional anxieties and things like that.”

James’ love of genre was instilled at an early age. His dad would occasionally let him stay up late to watch the Sunday Night Horrors on TV. But he became truly fascinated with the possibilities of darker storytelling at age 10 when his cousin, who was babysitting, put on David Lynch’s surreally unsettling masterpiece Blue Velvet.

“Blue Velvet is not a film that a 10 year old should watch,” James admits. “But it definitely made a very big impact on me. I wouldn’t say it was traumatising or anything like that. A lot of it went over my head. But the images and the feeling of it was something that I hadn’t been exposed to. It had a huge impact on me.”

From there he began reading horror literature, like Dracula, before finding, and devouring, the work of horror maestro Stephen King. His journey to the dark side was complete. After the success of Coming Home in the Dark, James wasn’t going to sit around and wait for people to come to him. He’d been picked up at a big Hollywood agency and so he decided to work his contacts. “Whatʼs the worst thing that Stephen King can do if you send him a letter? Not reply.”

The next day he went book shopping. Naturally, he had made his way to the horror section when his phone buzzed with a notification. He looked at the screen and saw it was from ‘S. King’. “I didn't connect the dots. I thought it must be, you know, Samuel King or Sarah King,” he says, thinking back. He opened the message and started reading.

“I was like, ‘Holy shit! This is from Stephen King!” he laughs. “He’d written this incredibly wonderful, complimentary email. It was like, ‘Wow’. It was a surreal moment. I was literally standing right in front of his books.”

Then, with a mixture somewhere between joy and astonishment, James Ashcroft says, “I was slightly floaty for the whole night after that,” and then we say our goodbyes and he resumes working on his Robert De Niro film in his apartment in Manhattan.

Home grown

If you’ve always wanted a thriving veggie garden, Bay local Heidi Hughes’ ingenious Veg Babies is a great way to start.

Big ideas often start with a small question. For Heidi Hughes, it was simply, “How can we get more people into gardening?”. This small question was the seed that sprouted Veg Babies.

Veg Babies is like a food box with a twist. Instead of a week’s worth of meals, once a month a box of seedlings is delivered. You plant them and soon you’ll have an overflowing bounty of fresh, homegrown veggies and herbs.

“The idea and design is that you’ve got a constant harvest to go on your dinner table,” Tauranga resident Heidi explains.

The boxes offer a curated gardening experience that will quickly grow leafy greens that turn over each month, like rocket, lettuce and bok choy, as well as seasonal vegetables like cucumbers, tomatoes, chillies and capsicums that take a few months.

“There’s a real variety and it’s all designed so there’s always something you’re harvesting, as well as something that’s looking into the long term of harvesting down the track,” Heidi explains. “People also get a different herb each month. Within 12 months, you’ll have a beautiful herb garden.”

One of the benefits of the service, aside from all the fresh veggies, is that the curated experience takes away the stress of knowing when to plant what. Heidi says it’s perfect for beginner to mid-level gardeners who don’t have much experience or space, as well as time-poor gardeners.

“Many people don't know where to start with gardening,” she says, likening it to how food boxes simplified cooking and made it more accessible. “This gives you a whole process that is achievable and keeps things going.”

To make Veg Babies as accessible as possible, the whole garden has been designed to fit in a planter box that’s only 2.5 m2. This will fit in most backyards and/or apartment decks. The seedlings are delivered straight from Veg Babies’ commercial growers in Pukekohe where they spend a couple of weeks outdoors before being shipped out. This makes them hardier than those found in places like garden centres. There’s also no plastic used in the delivery or shipping – something Heidi says was crucially important to them.

The subscription is $26 a month for the box of seedlings. How does that compare to buying from the supermarket? In terms of cold hard cash, what’s the monetary value?

“It’s about $40 a month if you’re getting a constant harvest off your garden,” Heidi says. “I’m currently harvesting lettuces, which I’d be paying $5 each for. I haven’t run out of cucumbers or courgettes all summer. You can get a bunch of parsley out of your garden whenever you want, or basil or oregano to put on your pizza. Same with tomatoes, you just pick one off. Once you get on a roll with things, it’s on tap. People often waste a lot of food, especially herbs. You buy a bag for $5, use half of it and throw the rest out. When you take into consideration that waste, we’ve worked out the value is about $40 a month.”

But it’s not just about the vegetables. Heidi also wants to share her love of gardening. To help people’s gardening journey she sends out weekly instructional emails, along with a YouTube video she records in her garden. She explains where your garden is at, what you should be harvesting and even suggests cooking ideas.

