Life is a cabaret

Celebrated vocalist and Pāpāmoa local Mandy Meadows is taking her internationally acclaimed cabaret, Piaf: The Legend, around the North Island.

Words Karl Puschmann

Édith Piaf is a true French icon. The singer was one of the country’s biggest stars and one of its few musical acts to have a global impact. Her songs, largely autobiographical ballads about love and loss, were received as instant classics that immediately joined the standards songbook to be covered and reinterpreted forevermore.

But despite all of Édith’s fame, her life remains shrouded in mystery. Even decades after her death the renowned French chanteuse still
keeps many dark secrets. 

“She was a very complex, complicated character,” vocalist Mandy Meadows says. “She was abandoned by her mother and father who were circus performers and grew up in a brothel. Nobody really knew exactly where she was from.”

Mandy has been fascinated by Édith for as long as she can remember. As an international singer, it’s no surprise that she’d be enamoured by the songs, but Édith’s life also captured her imagination. So much so that she created a cabaret style show around it.

Titled Piaf: The Legend, the show tells the story of Édith’s life via her remarkable songs like La Vie En Rose, La Foule and Non, Je Ne Regrette Rien. For complete authenticity, Mandy sings them in their original French.

“All the songs are in French but the story is in English, so everybody can understand that because it is a show for everybody,” she says. “Whether you're a fan or not, it's really her incredible story that’s so captivating.”

Édith’s life was full of contradictions but never boring. From her childhood as a street urchin to helping POW’s escape during the war to becoming one of the biggest stars in the world.

“She was a real contrast of flaws and beauty,” Mandy says. “And unapologetically human, which is what I really like about her. She was a phoenix, rising above the ashes. There was nothing pretty about her life. It was really very tragic. But through all of that, she created these absolutely stunning songs and had a big, booming voice out of someone so small.”

Mandy first performed Piaf: The Legend in London’s Piccadilly Circus around seven years ago after funding its development by joining a paid clinical trial.

“I literally gave my blood for this show,” she laughs.

Since then she’s taken it all over the globe, leaving audiences spellbound and earning four and five-star reviews. Now she’s bringing that special French je ne sais quoi to the North Island. 

With dancers, a six-piece band that includes French accordion and clarinet and, of course, Mandy’s acclaimed vocals and performance leading the way the cabaret is all but guaranteed to transport you out of the regions and straight over to Paris. 

“I get quite emotional actually,” Mandy replies when asked how she feels while performing Édith’s passionate and powerful songs. “I really feed off the audience and I always cry. I always have that moment on stage where something really emotional happens and I feel the audience tense up. I do the same. It's a real energy and a beautiful thing. It's a really unique experience.” 

For more info, videos and tickets visit piafthelegend.com

Cool, calm and collected

With its artfully designed space, locally-sourced
treasures for sale and delectable food on offer, every detail of this café has been thoughtfully curated.

Words Hayley Barnett

As far as locals go, Gather is up there with the best. The vibe, the crowd, the food. It’s slightly bigger than a hole in the wall, but everything just works. And not one bit of it is an accident. Chatting with owner Steph Meaden, it’s obvious there was a very clear focus when she and husband Sam took over the Pāpāmoa spot three years ago.

“We knew we wanted to run a neighbourhood café but we both agreed it had to be three things – good for the community, good for the body and good for the environment,” explains Steph.

Having spent most of the first year behind the counter with their first baby in a front pack, this wasn’t easy to execute, especially during Covid 19 when supplies were limited and there were very few customers. But this is a couple who knows an opportunity when they see one.

They first opened the Tay Street Store two years prior to opening Gather, selling local products (mainly created by innovative and entrepreneurial friends), with the aim of branching out into food. When Gather came up for sale in 2020 the couple jumped at it. They had a bit of experience with a coffee caravan business , Lulu Coffee, which was a great first taste of the hospitality scene. It was just lucky they weren’t put off by dire times.

Today Gather is run by an all-women team, bar Sam who runs the finance and payroll back of house. Their head chef, Dominique Rojo Vivot, is Argentinian and the menu is largely influenced by her home country’s cuisine, with a colourful, vegan twist. The cheese puffs, vegan carrot cake and chimmi chilli eggs have all become loyal customer favourites. Thank goodness they’re staying on the upcoming, otherwise-new winter menu.

Steph and Sam aren’t chefs themselves but they were inspired by the very “farm to plate vibe” that they picked up on their travels overseas. “When we came home, we realised there’s an abundance of good food out there – you just need to know where to get it from,” says Steph.

Keeping in line with their noble ethos, they worked with their friends
– Mt Atkinson Coffee – who has a direct trade relationship with Ugandan coffee farmers and gives back through village projects. It does, however, come all the way from Auckland, which is quite a way away for Steph and Sam these days. A lot of product in the café is close to fully local, even the wide array of wares, skincare and clothing they sell in store. The clothing is actually designed by Dominique herself. Steph and the multi-talented chef even have plans to start their own pantry range.

With another baby in the front pack, Steph and Sam certainly have their
work cut out for them, but that’s all part of the fun.

“One day we’ll get back on the road – that’s kind of the idea of setting up a business!” she laughs. But right now, they’re both enjoying being part of a community which has embraced them and their passion for all things local and delicious. 

gatherpapamoa.co.nz

Plant power

Foodie Stacey Jones takes in Tauranga’s delectable plant-based restaurant scene

Falafel Metro

Last month, I emceed an event for Flavours of Plenty Festival called “Food for Thought”, featuring a panel of chefs who had all brought their distinctly different food cultures to Tauranga. One of the speakers, Tomer Rooney, was from CBD favourite Falafel Metro. Tomer grew up on a kibbutz in Israel and once a month, he would take the bus into Jerusalem to indulge in a fresh pita stuffed full of the delectable chickpea-based snack, topped with lashings of tahini. Yum!

The very next day I couldn’t get falafel out of my brain, so I decided to pop in to devour the aptly named “Jerusalem”. Holy smoke… I was in food heaven. The cherry on top? The dish was completely plant-based, not a morsel of meat in sight. “I love turning meat lovers to falafels,” Tomer explained. And it got me thinking… Where else in the Bay might one discover a plant-based bite that rivals the sensory bliss of its carnivorous counterpart? 

It seems I’m not the only one asking this question. Recent statistics reveal that a remarkable 34 percent of the New Zealand population has gracefully transitioned to a flexitarian diet (Massey University, 2022), reducing their meat intake and embracing the vibrant world of plant-based foods. So this month, I thought I’d reveal some of my top picks of places to eat where you can enjoy a meat-free meal that tastes as good,
if not better.

Falafel Metro is one of the best cheap eats you can experience in the Bay, so the fact that it's plant-powered too gives it a double thumbs-up. The team are constantly striving for improvement, having recently purchased a pita bread-making machine so everything you eat there will be produced in house. Less food miles = more eco goodness.

falafel metro  

Just around the corner in Tauranga CBD is Mudan, offering an array of
plant-based delights, all made from scratch including the tofu and noodles, plus it’s MSG-free. My pick would be their homemade Chinese hot spicy noodles with cooked tofu, fresh vegetables, and a delectable spicy sauce, or the kimchi fries.

neworientalmarket.com

Sugo Italian Restaurant

If you’re after something a little more fancy, Sugo Italian Restaurant is one not to be missed. Chef Ian Harrison, who was trained by Marco Pierre White, loves the challenge of creating food that is not only planet-friendly but ridiculously tasty at the same time. They have a dedicated plant-based menu featuring entrées, mains and desserts. My recommendation would be the mushroom bolognese with cashew nut parmesan, which I think is even better than the original version

sugosugo.co.nz

Sea People

Sea People makes ice cream using a blend of cashew and coconut milk, giving rise to a velvety-smooth, creamy texture that tastes as good as dairy ice cream, without compromising on flavour. Owners Mariah Whittaker and Allan Blondeau have a genuine passion for sustainability, creating a new generation of ice cream that is kind on the planet. Last time I was there I was treated to the olive oil ice cream – definitely worth
a try.
seapeople.co.nz

Tiny Seed NZ is a vegan baker offering a range of treats at the local farmers’ markets including Tauranga on Saturday and Mount Mainstreet on Sundays. My pick would be the orange and raspberry cake with caramel sauce. They also offer a grazing platter service which is 100 percent plant based – perfect for a guilt-free gathering.