“I’m growing in the exact same amount of space with the same veggies, and the same box,” she says. “Every week you’ll know what to do to make your garden thrive. It’s real colour-by-numbers gardening.” Veg Babies is part of the PiPS Charitable Trust, which sets up school gardens around the Bay. All Veg Babies profits go directly back into the trust to help them grow.

“We currently have eight gardens in eight schools,” she smiles. “We have orchards and veggie beds, and teach kids how to grow food. We’d love to include more but we’re at capacity until we can raise more funds.“

It’s not often something comes along that can not only improve your life but also the lives of others. Veg Babies does both. It teaches new skills and provides constant fresh healthy vegetables as well as raising money for charity. That’s got to be better than a sausage sizzle outside a big box hardware store.“Yeah, totally,” Heidi laughs. “It’s win-win.”

VEGBABIES.CO.NZ

Simple savoury solutions

In a world of complicated recipes and confusing ingredients, Linda Duncan has come to the rescue. In The World’s Easiest Recipes she combines just five ingredients per meal using low-cost, easy-to-source items.

Lemon, basil and feta chicken

The combination of these simple Mediterranean flavours will have your taste buds singing. It’s such an easy way to jazz up chicken breasts and have you looking like a culinary genius at the same time. You can use chicken breasts or thighs in this recipe.

SERVES 4 | PREP TIME 10 MINUTES

COOKING TIME 20–25 MINUTES

INGREDIENTS

2 tbsp olive oil

2 tbsp lemon juice

4 skinless, boneless chicken breasts or thighs

2 tbsp lemon rind, finely shredded

1/3 cup basil leaves, roughly chopped

120g feta, crumbled

salad, to serve

METHOD

1. Preheat the oven to 200°C. Combine the oil and lemon juice in an ovenproof dish that will fit the chicken snugly but with a little gap between each piece. Add the chicken and turn to coat in the marinade.

   2. Sprinkle the top of the chicken with the lemon rind, basil and feta. Season with freshly ground black pepper.

   3. Bake for 20–25 minutes or until topping is golden brown and chicken is cooked through. Cover with foil during cooking if the topping starts to burn.

   4. Rest for 5 minutes before serving with salad.

Quick potato bake

A potato bake is a must in your recipe repertoire. This one is quicker to make than a normal potato bake, with the help of your microwave. It’s also a lot easier than a potato gratin as you don’t need to slice the potatoes thinly and then layer them. Just chop into cubes and throw into your baking dish. Couldn’t be easier!

SERVES 4 | PREP TIME 15 MINUTES

COOKING TIME 45 MINUTES

INGREDIENTS

800g roasting potatoes, peeled

and chopped into 1cm cubes

30g butter, melted

30g dried French onion soup mix

1 cup cream or milk, or a mixture of both

1 cup grated tasty cheese

METHOD

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C. Grease a 20cm square microwave-safe baking dish.

2. Place the potatoes into the prepared dish. Pour over the butter and season with salt and pepper to taste.

3. Mix to combine, then microwave uncovered on high for 15 minutes.

4. In the meantime, add the soup mix to the milk or cream and mix until well combined. Pour over the potatoes then sprinkle the cheese over the top.

5. Bake for 30 minutes or until the cheese is golden and the mixture is bubbling. Stand for 5 minutes before serving.

Couscous, pea and feta salad

I just love the freshness of this couscous salad. It's delicious served alongside roast lamb. It can be prepared well in advance so is perfect for entertaining. I really like the texture of Israeli couscous in this recipe; however, any couscous will work.

SERVES 4 | PREP TIME 10 MINUTES

COOKING TIME 10 MINUTES

INGREDIENTS

1 cup Israeli (pearl) couscous

2 cups frozen peas

1⁄2 cup mint leaves, roughly chopped

2 tsp lemon rind, finely grated

2 tbsp lemon juice

80g feta, crumbled

1 tbsp olive oil

METHOD

1. Cook the couscous in a large saucepan of boiling water according to the packet instructions, until tender. Drain and rinse under cold water to cool.

2. Cover peas in boiling water for 5 minutes to thaw, then drain and rinse under cold water to cool.

3. Place couscous and peas into a large bowl. Add the remaining ingredients, season with salt and pepper to taste and toss well.

4. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Three-ingredient peach cobbler

Old-fashioned peach cobbler is made even easier with the use of packet cake mix. The great thing about this recipe is you can get quite creative with it. I have made this recipe multiple times using different tinned fruit like plums, apricots, pears or cherries. A handful of berries thrown in is also delicious. I have also used chocolate cake mix instead of vanilla. Dust with a little icing sugar before serving.