Whittaker's and Naomi Toilalo celebrate Matariki

Naomi is the author of Whānaukai, New Zealand’s first entirely bilingual cookbook with the recipes available in English with a full Te Reo translation.

Kūmara celebration cake

KŪMARA CELEBRATION CAKE

300g Orange kūmara, peeled

1 tsp Salt

Zest of 1 ½ oranges

⅓ C Orange juice

1 Tbsp Vanilla

2 Eggs

⅔ C Brown sugar

⅔ C Caster sugar

⅔ C Oil, neutral

½ C Yogurt, unsweetened

2 ½ C Self-raising flour

½ tsp Baking soda

1 Tbsp Mixed spice

1 Tbsp Ground cinnamon

2 tsp Ground ginger

100g Whittaker’s Fijian Ginger and Mandarin chocolate

1. Pre-heat the oven to 140 fan bake or 150 bake. 

2. Grease two 19cm or 20cm cake tins with butter and line with baking paper. 

3. Grate the kūmara into a large bowl. Add the salt, orange zest, orange juice and vanilla. Stir to combine and leave aside.

4. Add the eggs, brown sugar and caster sugar in to a large bowl. Whip together until smooth. 

5. Continue to whip as you slowly add the oil and yoghurt. 

6. Sift the flour, baking soda, mixed spice, cinnamon and ginger on to the egg mixture. Add the kūmara mixture on top and fold all the ingredients together.

7. Chop the chocolate into small pieces and fold it in the batter. 

8. Divide the mixture between the two cake tins. 

9. Bake for 25 minutes and then place a large tray on top of the cake tins (this helps keep the moisture locked in). Bake for a further 15 minutes or until the cakes spring back when pressed in the centre. 

10. Remove from the oven. Tip the cakes upside down on to a cooling tray straight away to help flatten them out. Cool the cakes as you prepare your delicious frosting.

THE CHOCOLATE FROSTING

180g Whittaker’s 62% Dark Cacao chocolate

3 Tbsp Cream

190g Butter, softened

½ C Icing Sugar

2 tsp Vanilla

1. Add the chocolate and cream to a small bowl. Gently melt it in the microwave in 20 second bursts, stirring well between each time. Once smooth, leave to cool for 5 minutes. 

2. Add the softened butter, icing sugar and vanilla to a large bowl. Whip it until light and fluffy.

3. Add the warm chocolate mixture a tablespoon at a time to the butter mixture as you whip continuously. Once it is all incorporated, refrigerate for 5 to 10 minutes to thicken slightly.

   ASSEMBLY

1. Spread half of the chocolate frosting on to one of the cooled cakes. Add the second cake and spread on the remaining frosting. Note: This buttercream can also be spread to cover the sides of the cake too if you prefer.

2. To top it I used dried orange slices, fresh strawberries and rosemary. You could also top it with maple candied pecan nuts and add some caramel for a touch of glam.

Enjoy with your whānau and friends this Matariki!

KEKE ĀRANI ME TE KŪMARA (KŪMARA CELEBRATION CAKE)

KEKE ĀRANI ME TE KŪMARA

Kia 300 karamu kūmara ārani 

Kia kotahi kokoiti tote 

Kiri ārani o tētahi me te haurua ārani

Kia hautoru kapu wai ārani

Kia kotahi kokonui wanira

Kia rua hēki

Kia rua hautoru kapu huka hāura

Kia rua hautoru kapu huka one

Kia rua hautoru kapu noni

Kia haurua kapu miraka tepe (kāore he huka)

Kia rua me te haurua kapu puehu parāoa whakatipu

Kia haurua kokoiti pēkana houra

Kia kotahi kokonui rau kikini whakauruuru

Kia kotahi kokonui hinamona kuoro

Kia rua kokoiti tinitia kuoro

Kia kotahi rau karamu tiakarete manarini me te tinitia

1. Whakamahanatia te umu kia 140 te pāmahana.

2. Hinuhinutia kia rua ipu keke (19, 20 rānei henimita te rahi), ā, whakaritea ki te pepa tunu.

3. Waruwarutia te kūmara ārani ki te oko rahi. Tukua te tote, kiri ārani, wai ārani me te wanira. Whakaranuhia. Waiho ki te taha.

4. Raua atu te hēki, huka hāura me te huka one ki te oko rahi anō. Wepua kia māene.

5. I a koe e wepu tonu ana, āta riringihia atu te noni me te miraka tepe.

6. Tātaritia te puehu parāoa whakatipu, pēkana houra, rau kikini whakauruuru, hinamona me te tinitia ki runga i te ranunga hēki. Tukua hoki te ranunga kūmara ki runga. Whakaranuhia te katoa. 

7. Tapahia te tiakarete kia iti te rahi. Kaurorihia ki te ranunga.

8. Whakainatitia te ranunga ki ngā ipu keke e rua. Divide the mixture between the two cake tins. 

9. Tunua ngā keke mō te 25 mīniti, kātahi whakatakotoria tētahi heri nui ki runga i ngā ipu keke (kia mau tonu ai te mōwai) . Tunua anō, mō te 15 mīniti. 

10. Tangohia ngā keke kua tunua i te umu. Huripokia ki ngā heri hauhau kia papatahi pai ai ngā keke. I ngā keke e makariri haere ana, mahia te pani reka tiakarete. 

TE PANI REKA TIAKARETE

Kia 180 karamu tiakarete parauri (62 te ōrau)

Kia toru kokonui kirīmi

Kia 190 karamu pata kūteretere

Kia haurua kapu puehu huka

Kia rua kokoiti wanira

1. Raua atu te tiakarete parauri me te kirīmi ki te oko iti. Āta whakarewaina ki rō ngaruiti. Ia 20 hēkona, kaurorihia te tiakarete. Gently melt it in the microwave in 20 second bursts, stirring well between each time. Waiho mō te 5 mīniti kia makariri hāere. Leave to cool for 5 minutes.

2. Tukua te pata kūteretere, puehu huka me te wanira ki tētahi oko rahi. Whakapāhukahukatia kia tāhungahunga.

3. Tāpirhia tētahi kokonui o te tiakarete mahana ki te ranunga pata i a koe e tāwhiuwhiu tonu ana. Whakamātaohia mō te 10 mīniti kia kukū ai te pani reka. Once it is all incorporated, refrigerate for 5 to 10 minutes to thicken slightly. 

TE MAHI HANGA KEKE

1. Pania tētahi haurua o te pani reka ki tētahi o ngā keke. Tāpirihia atu te keke tuarua ki runga. Pania te toenga o te pani reka ki runga i taua keke,( ki ngā taha hoki o ngā keke mēnā e hiahia ana).  

2. Hei whakarākei, tāpirihia ngā ārani raki, ngā rōpere māota me te rohimere. Hei whakaaro anō, mahia ngā nati rare me te karamea.  Mānawatia a Matariki e te whānau!

THE NO KNEAD DOUGH

¾ C warm milk

¾ C lukewarm water

3 Tbsp brown sugar

1 sachet instant yeast, 8g

2 C high grade flour

3 Tbsp neutral oil

1 ⅓ C high grade flour

1 ½ tsp salt

1 block of Whittaker’s Hazella chocolate (broken in to pieces)

1.25L rice bran oil

CINNAMON SUGAR

¾ C caster sugar

2 ½ tsp cinnamon

1. Add the milk, water and brown sugar in to a bowl. Stir to dissolve the sugar.

2. Sprinkle over the instant yeast and stir with a whisk. Allow the yeast to activate for a few minutes (it should rise to the top).