SERVES 6-8

PREP TIME 15 MINUTES

COOKING TIME 40–50 MINUTES

INGREDIENTS

820g tinned peach slices, in juice

540g pkt vanilla cake mix

120g butter, melted

vanilla ice cream, to serve

METHOD

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C. Grease a 23cm square baking dish.

2. Tip the peaches (including the juice) into the dish and spread out evenly. Place the cake mix and butter into a bowl and mix until combined. Scatter the mixture over the peaches. It doesn’t matter if the mixture doesn’t completely cover the peaches.

3. Bake for 40–50 minutes until golden and bubbling.

4. Stand for 5 minutes, then serve with vanilla ice cream.

Extracted from The World’s Easiest Recipes by Linda Duncan. RRP$45.

Published by HarperCollins NZ.

Making waves

Meet the boat builder turned artist who crafts sculptures so fluid and luminous, they feel alive.

photos OLIVIA RENOUF + BEN YOUNG

For an artist without formal glasswork training, Ben Young has mastered the medium like few others.

Raised by the sea in Waihi Beach, he developed a fascination with the ocean’s ever-changing nature – something that now defines his work.

The former boat builder’s hands-on craftsmanship and innovative layering techniques turn rigid glass into fluid, almost living forms that capture water’s movement and depth. His work balances precision and artistry, playing with light, waves and reflections – while incorporating concrete and metal to add texture and dimension.

Here, he shares the journey from experimenting with glass to shaping it into something truly breathtaking.

How did you become an artist?

I grew up in Waihi Beach in the Bay of Plenty, surrounded by the ocean, which has been a huge influence on me from a young age. Before becoming a full-time artist, I spent 10 years training and working as a boat builder, playing with glass on the side. That hands-on experience with materials, problem-solving and craftsmanship naturally carried over into my artwork. I’ve always loved making things and sometimes I feel like I should be labelled a maker as opposed to an artist – I love being able to see the craft in something. I never had formal training in glass art. I’m completely self-taught.

How did your work evolve into glass sculpture?

It happened quite organically. My journey into this medium started when I was young and travelling through Europe with my family. My dad saw an amazing laminated glass window display in Greece. That artist was actually the first one to make a glass wave. When I was old enough to play with glass, I began making them, too, trying to create the perfect wave. I started experimenting and developing my own techniques, which eventually evolved into the work I create today. When I first started working with glass, I was drawn to how I could use layers to create depth, much like the ocean itself. Over time, I refined my techniques, combining glass with concrete and metal to bring in that contrast between fluidity and solidity.

My work has always been about trying to capture the essence of water – its movement, depth and vastness – through a material that is typically rigid and structured.

Who and/or what influences and inspires your work?

The ocean and nature is my biggest influence – it always has been. I’ve spent my life in and around the water, surfing, boating and just being immersed in that environment. There’s something about the way water moves, the way it interacts with light, and the way it can feel both calming and powerful at the same time. That duality really inspires me. I also draw inspiration from landscapes, architecture, and even simple, everyday moments where light and form interact in interesting ways. I think my connection to the ocean is why I’m so drawn to working with glass – it allows me to recreate that sense of depth and movement in a tangible form.

What do you hope to achieve with your work?

I want my work to evoke emotion and connection. When people look at my sculptures, I want them to feel something, whether it’s a sense of nostalgia, calm, curiosity or even a deep appreciation for the natural world. My goal is to create pieces that make people pause, reflect and maybe even see the ocean or landscapes in a different way.

How has technology helped/changed your style of work?

I still do a lot of my work by hand, but technology has definitely played a role in refining my process. I use digital tools to sketch and plan my pieces before I start physically working on them. This allows me to visualise depth, perspective, and how the layers will interact before I commit to cutting and assembling the glass. While I embrace technology for the planning stages, I always return to the hands-on process – it’s the physical making that really brings the pieces to life.

What do you love about the Bay?

I’ve been in the Bay of Plenty for most of my life apart from a stint in NSW, Australia. I’ve been lucky enough to do a lot of travel and the feeling I always get when I return to the Bay is that it’s home. I love how central we are to everything, nothing feels too far to get to. We have the ocean, the forest, bush walks, lakes, mountains – the best of it all really close by. It all feeds into my creativity. There’s something special about being so close to the water every day; it’s a way of life for me, and a bonus when there is surf.

BROKENLIQUID.COM

Dancing with destiny

From early performances in family “cuzzie shows” at the Mount, to cruise ships and Disney film sets, Georgia Brokenshire’s career is taking off in leaps and bounds.

words PIP CROMBIE | photos GARTH BADGER,

BELINDA STRODDER, TRANSIT DANCE

Growing up with her petite feet firmly planted, readied professional dancer Georgia Brokenshire for the plot twists that arise in what at face value appears to be a glamorous and glittering world of dance – costumes, lights and music, travel and notoriety. Behind the scenes is vastly different to what most would perceive. But for this determined 24-year-old, the various speed bumps have not dulled her desire to dance – something she has done since age two and continues to do now on the high seas, as she follows her dream to Los Angeles.

“Honestly, I never expected all of this to happen so quickly. But every step of the journey – from Melbourne to the cruise ships to working with Disney – has been like a stepping stone to something bigger,” Georgia says.

Georgia grew up in Auckland with three sporty brothers. Her grandparents, Brian and Melva Lynch, had bought a Mount Maunganui beachside bach in the 1960s with the intention their own six children (one of whom is Georgiaʼs mother) would gather at the beach location, a place to connect and come together as family.

Through the years, Georgia, her brothers and nine cousins spent every spare weekend and summer holiday they could at this beach home, with Georgia even scooping ice-cream for a summer at iconic local institution, Copenhagen Cones. She recalls the road trips down to the Mount, the six of them singing raucously, daily climbs of Mauao, fitness sessions with her brothers, surfing and skating, the “cuzzie shows” where all 13 of them would dance and act for their audience of parents, aunts and uncles, older siblings on ticket sales, ‘spotlightsʼ courtesy of torches from the overhead balcony.

With a background of early ballet classes, jazz, hip-hop, musical theatre and contemporary dance, Georgia also took up gymnastics with a passion, eventually having to choose between it and dance. She describes the disciplines as being complementary to each other, including the physical strength required.

At around 14 years old, she began to realise that there was nothing else that lit a fire in her soul like performing did.

“The whole process of training, grinding, committing to something bigger than myself and then getting onstage and performing for an audience was a feeling that I just couldnʼt match anywhere else in life. It is still unmatched.”

Deciding to make a career out of dancing, in 2019 Georgia headed to Transit Dance School (Melbourne), where she gained teaching and performance qualifications and a whole lot of grit.

“Moving overseas aged 17 to pursue your passion should really be terrifying, but I never looked back. I was just too excited to finally get to dance every day for the rest of my life!”

Five days a week, seven hours a day in a wide range of disciplines including acrobatics and singing, end of term performances...and Covid. The pandemic disrupted and prohibited a lot of the planned studio training, so they pivoted to dance videos and commercial projects.

“The year 2020 consisted of 27 weeks of hard lockdown for me in an unlucky stint between Melbourne and Auckland. I completed the 14-day hotel quarantine twice in a desperate attempt to continue my dance training. Much of my second year was done on Zoom in a small shared Melbourne apartment – a challenge to say the least! However, I graduated and am grateful for the tools gained and lessons learned.”

The cruise industry had its own challenges in the wake of the pandemic, but for Georgia, it was a chance to perform on stage every night, work with seasoned dancers, and see the world. As a dancer, finding “longer-term” stable income is very difficult, so she saw cruises as a great source of income, a fun way to save money and travel the world, albeit while sharing a tiny cabin with fellow performers and working long hours. She has sailed the North Pacific Ocean, the Caribbean Sea, the East China Sea, the Mediterranean Sea, the North Atlantic Ocean and visited over 40 countries over the past three years dancing on cruise ships and is currently with Oceania Cruise Lines on a luxury ship in the Caribbean.

Between cruises in mid-2024 Georgia was hired as the dance and acting double for British teen singer/songwriter and actor, Freya Skye, in the Disney movie musical Zombies 4, shot on location in New Zealand (release date mid-2025). For the multi-talented dancer, this was a “pinch-me moment” and something that makes her ultimate dreams of performing at the Super Bowl, being a backup dancer for major artists and more film work become a step more real.

“I learned Freya’s entire script and dance choreography for the film, was on set daily, stepping into her place whenever she needed to clock school hours or change her wardrobe.”

The Disney vibe is aspirational for Georgia. “I love the way Disney has always seamlessly combined both dancing and acting with such joy in their films, so more work with them is a goal. I have loved all the stage productions I have performed in my career so far, but I am ready to move on to bigger projects with bigger audiences and more impact”.