3. Add the 2 cups of flour and the oil in to the activated yeast mixture. Stir with a whisk until smooth.

4. Cover and leave to rise for 20 minutes.

5. Add the remaining 1 ⅓ C flour and the salt in to the bowl. Mix until all the flour is incorporated in to the dough.

6. Once combined, stretch and fold the dough 30 times in the bowl. Take a piece of dough from the side of the bowl and lift it high and press it in the middle, turn the bowl a 1/4 turn and repeat the pattern. Each time you do a 1/4 turn, it is 1 count.

7. Cover and leave the dough to rise for 1 hour to 1 hour 15 minutes.

8. Once risen, gently tip the dough on to a table. Cut into 12 equal squares.

9. Take a piece of dough, place three pieces of Hazella chocolate in the middle. Fold in the dough and pinch the seams. Place it on an oiled tray to rise as you repeat the pattern, making 12 in total.

10. Rise the fry bread for 35 - 45 minutes in a warm place.

11. As they rise, prepare the cinnamon sugar by combining the caster sugar and cinnamon together in a bowl.

12. Heat the oil in a cast iron pan to around 165-175 degrees.

13. Fry three fry bread at a time for 2 minutes on each side and roll in straight in to the cinnamon sugar. Serve immediately!

    PARĀOA PARAI POKE KORE ME TE TIAKARETE HĀNATI (NO KNEAD FRY BREAD WITH HAZELLA CHOCOLATE)

    TE POKENGA POKE KORE

    Kia toru hauwhā kapu miraka mahana

    Kia toru hauwhā kapu wai aromahana

    Kia toru kokonui huka hāura

    Kia kotahi pēke īhi tere (kia 8 karamu)

    Kia rua kapu puehu parāoa kounga

    Kia toru kokonui noni

    Kia kotahi me te hautoru kapu puehu parāoa kounga

    Kia kotahi me te haurua kokoiti tote

    Kia kotahi paraka tiakarete hānati

    Kia 1.25 rita noni

    HUKA HINAMONA

    Kia toru hauwhā kapu huka one

    Kia rua me te haurua kokoiti hinamona
    

    1. Riringihia atu te miraka, wai, me te huka hāura ki te oko nui. Kaurorihia kia rewa ai te huka.

    2. Ruia te īhi tere ki runga. Koheritia. Waiho mō te rima miniti.

    3. Raua atu kia 2 kapu puehu parāoa me te noni ki rō ranunga īhi. Whakaranuhia ki te koheri.

    4. Tūpokina ki te tī taora mō te 20 miniti kia rewa ake ai te pokenga.

    5. Tukua te toenga o te puehu parāoa me te tote ki te oko. Whakaranuhia.

    6. Kia 30 nga wā koe e kume, e pōkai ana. Kūmea te pokenga mai i te taha o te oko, waiho ki waenganui. Hurihia te oko ki te hurihanga hauwhā. Hāere tonu kia 30 nga hurihanga.

    7. Tūpokina ki te tī tāora mō tētahi hāora me te 15 miniti kia rewa ake anō te pokenga.

    8. Ka tino rite ana te pokenga, tapahia kia 12 ngā wāhanga pokenga.

    9. Tīkina tētahi o ngā pokenga, ā, tāpirihia atu ngā tiakarete e toru ki runga. Pōkaitia ngā taha ki waenganui. Kinitia te pokenga. Waiho ki tētahi heri, pania ki te noni. Me pērā te mahi ki ngā pokenga katoa.

    10. Waiho te katoa o aua pokenga kia rewa ake mō te 35 ki te 45 miniti.

    11. I a rātou e tipu ana, whakaritea te huka hinamona. Whakaranuhia te huka one me te hinamona ki tētahi pereti āhua rahi.

    12. Whakamahanatia te noni kia 165 ki te 175 te pāmahana, ki rō hōpane rino kia rewa ai.

    13. Paraitia ngā pokenga ki roto i te noni wera, e rua miniti mō ia taha. Kātahi, pōkaitia ki roto i te huka hinamona. E kai!

Whittaker's Honey Nougat & Almond 'Panna cotta'

with Spiced Red Plum Compote, Cocoa Almond Shards and Vanilla Chantilly Cream 
By Chef Will Mordido

Whittaker's Honey Nougat & Almond 'Panna cotta'

800mL Almond Milk (unsweetened) 

200g Whittaker's Honey Nougat & Almond Chocolate

13g Gelatine leaves

1. Soak gelatine leaves in ice water, adding each leaf to the water one by one to evenly hydrate. 

2. In a pot, add almond milk and Whittaker's Honey Nougat & Almond chocolate. Bring to a gentle simmer, stirring until the chocolate is melted, then bring to the boil and remove from the heat.

3. Strain the gelatine, and squeeze out any excess water.  Then add to the hot pot of your almond milk and chocolate mixture. Stir until gelatine has melted then strain the mixture into a jug with a spout. 

4. Pour 100ml of the mixture into each glass and allow to chill in the refrigerator until set.

Spiced Red Plum Compote

x2 Star anise

x1 Cinnamon quill

1 tsp Heilala Vanilla paste

300ml water

80g Honey

x5 Red Plums

10g cornflour

30g water

1. To make the poaching liquid, add star anise, cinnamon quill, honey, Heilala Vanilla and water to a pot then bring to the boil. Lower the heat to a gentle simmer for 10mins.

2. Cut the plums in half, remove the seeds and place on a baking tray. 

3. Return your poaching liquid to the boil then pour over the plums. Tightly cover with foil, place in a preheated oven at 150°C and cook for 10mins. Check the plums and if needed, cook for a further 5-10mins or longer depending on their size. 

4. Once cooked, remove from the oven and using a slotted spoon gently remove plums from the poaching liquid and carefully peel off the skin while still warm.  For best results, allow the plums to cool in the poaching liquid (overnight is ideal) . 

5. Weigh out 250mL poaching liquid and bring to the boil. In a jug, mix together cornflour and 3OmL water and pour into the boiling liquid whisking until thickened. Allow to cool. 

6. Cut plum halves into 4 wedges (smaller if they are bigger) then fold into the thickened poaching liquid. 

Cocoa Almond Tuile Shards

50g Standard flour

50g Icing sugar

50g Egg whites

25g Cocoa powder

50g Unsalted Butter

20g Slivered almonds

1. In a bowl, mix together sifted flour, icing sugar, cocoa powder. Add egg whites and mix to a smooth paste. 

2. Melt butter in a microwave or pot on gentle heat then slowly pour into the bowl and stir until combined. 

3. Using an offset palette knife, spread the tuile mixture very thinly on baking paper or silicone mat then sprinkle the slivered almonds on top.

4. Place in the bottom rack of a preheated oven at 150°C for 15mins, checking every 5mins until the tuile is dry and crispy. Allow to cool then break into shards. 

Vanilla Chantilly Cream

200mL Cream

40g Icing sugar

1 tsp Heilala Vanilla paste

1. Whisk together all ingredients to a soft peak and transfer to a piping bag. 

To assemble 

1. Remove your set panna cotta from the fridge, spoon on plum compote, pipe on the vanilla Chantilly cream and finish with Cocoa and Almond Tuile Shards.

2. Finish by dusting over Freeze dried plum powder (optional) 

Take a dive

UNO editor Hayley Barnett experiences the quintessential American dive bar experience that is Palace Tavern.

Walking past all the bright, shiny bars and eateries on the Mount's main drag, Brad Dellar and Sam King had a revelation. There was nowhere they wanted to go. They were tired of frequenting bars that only catered to certain people of a certain age bracket and felt there was nowhere men in their thirties truly belonged. They wanted dark and dingy – where everyone knew their name, but no one cared to use it.

"We wanted it to have an American dive bar sort of feel," says Sam. "A place where the locals can come hang out, have a beer, a burger, a game of pool – we spent a lot of money on that pool table!"

Having originally opened around the corner as Palace Burger on the Mount main street, Sam and Brad decided to start over with the décor and a rebrand when they moved to Banks Ave in November, 2022. 

The glass 80s-style ashtrays outside give you a taste of what you're in for. Indeed, the bar is dark and dingy but, strangely, the UNO team don't want to leave.

The menu is mouth-wateringly good. From the Buffalo Burger to the Hoedown, there's a definite American vibe going on, with a bit of a Kiwi twist. The Crispy Boy is packed with potato crisps, along with a smashed patty, bacon, cheese and onion. I went for the Classic Chicken, one of their most popular burgers, and washed it down with Maple Butter Wings, Jalapeño Poppers and Cheese n Gravy Fries. If you're going to eat like a man, you might as well do it right. 

Everything was perfectly more-ish, tasty and extremely satisfying – exactly how Brad and Sam like their food.

"...We're not really the place to come if you're trying to lose weight."

Palace Tavern might have been set up as a place for 30-something men, but they've set it up so well that it's naturally become inclusive. "We've made our fair share of lettuce burgers, but we're not really the place to come if you're trying to lose weight," laughs Sam. 

And, despite refusing to play Top 20 hits, they can't hold the crowds back once the wee hours of the morning swing round. "We have long lines right up the road every weekend," says Brad.

It's a dark place with a cool vibe, cold craft beer, amazing cocktails and great food. It's the place Brad and Sam always wanted to go. And, now that we've been, it's a place we can't wait to head back to.  

Palaceburger.nz

Kai for the soul

Full of flavour and good for you too, contemporary Māori foods combine traditional knowledge with modern methods.

Words Stacey Jones

Coming off the back of Kitchen Takeover's most recent pop-up restaurant alongside passionate advocates of Māori culinary cuisine, Kasey and Karena Bird, it struck me how the indigenous food and beverage space has grown since the last time we were in the kitchen together. This is a trend happening throughout New Zealand, with a rising number of Māori food producers inspired not only by traditional foods, but also by the methods in which to produce them. 

When I asked Karena about this growing trend, she explained that what makes this space so interesting is that Māori ingredients blend together not only delicious flavours but also strong health properties. “It’s a holistic way of eating that reflects the Māori way of life in general. It’s not only food – it’s how that makes your wairua (living soul) feel. The energy it brings to your life. It’s such an exciting and changing space, and it's great to see more people wanting to use and learn about Māori ingredients.”

I'd like to share some of our leading Māori food producers making waves on the world stage – not only do they taste great, they make you feel great too.

Wai Mānuka is set to become the next big thing in non-alcoholic beverages, with a new drink that is inspired by Māori culture and ingredients. Wai Mānuka combines water (wai) with mānuka honey to create a premium
non-alcoholic beverage.

The brand was founded back in 2020 by “three Maori boys” from Whakatāne during the height of lockdown. Founder Joe Harawira explained, “It was New Year’s Eve and I was drinking pineapple kombucha, and it tasted gross. So after a bit of ribbing from my friends, we started to think about other non-alcoholic drinks that could elevate the occasion and taste great.”

Within just months of launching, the brand was selected as the chosen non-alcoholic supplier for the America’s Cup, alongside Coca Cola. “Since then we have been on a meteoric rise – within just 18 months we are in 33 supermarkets, 25 hospitality venues, supported major New Zealand events and have just started a trail in Tokyo. We intend to become a global brand representing Aotearoa.” 

Manufactured in and distributed from Tauranga, they are focused on sustainability. Honey is sourced from Whakatāne and the lemon juice from a family in Hawke’s Bay. “My mum puts it best when she sums up the drink,” says Joe: “He taonga utu nui na Aotearoa – a precious gift from New Zealand.”

While truffles probably don’t spring to mind as a traditional Māori ingredient, we know from looking back at the history books that truffles have a long history of use as a food in many cultures, and in the mid-1800s, pioneer missionary Reverend Richard Taylor wrote that Māori “esteem [them] as an article of food.”

Ohiwa Black Diamonds is a truffle producer based in Whakatane, making truffle oil, salt, honey and more. Run by husband and wife team Matiu Hudson and Annette Munday, their truffière produces more Black Perigord truffles per hectare than any other truffière in the country. Matiu works with Māori land trusts and farmers around New Zealand to grow truffles on unproductive land.

A truffle’s health properties are playing a key part of the brand’s focus on export in the coming months as they hit the world stage. "It's claimed that truffles have anti-ageing and anti-oxidant properties, so we're looking to tap into that," says Annette. 

Manawa Honey was founded by the Tūhoe Tuawhenua Trust. It focuses on wild honey gathering, or te nanao miere, in Rutahuna, located in the heart of remote untouched indigenous forests known as Te Urewera. 

Using traditional methods, with a focus on sustainability, they are producing some of the world’s best honey right here in the Bay of Plenty. So much so that they won the Grand First Prize for the Best Tasting Honey in the World at the Black Jar International Honey Tasting Contest in 2021 with their Rewarewa Honey. Not only does it taste delicious, but their honey has strong antibacterial, anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties too. 

“In the past, we have been a bit reluctant to promote our honey because our old people say, “Kāre te kūmara
e kōrero mō tana reka – A sweet potato doesn’t boast about how sweet it is!” But we know that to be successful, we must let the world know.”

If you’re interested in finding more Māori food suppliers locally, be sure to check out Kāuta (kauta.co.nz). Established by chef Grant Kitchen, it aims to connect consumers to authentic Māori food supplies at the source. 

waimanuka.co.nz
Manawahoney.co.nz
truffles-ohiwa.myshopify.com

Behind the curtain

This April, take a peek backstage at Baycourt’s colourful history – and celebrate its ruby anniversary with a diverse roster of performances, exhibitions and community engagement.

Words Monique Balvert-O’Connor

If a venue like Baycourt is marking a milestone, then it follows that creative celebrations can be expected.

And such is the case, with all eyes on the stage between April 21-29, when Baycourt’s 40th anniversary
celebrations will be rolled out. It will be a time to reflect upon, and celebrate, the many magic moments delivered in one building over four decades, says Baycourt manager Reena Snook.

In its time Baycourt has served its community well – providing the venue for hundreds of school musicals, primary school music festivals, all sorts of dance competitions, dramatic performances, Tauranga Art Festival and Jazz Festival events, and so many more. It’s provided a stage for comedians like Ben Elton, for example, and national dance companies like Atamira, for Kiri Te Kanawa, and repeatedly for The Royal NZ Ballet and NZ Symphony Orchestra. 

Many have used the Baycourt stage over the years as the springboard to stardom, with these including actor Tim Balme, and prima ballerina Katherine Grange. Technicians involved backstage have gone on to work in some of the world’s biggest venues.

This Tauranga premier performing arts venue’s impressive history actually has a royal connection too. On April 26, 1983, Baycourt was opened by the Prince and Princess of Wales – the late Princess Diana and the then-Prince Charles. 

Baycourt’s Technical and Operation manager Dale Henderson - who has a lengthy association with Baycourt - tells how the Royals were restricted to entering solely the then-called Exhibition Space as Addison Theatre, with its many curtains and entry points, offered too great a security risk.

Reena says the 40th celebrations are a time to remember such momentous events and to acknowledge her predecessors, such as the late Bob Addison. The city identity started his time as long-serving manager of Baycourt in 1988. Dale recalls Bob’s focus on getting school and community groups in using the venue.