As we exit stage left for now, I ask Georgia to share words of wisdom for aspiring career dancers. “The truth is, being a professional dancer always felt more than a pipe dream to me. Long stints spent at the Mount, and in my dance school in Auckland, I felt like I had bigger dreams than anyone I’d ever met. People would sometimes even laugh when I told them that I wanted to be a dancer. My dreams keep getting bigger and more terrifying, but if I had to tell young dancers something now, I would say keep those big dreams alive. Don’t shy away from what makes you different, lean into that, that’s going to be your superpower. Dance is a superpower. I’ve seen dance breakdown language barriers and unite people; it brings such joy! So, keep dreaming, nothing is too big or too out of reach, even from our small corner of the world.”

Georgia closes our chat with home and what it means.

“I think the real question is ‘what doesn’t it mean?’” she responds, candidly. Whenever I go home after all my travels, the Mount is the first place I go. To ground my feet in the sand, for family time and for the reset I always need after travelling the world. In a life of such inconsistency, living out of a suitcase and constantly being on the move, I only really have two constants. My family and Mount Maunganui.”

Charles in charge

Tauranga’s Charles Leong’s enthusiasm for delicious wine is infectious, and he also has the happy knack of helping a wide array of people understand what they’re enjoying, writes UNO wine columnist Jess Easton.

photos ILK PHOTOGRAPHY

Legend has it that Charles Leong is older

than time and wiser than a whole parliament of owls.

In rare circumstances, he’s also been known to pull corks with his mind. Whoever – or whatever – he is, one thing is for sure; Charles Leong knows wine.

The resident sommelier at Tauranga’s Saint Wine Bar appeared out of the mists one day, whispering of mystical vintages and claiming to be descended from the first person who ever trod on a grape and fermented it.

In reality, the Chinese-Malaysian-born, Adelaide-raised guru is a thoroughly likeable aficionado with a quirky encyclopedic brain, who landed on these shores courtesy of a delightful Kiwi wife and two cute kids.

And it’s not just strong New Zealand wāhine he’s fallen in love with; he’s thoroughly excited to be able to match amazing food with burgeoning Aotearoa viticulturalists.

“The winemakers here are making wines with lots of integrity, and doing things like adopting organic and biodynamic practices,” he explains. “And also they’re making wines in New Zealand with texture and complexity, and food-friendly wines, rather than fruit-bombs.”

Spend any time with Charles and you’ll soon notice that his wry, cheeky humour is only matched by the expressions which litter his vocabulary.

Don’t be surprised to hear him drop “onion farts” into a conversation about a particular wine, for example.

Right now, his favourite drop currently stocked at Saint is a one-of-a-kind organic offering, that pairs spectacularly with hard cheeses, salty cured meats and shellfish in their brine.

“The one that’s outstanding, that I like a lot, is Mount Edward O2 Chenin – it’s unique for a New Zealand winemaker and also unusual.”

He’s right about the uniqueness – most people have never tasted anything like the Central Otago O2 Chenin, which is aged and oxidised in barrels for three years, like one of the great dry Sherry wines of Southern Spain, or the Jura style from France.

But there’s also no-one like Charles. His former colleagues in some of Sydney’s finest establishments used to joke that when he opened the bar, he wouldn’t turn the lights on; he’d turn the dark off.

Charles, they said, has been known to sneeze with his eyes open and once did a wheelie on a unicycle.

Most of all, however, Charles invites people to go on a wine journey with him.

“Wine, to me, is like a time capsule. It’s the only thing you can taste from your birth year, for example, and all these amazing winemakers are making all these wines with integrity and finesse and approachability. That’s what I want to show our customers – I like to excite them about the expressions of wine.”

In Charles, we trust.

Jess Easton is a director and owner of Kitchen Takeover and Saint Wine Bar, complementing her career as a Tauranga-based lawyer.

Bay of style: Local fashion, flair and creativity

The Bay has been a mecca for successful fashion designers for decades, and now the new Tauranga Museum is planning to showcase its creative history in a collection that’s dressed to impress.

words DEBBIE GRIFFITHS

From homemade psychedelic ’60s frocks to prototype shoes to swimwear that made waves worldwide – the Bay is home to innovative fashion that will be celebrated in Tauranga Museum when it opens in 2028.

“Our fashion collection will show the talent and stretch people’s ideas of what Tauranga is,” says curator Fiona Kean. “Our fashion industry doesn’t get as much focus as it should.”