Baycourt’s history tracks many changes in performing arts in general, he says, back to the days pre-radio microphones, LED lighting, and e-ticketing. And he recalls the days before Baycourt’s flytower was constructed. One of the biggest changes Baycourt has been through, he believes, is in what was called The Exhibition Space, now X Space. 

“It was used as a display/exhibition area but is now much more around performing arts and enables emerging-type performances to go ahead there.”

Baycourt can boast many wonderful stories of community involvement, and Dale offers up one dating right back to when it was being built. 

“With acoustics in mind, material was needed for the back wall. So, local spinners and weavers managed to create 20 woollen wall hangings. They still hang today on The Addison Theatre’s back wall.”

Reena and Dale see the 40th anniversary celebrations as a launching pad for the next stage of Baycourt’s journey too. In the not-too-distant future, Baycourt’s interior will be refurbished and its façade upgraded, as part of the development of the new civic arts and culture precinct, Te Manawataki o Te Papa. ” 

baycourt.co.nz

Let’s celebrate

There’s much to remember, much to celebrate, and Reena assures the public can expect a diverse 40th anniversary programme that will involve:

A gala concert (7pm on April 21). Think royal variety show. Taking the stage will be groups like Tauranga Musical Theatre, Opus Orchestra, and local dance groups – all of which have performed on the Baycourt stage over the years. 

A curated art exhibition in the X Space (from April 21-29) – free entry. Organised in collaboration with The Incubator, X-bition will be a creative presentation of historical and current images from Baycourt’s collections. 

An online digital component which has involved taking archival images and digitalising them. A website, with the images, will be launched on April 21. 

A community engagement programme named He Toi Kupu is being produced by Tauranga-born creative Jason Te Mete (Ngāti Ranginui, Ngāi Te Rangi) and his organisations Tuatara Collective and Ahipoutu Collective. This event will involve extracted stories dramatically interpreted. 

A whānau day on April 29 to end celebrations. The community will be welcomed for guided tours of Baycourt during this free, family event. Face painters, balloon sculptures and food will all be part of the fun atmosphere.

On purpose

Vivid, bold and playful, Paul Darragh’s artwork brings all the drama.

Words Hayley Barnett

Having worked on projects for Rihanna, Nike, IBM and The New York Times, Mount Maunganui artist Paul Darragh knows a thing or two about pop culture. When he moved home from the bright lights of New York City, where he had established his own design studio and gallery space (Manhattan Born), he knew he wanted to “strip back the BS” and focus on getting to the bottom of who he really is. Each painting, he says, gets him a little closer to that place.

UNO: How did you become an artist?

Paul: I believe you are born an artist, and you can try and ignore those tendencies, but eventually they must come out in order to fulfil your life’s destiny and purpose. As a teenager, I loved art and graphic design, but decided to pursue the latter professionally. I worked as a graphic designer first in Melbourne for four years, then in New York City for 10 years. It was at the end of this period, after working with some top brands and experiences, that I realised I was no longer creatively fulfilled just doing that work. I needed to also create art. So I remember that day in 2015, at my job in Brooklyn, deciding from then on I would become an artist. 

How did you discover this medium?
My art practice is distinctly influenced by my design career; the work is flat, graphic and bold. However, I have always been influenced by artists that work in this style. When I discovered Andy Warhol as a teenager, his work really resonated with me, and so began a love of paintings that have a strong sense of composition and colour with a nod to commerce and pop culture. These things all interest me, it’s what I think about, and it’s who I am. I believe my art should reflect the contemporary world around me, through my visual language of colour and composition. 

What do you love about it?
I love that I am in complete control when I create an exhibition or collection of paintings. I have no boss or subordinates to consider. I have no one to bounce ideas off of. I only have my own mind and a belief in myself. It’s very raw and it can be very cathartic. Creating is very much a journey. You start with nothing and you have to make thousands of decisions to arrive at this final image and it often doesn’t come easy, nor does it end up like the image in your mind's eye. But therein lies the magic. 

Why did you move to the Mount?
When I moved home from New York I didn’t really know where in Aotearoa I wanted to live. I decided I would move home to my parents’ farm outside of Matamata and figure it out from there. I ended up staying there for a couple of years before meeting my now-partner Ali, who lives and has a business at the Mount. We had been together for seven months when the pandemic hit in 2020, so I moved over when the lockdown started. Three years later, I’m still here, and the Mount is now my home. 

What inspires you to create?
I have a theory that each person is born with a pure soul that is the representation of their unique identity and spirit. Over time, this gets whittled away as we learn how to navigate life. We pick up insecurities and bruises. We feel shame and hide parts of ourselves. We let in resentment and bitterness. When I paint, I am trying to achieve that purity again.

What is your favourite piece and why?
One of my favourite pieces is from my latest show “Shape Up or Ship Out” at Tauranga Art Gallery. It is called Precious Cargo. I love it because it’s really big, really simple and really bright. It has an optical illusion to it. It could be a jewel, it could be a container or it could be a button from a 1980s game. You could be viewing it from above, or in front or inside of it, so it has the ability to distort space and perspective.

Who is your favourite artist right now?
One of my favourite artists right now is Ad Minoliti. They are a non-binary artist from Argentina. They make incredible geometric abstraction and installations. There are also a lot of references to children’s illustration. The paintings are bright and fun and filled with joy. 

bemodern.co.nz

Adventurous tastes

Keen to explore some new flavours? These plant-based recipes
by The Intrepid Vegan will really take you places.

Recipes & Photos Tracie Heasman

CAULIFLOWER ALFREDO

Serves 4

INGREDIENTS

• 6 cups raw cauliflower florets (approx 1 medium-sized head of cauliflower) 

• 5–6 unpeeled garlic cloves

• 2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil 

• 1 tsp vegetable stock powder 

• 1/2 cup raw cashews 

• 1 cup unsweetened plant milk (eg oat, soy)

• 1/2 lemon, juiced 

• 1/3 cup nutritional yeast 

• 500g fettuccine pasta

• Cashew parmesan or cheese of your choice

METHOD

Preheat the oven to 200ºC. 

Toss to coat the cauliflower and garlic in the olive oil and stock powder, then place on a baking tray and roast in the oven for 20 minutes, until golden.

Meanwhile, place the cashews in a bowl and cover with boiling water. Soak for 15 minutes, then rinse under cold water and drain.

Remove the tray from the oven, and when cool enough touch, carefully peel the garlic cloves. In a blender, combine the cooled garlic and cauliflower with the cashews, plant milk, lemon juice and nutritional yeast, then blitz until smooth.

Cook the pasta according to the packet instructions, then drain and return to the pot. Pour the sauce over the top and gently stir through. 

Serve in bowls, sprinkled with cashew parmesan.

---

RAW BROCCOLI SALAD WITH CREAMY CASHEW DRESSING

Serves 6

INGREDIENTS

• 2 medium-sized broccoli heads, cut into bite-sized florets (approximately 6 cups) 

• 1 cup raw sunflower seeds 

• 1/2 cup raw sesame seeds 

• 1 cup goji berries (or raisins or sultanas)

• 1/2 red onion, thinly sliced 

• 2 spring onions, thinly sliced, plus 1 tbsp extra to serve

Creamy Cashew Dressing 

• 1 cup cashews, soaked 

• 1 1/2 tbsp apple cider vinegar

• 1 tbsp pure maple syrup

• 1 large clove garlic, diced 

• 1 tsp wholegrain mustard 

• 2 tbsp lemon juice 

• 1/3 cup water 

METHOD

Place the broccoli, seeds, berries and onions in a large bowl and toss to combine. 

To make the dressing, place all of the ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth and creamy.

Pour the dressing over the salad and mix until just combined. Transfer the salad to
a serving bowl and garnish with the extra spring onion. 

---

GNOCCHI WITH KUMERA SAUCE

Serves 4

INGREDIENTS

• 400g orange kūmara, diced into 2cm cubes 

• 2 cups plant milk (I used oat) 

• 1 tsp cinnamon 

• 1 tbsp olive oil 

• 3 garlic cloves, minced 

• 10g fresh sage leaves 

• 3 cups spinach 

• 500g cooked gnocchi 

• Coconut yoghurt

METHOD

Preheat the oven to 180ºC and line a tray with baking paper.

Spread the kūmara on the tray and bake for 20 minutes or until golden and tender. Place the kūmara, plant milk and cinnamon in a blender, blitz until combined, then set aside. 

Heat the oil in a large frying pan over a medium heat, then sauté the garlic and sage for 2 minutes or until the garlic is almost golden and the sage is crispy. Add the spinach and stir gently for 1 minute or until wilted. 

Add the kūmara mixture and stir for 1 minute or until heated through, then add the cooked gnocchi and toss to coat. Fold through the coconut yogurt and serve.

---

VEGAN CHOCOLATE BROWNIES

Makes 12

INGREDIENTS

• 2 large ripe bananas, mashed

• 1/2 cup smooth, salted peanut butter

• 1/2 cup cacao powder 

• 3/4 cup walnuts, chopped 

• 1/4 cup maple syrup 

• 1 pinch sea salt 

• Icing sugar, to dust

METHOD

Preheat the oven to 180ºC and line a tin with baking paper. 

Place all of the ingredients in a blender and blend to form a thick, uniform batter. Transfer the batter to the tin and bake for 10-12 minutes. 

Allow to cool completely before dusting with icing sugar and cutting into squares. 

The pursuit of hoppiness

Only available once a year in extremely limited quantities,
Mount Brewing Co.'s Fresh Hops beer won't last long. So hop to it.

Words Karl Puschmann / Photos Ben Parry

Forget Christmas. For beer connoisseurs, March is the most exciting time of the year. That’s because down in the South Island a plant called Humulus lupulus has just blossomed and its flowers harvested.

These flowers are hops, and hops are the most crucial ingredient in beer. 

Hops are what makes beer, well, beer. They give the beer its bitterness and, depending on quantity, source location, characteristics and amount used in the brewing process, also give the drink its identifiable flavours and aromas. Be that fruity overtones, citrus bite or an indefinable “wow” factor.

By necessity, most of the beer we drink throughout the year is brewed with hops pellets. These compressed pellets stay fresher for longer. But this month, when hops season begins, brew masters around the country will be brewing a batch or two with vine-fresh hops.  

Pawel Lewandowski, the head brewer at Mount Brewing Co., was one of the lucky brewers who was able to secure an order of the highly-desirable fresh hops. 

“It's once a year only. It's quite exciting,” he smiles as he tells UNO about the plan he’s brewed up for these precious fresh hops. “This season we’ll be brewing fresh hop IPA. A filtered and unfiltered version of the same beer.”

You might know “unfiltered beer” by its more popular name of “hazy”. So while the recipe will be the same, the differing brewing process ensures the two IPAs will taste unique from each other. That, Pawel explains, is the point.

“We want to showcase what filtering does to the beer, let people experience the difference and
let them choose what they prefer.”

Fittingly, for such a special ingredient, Pawel’s crafting a whole new recipe. When pressed for detail he says it will have the flavours and aroma of passionfruit and grapefruit.

“This year we're using specifically only  the Nectaron Hops variety, and hoping our drinkers will be able to identify flavours that this specific hop provides.”

Using fresh hops ensures the beer will be much bolder in taste, he explains, with a super fruit-forward aroma. 

“Everybody's excited. The smell you experience in the brewery is like going to the perfume shop, basically,” he laughs. 

Part of what makes fresh hop season so exciting is that even with the most careful forward planning and recipe refinement there’s no way to predict how the beer is actually going to taste.

“You can make assumptions but there’s science and chaos in the brewing process,” he says. “So you never know until you have your first pint in your hand. Then you can say, 'Okay, we did a good job'.”

Having been at Mount Brewing Co for around eight years, and head brewer for four, and having come up with the recipes for their ever-popular Coffee Stout and much-loved Crazy Hazy, Pawel’s confident that he can do just as good a job when he gets his hands on the fresh hops. 

They’ll be getting multiple plane loads with which to brew but, because fresh crop beer requires much more hops per batch than using pellets, the 180 kilos of hops being rushed in will only make two batches of beer. 

“We’re going to get around 1200 litres per batch,” he says. “So it's a very limited release.”

Pawel says the two fresh hop IPAs will be on tap at the Rising Tide around the third week of April 2023, with a very small quantity escaping out the door in cans to land in select supermarkets and bottle stores. But, if past seasons are anything to go by, you’ll need to hop down to Rising Tide fairly quickly if you hope to get a taste of the fresh hops hype for yourself.

“I don't think it’s going to last long because fresh hop beers are quite popular. Last year, it lasted maybe two to three weeks on the taps,” he says. “It will probably be the same scenario this season.”

His excitement about brewing with fresh hops is infectious. But how fresh, exactly, are we talking here? 

“We're going to use hops that have been harvested on the same day. They're going to be flown up from the South Island from the farm right here to Mount Maunganui. We're going to pick it up from the airport and make the beer on the same day. It will be six or seven hours after the harvest. So straight into it.”

Then with a wide grin, he says, “You can't get any fresher than that!” 

mountbrewingco.com 

Home remedy

Photographer Alan Gibson’s new book For The Love Of The Country highlights the everyday beauty in the work of New Zealand’s farming families. Here’s an extract on Tauranga’s The Good Farm, a family
of organic farmers supplying the Bay with “good medicine”.

Loren Gibbs and partner Michaela Good own The Good Farm in Welcome Bay, Tauranga, and run it on organic principles, selling the milk, veggies and eggs they produce to locals. Loren Gibbs explains: “My mum always said that food is medicine. So, if you are eating good food, you are getting good medicine.

“At The Good Farm, we are on 10 hectares, and we are running mainly a raw-milk dairy herd. We milk between 14 and 16 cows during the day. We are not certified organic, but we like to think that we work alongside the principles of organic agriculture and gardening. We are spray free on our pastures and our vegetable garden. We don’t use synthetic fertilisers, any chemical pesticides or herbicides.

“We have a farm shop and that’s where we make most of our income. All the milk from our cows gets sold on the farm through a self-service dispenser. That’s about 180 litres a day. All the produce from the veggie garden and our eggs get sold through the shop as well, on an honesty system that works well. We get hundreds of people through the shop every week and they come from all walks of life; they are not all a bunch of hippies. The only thing they have in common is that they all want fresh, raw milk and that they care about their food. That’s the main thing.” 

Purchase
For The Love of The Country

at all good bookstores.

Jazz you like it

With the Port of Tauranga National Jazz Festival celebrating its 60th birthday this year, UNO spoke to festival manager Marc Anderson to get a sneak peek at what to expect.

Words Karl Puschmann

It’s hard to believe that the Port of Tauranga National Jazz Festival has kept crowds bipping, bopping and swinging for 60 years. Music fashions may come and go but jazz, it seems, is eternal.

Marc Anderson, the festival’s manager, has a theory for jazz’s long-lasting and generational appeal.

“It's such a broad genre that encompasses so many different styles,” he says. “Sixty years ago, jazz was the hip music that all the kids got into. Now, 60 years on, most genres of music can be somehow or another related to jazz. Whether you know the influence or not. It makes jazz still current and relevant.”

It’s a broad church, jazz, and everyone is welcome. With around 40 subgenres nestled under the umbrella term “jazz”, ranging from summery smooth cool all the way through to challenging modal explorations, its wide variety is one of the defining features of the genre. It’s also something taken seriously by the Jazz Fest.

“It's really important for us that we don't pigeonhole the festival into having one type of jazz because there's a lot of interesting music out there,” Marc says. “I love the lineup. It’s a really diverse array of music and I'm excited about the depth of music and talent that we've got this year.”