In fact, there are a number of New Zealand brands – both past and present – that many don’t realise are local. Expozay burst onto the scene in the 1970s, within a decade becoming the first Kiwi swimwear label in the North American market.

“We have the largest Expozay collection in New Zealand that starts from the beginning with hand airbrushed bikinis through to pieces from the early ’90s. Then we leap forward to emroce, which is also groundbreaking and global.”

Expozay swimsuit, photographed by Karen Ishiguro, nzfashionmuseum.org.nz

Pāpāmoa-based emroce, by designer Emma La Rocca, is the only zero-waste swimwear brand in the world. “Her desire is to see the way clothing is manufactured change to be more sustainable,“ says Fiona. “She uses fabric made from recycled fishing nets and cuts it in a way that means there’s no waste. She also makes inclusive gender-neutral swimwear.”

There’s also a nod to Staxs that had 21 stores around the country, boutique shoe designer Chaos & Harmony, surf labels – like RPM and Lower – Nyne, Repertoire and Greerton-based Beverley Productions that’s been creating knitwear since 1962.

“We’ve got over 5000 textile related objects in the museum collection and a lot have been handmade by local women who have the skills and passion to look great, and make their own clothes,” says Fiona.

Among them, former Ōtūmoetai Intermediate home science teacher Ruth Espin who donated seven pieces before she passed away in 2019.

“Each dress represents a pivotal moment in her life; the one she wore when she got engaged, her wedding dress and the outfit she was wearing when she took her baby home from hospital.”

Some of the outfits were purchased at Hartley’s on The Strand. Those who grew up in Tauranga will have fond memories of their Lamson Cash Carrier System before the store closed in 1987.

“Nostalgia will be an important part of the museum experience and reminding people that they’re part of something bigger,” says Fiona. “There’s so much to share, we’ll be swapping out items regularly so it will be constantly changing. We’re very excited to showcase our fashion success stories.”

TAURANGAHERITAGECOLLECTION.CO.NZ

Spirit of Mexico

Hayley Barnett discovers authentic Mexican cuisine and innovative cocktails in the heart of Mount Maunganui.

photos CHRISTIAN LONGHI

From left: Isaac Partida, Claudia De La Torre and Marco Rodocanachi.

Kiwis are beginning to understand tequila is not just a shot,” Marco Rodocanachi says, delivering another amazingly delicious tequila-based cocktail to UNO's table.

The mixologist and co-owner of the newly-opened Agave at Mount Maunganui’s Cruise Deck is explaining the welcomed shift in perception for the spirit that has largely been known as a party drink and making an incredibly convincing case for a reassessment.

“A lot of people don’t know this, but tequila is probably the healthiest thing you can drink,” he adds, with casual conviction and air quotes around the word “healthy”. “It's not got many calories, it releases serotonin in your brain so it makes you happy, and in terms of alcoholic drinks, there's not really anything better – so long as you’re choosing a quality tequila.”

Marco opened Agave with fellow co-owners and chefs Isaac Partida and Claudia De La Torre last December. He met the couple when they were working together at the foodie favourite Clarence Bistro in Tauranga. They all came to New Zealand six years ago – Marco from Italy and Isaac and Claudia from Mexico – and bonded over their shared passion for Mexican cuisine and drinks.

The trio’s initial idea was a speakeasy. The location was perfect, hidden in the corner of the Cruise Deck. But the large glass bifold doors created an open environment that was somewhat incongruous with the dark and moody vibes of a speakeasy.

The cuisine was always going to be authentic Mexican, and with Marco’s love of tequila, it just made sense to focus on an all-Mexican offering. Isaac and Claudia both grew up cooking with their families. Isaac travelled around Mexico and worked for renowned international chefs, gaining amazing gastronomic experiences along the way.

“There aren’t a lot of restaurants here in New Zealand serving real Mexican fare that isn’t Tex-Mex, so it’s hard to understand what Kiwis will like,” says Claudia. “Mexico is a big place. In the north, it’s more meat and barbeque, and they use wheat instead of corn tortillas. Sometimes people have only tried food from certain parts so it doesn’t seem authentic to them. We’ve had to work out what people like and what they don’t.”

At the moment the menu includes handmade tostadas, veggies with white mole, duck enchilada, and a cacao tart to die for.

“I always said I’d never be a baker of sweet food, but now it’s my favourite thing to make,” Claudia smiles. Isaac and Claudia have kept the flavours as authentic as possible.

“Now that we have more time and are more adapted to the place, we are starting to have regular customers, so can start to play more with the menu and introduce new flavours,” Isaac says, citing the rich, complex flavours of Oaxaca and the slightly sweet seasonings of Chiapas and some new additions they are planning for the menu.

“But slowly,” smiles Marco, suggesting they won’t be alienating those with less than adventurous Kiwi tastebuds. “Very slowly!”

AGAVEBISTRO.CO.NZ

From Paris to paradise

From French bistros to New York dreams, globe-trotting chef Paul Patterson has found his anchor at Ōhiwa Harbour's Fisherman’s Wharf.

words SUE HOFFART
photos CLAIRE HOUSE PHOTOGRAPHY

Fijian-Kiwi chef Paul Patterson admits it was fun rather than food that lured him into commercial kitchens. The Ōhope restaurateur was 15 when he began washing dishes in a city pizzeria, relishing the vibrant social scene and comparative maturity of his female workmates. But everything shifted on the night a short-staffed chef called him to the stove.

“I was chucked in the deep end and I loved it,” he says. “By the time I was 16, I was half-running the pizza joint.”

So began a culinary career that has taken him to Paris, New York and to the Waiheke Island bowling club. He has flown to Glastonbury music festival to cook for celebrities and once scooped an award at the barbeque world championships in the American city of Memphis.

There have been a few additional stops along the way, too. Like starting a horticulture degree and completing an auto engineering diploma, with stints as a drainlayer, a security guard and photographer for a music industry magazine. Not to mention appearances on reality television show The Bachelorette. “But I always end up back in the kitchen.”

Now, at 40, he is settling into small-town life while casting for kingfish out the window of the Fisherman’s Wharf restaurant he has purchased on the edge of Ōhiwa Harbour. It was an act of charity that introduced him to the coastal community three years ago.

Paul had agreed to donate a personal chef experience for an animal welfare fundraising event, held at the Ōhope Beach Golf Links clubhouse each year. On that first visit, he was gobsmacked by the stunning beach backed by rolling hills and an especially relaxing rural ambiance.

During a subsequent stay, for the same event, he discovered a wharfside eatery with a bank of wooden windows that overlook darting stingrays, sailboats and a waterway stocked with fresh oysters.

Paul claims he pestered the previous owner into selling. Last year, he and partner Sarah Day moved their toddler son Hendrix to Ōhope to immerse themselves in a different kind of life.

“It’s a really beautiful place and this region is amazing, with the water and the bush. I can watch people floundering out the front here and 40 minutes’ drive from work, I can shoot a deer. A 40 minute boat ride and I can catch a marlin.

“I have customers with a gin distillery and there’s an island across the harbour with an avocado orchard on it. You can’t really beat it.”

Paul admits he was vastly less enthusiastic about the New Zealand lifestyle when Covid forced him to leave his central Parisian apartment and fly home in March 2020. He had been living on the banks of the Seine river, working as a restaurant consultant responsible for opening more than a dozen eateries in Paris and beyond.

In fact, he was weeks from launching an eatery in New York’s Lower Manhattan when the global pandemic scuppered not only the restaurant but his own plan to live part of the year on that side of the Atlantic Ocean.

Suddenly, Paris became eerily empty and Paul’s Fijian-born mother and Kiwi dad begged him to return to Auckland. He found himself marooned, unable to return to the bright lights of his former life and unsure how to move forward in his homeland.

It was, he says, a tough pill to swallow. So he dug drains to fund a new restaurant business in Parnell. When that didn’t work out, he moved to Waiheke Island to run the kitchen inside the island’s sole bowling club.

During his tenure, membership swelled from 300 to 900 members. His brief and unlikely screen career was sparked by an unsolicited casting call for The Bachelorette. He said no. However, he warmed to the idea after a few too many glasses of Bourbon with friends.

“And, actually, it was great. It was definitely a fun experience. You learn a lot about yourself. You’re stuck in a house with no phones, no music, no TV, so you have a lot of time to be in your own head. It was therapy.”

As always, he returned to his chef whites. “Yes, I love the food, the creativity, the thrill of getting a menu perfect but it’s more than that. For me, the kitchen is a place of crazy ups and downs, with a lot of emotions and a lot of pressure. You’re forever chasing something, trying to fix something, get better service, a better dining experience, better leadership of your staff. It’s addictive.”

On April 5, Paul will host a ‘Scales and Ales’ beer and seafood event for the Flavours of Plenty Festival. His ‘Cray Tales and Cocktails’ evening is scheduled for the following Saturday.