The Port of Tauranga National Jazz Festival is renowned for the quality of its lineups but for its 60th Birthday Bash, they’ve pulled out all the stops. They’re expecting 20,000 people for the Downtown Carnival, which boasts over 40 acts during its two days, not to mention the huge range of shows, concerts and events going on over its 10 days. 

Local jazz institution Blue Train is reforming, Laughton Kora’s galactic-jazz ensemble Black Comet is landing and jazz duo Goldsmith Baynes will send chills down your spine with their contemporary fusion of jazz and Maori philosophies. Of course, that’s just a sliver of what’s on the programme. 

“The Port of Tauranga National Jazz Festival is one of the flagship events in Tauranga and it feels like the community is really behind it,” Marc says. “Everyone's really positive for the festival, which shows because it's a great place to be. If you come along, I guarantee you'll find some magic every single day.”

Then, putting his money where his mouth is, he laughs and adds, “And if you don't, I might buy you a pint!”

The Port of Tauranga 60th National Jazz Festival is running from Saturday, April 1 through to Monday, April 10.

Two Worlds, One Music

Duo Goldsmith Baynes has been turning heads in the jazz world. Their latest album, the acclaimed E Rere Rā, brings a Māori outlook, vision and language to contemporary jazz. UNO caught up with singer-songwriter Allana Goldsmith ahead of their show at the Tauranga Jazz Festival.

How are you feeling about performing at the Tauranga Jazz Festival for its 60th birthday celebrations?

We can't wait to play. I've been going to the festival since I was about 18. It's such a great time. Everybody should get along and check out music they've never heard before. I always say, go with an open mind and be ready to experience something different or something new. 

That’s what jazz is all about, right? That search for something new. 

That's right. Innovation happens by pushing those boundaries. It's fun and exciting. As a musician,
you never know what you're going to create.

Is that how you found your unique sound with Goldsmith Baynes?

Māori music and jazz music meeting together to form a new space was more than just bringing a bit of Te Reo to songs. It was a complete way of approaching the music. The way it was made was thought about as bringing a Māori approach to jazz.

What was that approach? What brings these two worlds together?

The way that we think about it. I’ll tell Mark I’ll be singing about birds. He will reflect on that and then play what he thinks will match that. The idea is that the musicians will follow the meaning of what we're talking about and bringing to fruition in terms of music. 

A lot of jazz is based on explorations into theory, but you approach your songs from feelings or meanings?

A lot of people take a theoretical approach to jazz. Of course, prior to it becoming an academic type of music it was Black, African music. It came from feeling before they ever really thought about it. And theory came prior to that. So it's kind of like taking it back to its roots. I like to think of it like that. 

What's great about jazz is how pliable it is. It can be adapted in so many ways or incorporated in so many different expressions. 

That’s right. Jazz has been a way for me to write my own music and write my own lyrics and learn my language. It's multifaceted and pretty personal. Me and my friends and musicians think of jazz as an approach to life.  

jazz.org.nz

Moveable feast

Resident foodie Stacey Jones takes a big, juicy bite
out of the Flavours of Plenty Festival.

Words Stacey Jones

Picture this: it's a lazy Sunday. You're dining on the beach,  digging into some of the most delicious kai you've ever eaten, full of local flavours. The sun is shining. The prosecco is flowing. A celebrity chef is cooking you a plethora of dishes from their latest cookbook, while her 52k fans on Insta are getting some serious #FOMO. Sounds like a bit of you? Well, you’re in luck. 

This year sees the return of Flavours of Plenty Festival and the event described above (and no, we're not spilling many more beans) is just one of 30-plus food activations across our region from March 24 to April 2. Now in its second year, the festival is back, bigger and better and ready to take its rightful place in the ever-growing New Zealand foodscape. 

Last year's inaugural event happened on the cusp of going from a red traffic light setting to orange. Not ideal circumstances, but the success was a true testament to our local foodies grit and determination. Festival director Rae Baker explains, “It was important for us to show support for the foodie community at that time, and what we saw was amazing results for producers, event hosts and attendees alike.”

The festival reinforces our regional food story by showcasing the plentiful produce and culinary talent we have here in the coastal Bay of Plenty.  It creates real, tangible benefits for our community, such as a direct link from produce to plate, new revenue streams for our event partners, the opportunity to test new products and attract visitors from outside the region. 

Now, we can't give too much more away, but what I can tell you is this year the team behind the festival at Tourism Bay of Plenty are cooking up something even more mouthwatering.  A sneak peek of the programme promises Meet the Maker events, degustations, market workshops, panel events, wild food challenges, celebrity chefs and plenty of other opportunities to get your hands dirty and your bellies full. There will also be the Plates of Plenty Challenge where local eateries will design plentiful creations  from our Bay produce to be crowned The People's Choice winner. 

Chef Ian Harrison of Sugo and Kitchen Takeover was just one of the many restaurants to take part in the event. Ian treated guests to a multi-course plant based degustation using local ingredients. “It was the best Sunday in the restaurant we’ve ever had, we had so much amazing feedback. It was also a great opportunity to try new things, attract new customers and pull together our community of culinary talent. Bring on this year’s event!” 

The programme of events will be released alongside  tickets on February 1, 2023. I’d say get in quick or you might be left with an empty stomach. 

flavoursofplentyfestival.com

Permission to play

Artist Lily Ivana taps into her creative flow by freeing herself of expectations and the result is mixed-media magic.
Interview Hayley Barnett

Growing up, contemporary mixed media artist Lily Ivana was “never not doodling”. Back in her hometown in Yorkshire, UK, she often sat in front of the TV with a huge wooden board holding wallpaper and drew out masterpieces whilst watching her favourite shows. Now she calls the Bay home and says her artistic inspiration these days comes from the golden sands of the East Coast and wherever her weekend adventures take her.

How did you become an artist?
I come from quite a creative family. One of my earliest memories is sitting for my grandfather whilst he sketched my portrait. My dad is a bespoke joiner and triggered my love of design and ‘the makers mark’. I was lucky to get a place at Leeds College of Art, where I studied Foundation Diploma in Art and Design, specialising in object and spatial design. I also completed the UCA Drawing qualification whilst there. Then headed on to Nottingham to do my BAHons in Decorative Arts, specialising in ceramic sculpture.
Following university, I worked in various community arts projects in the UK and Aotearoa. And it opened my eyes to art as a tool for wellbeing and connection. 

How did you discover this medium?
My curiosity to experiment and play with new materials has led me to my current style of creating. Around five years ago, my partner bought me my Adventure Journal. I took it with me on all our travels with an ever-expanding materials’ case and filled it with non-pressured, playful, mixed-media creations. When we got back it was the natural flow for me to start translating what I’d learned into larger scale works. Creating is my mindfulness practice. Removing the pressure of what it’s going to turn out like really helped me to free up and create more. 

What do you love about it? 
Acrylic paints are so versatile, they can be thickened, thinned, textured and layered. I love working with acrylic and mixed media as anything goes and I don’t feel limited. I play around with materials to learn about them. Sometimes I don’t know how they’re going to interact, but that’s all part of the magic. My outcomes rarely come out like my initial idea. I find it very freeing, allowing myself to just go with the flow and let the materials lead the way. 

What are some of the things that inspire you to create your art?
I am super grateful to have an inspiring studio space, full of natural light, attached onto the deck where I live. It’s my happy place and having everything in one spot definitely helps with the momentum of creating.
The majority of my current work is influenced by my early morning coastal walks, weekend adventures and the plants I fill my home with. I create to recharge. The materials I’m drawn to and how the work turns out is always quite in the moment. All my work has brought me happiness.

What is your favourite piece and why?
Currently, my favourite piece is "A Gentle Day". I can imagine it bringing a peaceful, chilled feeling to a room. I like how the soft oil pastel line and block acrylic complement each other. This piece evolved over six months. When I see it I see the layers and the journey I went on when creating it.