FLAVOURSOFPLENTYFESTIVAL.COM

It’s all Goode in the hood

Auckland’s popular gastropub Goode Brothers has left the nest to land in Bethlehem. UNO pops in to see what makes it so special.

Goode Brothers has always been about family. It’s right there in the name. Across its four locations in Auckland, the popular gastropub has been a place where you can be equally comfortable having a meal with your loved ones or a night out with your family or friends.

This is why UNO was excited to hear that Goode Brothers had not only welcomed a new addition to their family but that it had also left the Auckland nest.

“We’re super excited to be part of the Bethlehem community,” Jamie Freeman, Goode Brothers’ head of operations enthuses from the freshly opened venue. “We believe Goode Brothers “There’s space for everyone here,” Jamie smiles.

The spot, which was once just a glint in the eye of Goode Brothers’ expansion plans, certainly makes a lasting impression. So much so that it’s already proving itself a welcome addition to the local community’s dining scene.

“It’s really great here,” Jamie continues. “The location is prime, right in the hub of Bethlehem, and this area has so much potential. We believe it aligns perfectly with what we do.”

It’s a busy Saturday afternoon and the buzz is palpable. The bar staff are working the impressive selection of tap beers, which offers both premium and craft, and the sizzle from the open has the potential to become a local favourite, and we're already seeing how the community vibe is shaping up.”

Situated on a prime corner spot in Bethlehem Town Centre, Goode Brothers is hard to miss and ready to welcome you in with open arms. Once inside, it’s spacious and inviting. Like its Auckland siblings, the space has been carefully designed into subtle sections that allow for versatility. You can make yourself at home hosting a family celebration in one of the large booths, enjoy a meal out at one of the stylish dining tables (that along with traditional condiments also comes complete with a pot of fresh basil) or just pop in for a casual drink and a catch-up at one of the high-top areas.

“There’s space for everyone here,” Jamie smiles. The spot, which was once just a glint in the eye of Goode Brothers’ expansion plans, certainly makes a lasting impression. So much so that it’s already proving itself a welcome addition to the local community’s dining scene.

“It’s really great here,” Jamie continues. “The location is prime, right in the hub of Bethlehem, and this area has so much potential. We believe it aligns perfectly with what we do.”

It’s a busy Saturday afternoon and the buzz is palpable. The bar staff are working the impressive selection of tap beers, which offers both premium and craft, and the sizzle from the open kitchen is sending out incredibly enticing aromas along with the fresh, Kiwi-Italian-inspired favourites that make up the menu.

Along with traditional favourites like pizzas, pasta, fish n’ chips and burgers, all freshly prepared from quality ingredients, Jamie is particularly proud of the fun elements that are woven into the dining experience.

“Our food is ideal for those seeking a casually elevated dining experience,” he says, citing their hero dishes like the Pork and Wagyu Brisket Meatballs. This showstopping dish offers a touch of drama by being lit with flames as it’s served. Another dish we’re dying to try is the Spaghetti Cacio e Pepe, which is also served flaming, only not from a plate. Instead, it is served at your table from an absolute behemoth of a parmesan wheel.

But it’s not all about the theatrics. Goode Brothers prides itself on its fresh, handmade pasta.

“Everything here is handmade from scratch,” Jamie says. “We have a pasta machine on-site.”

You can even have a go at it yourself by attending one of their famous pasta-making classes. These are held in a private room with the adult classes offering a fun evening out, and you get to leave with your own little bundle of freshly made pasta, while the school holiday kids’ classes teach them how to make their own pizzas.

“It’s something different. You can come down with your partner, have a glass of wine or prosecco and enjoy that,” Jamie says. “I think people are looking for experiences as well as good food. We want our customers to have fun with food. It’s about fresh, modern, and exciting dining, yet still grounded in the Kiwi classics.”

The jewel in the crown of the new gastropub has to be its large outdoor area. Equipped with a playground to keep the kids busy, the large deck offers plenty of seating, perfect for sunny afternoons and evenings.

And on big sporting occasions there’s plenty of screens inside and out for catching the big game. The secret ingredient in the sauce is this flexibility. Goode Brothers want to bring people together, whether that’s an intimate couple on date night, family celebrating a milestone, mates popping in for an after work drink or a group of friends on a night out, they’ll all find a home at Goode Brothers.

“We’re trying to offer something for everyone here,” Jamie smiles. “It’s all about creating that sense of togetherness.”

GOODEBROTHERSBETHLEHEM.CO.NZ