Who is your favourite artist?
This changes all the time! At the moment, I can’t get enough of Californian artist Hilary Pecis, especially her landscapes. They feel so inviting with the contrast of solid colour and delicate, intricate shapes. I hope to be able to see her work in person one day. 

Fare well

Flavour-forward and ready in a flash, these three recipes from The Fast Five, Donna Hay’s new cookbook,
will delight and impress.

Recipes and styling Donna Hay
Photos Chris Court + Con Poulos

Ginger pork and pineapple skewers

Serves 4

INGREDIENTS

600g pork fillet, trimmed and thinly sliced

250g pineapple, skin on and sliced into 8 thick wedges

Sliced Lebanese cucumber, coriander and extra sliced long red chilli, to serve

Ginger marinade

3 green onions, finely chopped

1 tbsp ginger, finely grated 

2 cloves garlic, crushed

2 tbsp fish sauce

⅓ cup brown sugar, firmly packed 

2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

Chilli pickled carrot

2 tbsp apple cider vinegar

2 tsp honey

1 long red chilli, sliced

4 carrots, peeled and shredded

METHOD

To make the ginger marinade, combine the green onion, ginger, garlic, fish sauce, brown sugar and
oil in a large bowl. 

Add the pork and the pineapple and mix to combine. Refrigerate for 20 minutes to marinate.

To make the chilli pickled carrot, combine the vinegar, honey and chilli in a bowl. Add the carrot and toss to combine. Set aside. 

Preheat oven grill (broiler) to high. Line a large baking tray with non-stick baking paper.

Thread the pork and pineapple onto 8 metal skewers and place on the prepared tray. Brush
with any remaining ginger marinade and grill
for 10–12 minutes or until just cooked through. 

Serve with the chilli pickled carrot, cucumber, coriander and the extra chilli. 

Butter chicken burger

Serves 4

INGREDIENTS

600g chicken mince

1 cup fresh sourdough breadcrumbs

⅓ cup butter chicken paste

½ cup coriander leaves,
finely chopped

1 onion, finely chopped

warmed naan bread, cucumber ribbons, extra mint leaves, store-bought mango chutney and fries, to serve

Minted yoghurt

1 cup plain thick yoghurt

2 tbsp mint leaves, finely chopped

1 tbsp lemon juice 

METHOD

To make the patties, place the mince, breadcrumbs, butter chicken paste, coriander and onion in a bowl and mix to combine. Divide the mixture into 4 patties.  

Heat a large non-stick frying pan or barbecue over medium-high heat. Add the patties and cook for 4–5 minutes each side or until cooked through. Remove from the pan. 

While the patties are cooking, make the minted yoghurt. Combine the yoghurt, mint and lemon juice. 

To assemble, top the naan bread with the minted yoghurt, cucumber ribbons, extra mint leaves, the patties and mango chutney. Serve with smoky potato fries. 

TIP: Feel free to serve these patties in regular burger buns, if you like.

Banoffee brûlée tarts

Serves 4

INGREDIENTS

1 cup almond meal 

1 cup flaked almonds

2 egg whites

¼ cup raw caster sugar

2 bananas, peeled and thinly sliced

¼ cup coconut sugar

caramel sauce, to serve

Whipped vanilla cream

½ cup mascarpone 

½ cup plain thick yoghurt

1 tsp vanilla bean paste or vanilla extract

METHOD

Preheat oven to 180°C (350°F). Line a large baking tray with non-stick baking paper.

Place the almond meal, flaked almonds, egg whites and the caster sugar in a bowl and mix to combine. Divide the mixture into 4. Place on the prepared tray and press out into rough 12cm (4¾ inch) rounds. Bake for 14 minutes or until golden around the edges.

To make the whipped vanilla cream, whisk the mascarpone, yoghurt and vanilla until soft peaks form.

Place the banana slices on a baking tray lined with non-stick baking paper and sprinkle with the coconut sugar. Using a kitchen blowtorch, cook until the banana starts to caramelise.

To assemble, divide the whipped vanilla cream between tart bases. Top with the coconut caramel sauce and the caramelised banana. 

TIP: If you don’t own a kitchen blowtorch, use the grill in your oven (broiler) to caramelise the banana.

donnahay.com.au

Rolling in the deep

Mount Maunganui welcomes a restaurant that really is worth its salt.

 WORDS Hayley Barnett

Walking into Saltwater, you can practically smell the sea air and hear the gentle clanging of the docks. Its nautical theming, all clean whites, crisp blues and deep wood instantly reminds you of where you are, and really gets your stomach grumbling for some of Aotearoa’s finest seafood.

There’s a lot to take in and the vibe is buzzing. Diners chatter, the open kitchen is a hive of activity and the lengthy ice bar tempts with a salivating range of freshly caught fish, oysters, scallops, mussels and other seafood delights. 

Everything about this seafood grill and oyster bar, that’s located in the middle of the main strip of Mount Maunganui, feels premium. Everything, that is, except the prices.

“We wanted it to be approachable. We didn’t want a pretentious seafood restaurant that most of the country
can’t go to,” co-owner Nick Potts says. “We wanted fish n’ chips, fish burger, Coromandel mussels. These are all great dishes but we didn’t want a price tag that was unattainable by the public.”

Along with his business partner Jay Thomas, they’ve given classic Kiwi kai an upmarket makeover while keeping a relaxed and welcoming vibe to the restaurant. Along with those favourites, there’s also more exotic dishes like grilled octopus, a soft shell crab burger and freshly prepared sashimi on offer.

And if fish isn’t your dining partner’s bag, there’s a range of non-seafood dishes to try, including Eye Fillet Carpaccio, a beef burger and a coconut curry.

But it’s hard to see your appetite returning to land after grazing the menu and its ocean treats. The calamari came in a jovially light batter and was served with Cajun mayo that had a delicious bite to it. My fiancé enjoyed the prawn po-boy so much he seriously considered ordering another and I couldn’t get enough of those ocean-fresh oysters and mussels. 

“We’ve tried to keep the seafood as the hero of the dish. We haven’t tried to overcomplicate it with huge flavours,” Nick explained. “It’s about the quality of the seafood we’re using. It’s about great food that anyone will enjoy.”

Nick also owns fine-dining restaurant Solera down the road so, as you’d expect, everything here is mouth-wateringly delicious. And, now that it's opened, it’s hard to believe there wasn’t a seafood restaurant of this quality here already. It seems such an obvious fit for the sea-loving folk who live in and around the Mount. 

saltwaterseafood.co.nz

Musical mind

Singer-songwriter Sophie-Maude credits her unique perspective with fuelling her creativity in music and in life.

Interview | Hayley Barnett

Sophie-Maude Turner is a surprisingly confident, self-assured, immensely talented musician. Surprising not only because she’s only just graduated school, but also due to the fact that she faces far more challenges than the average teenager. 

The 19-year-old BOP singer-songwriter has Tourette syndrome, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, autism and obsessive compulsive disorder. But what might be seen as a barrier to others has become a source of inspiration and point of difference for Sophie-Maude, and she’s fast becoming a role model for young people across the country – something she never dreamed would happen just a few years ago. 

Earlier this year, she was given funding from NZOnAir to film her single "Comfortable" on the sands of Mount Maunganui main beach, and it quickly soared in the charts, making this local teen one to watch for 2023.

How would you describe your style of music?
My most recent releases have been a cross between Indie/synth pop. My style is constantly evolving. Since I'm still in my early days of being an artist, there are still so many exciting styles to try and play with until I find something that really reflects me. The whole process of writing lyrics and matching them with my ideas for music is part of my learning journey. Belting high, long notes is my real passion and my journey will be in that direction.

How did you get into singing and music?
When I was young, I had a habit of inviting myself up on to the stage at local events when there was a break in the entertainment. I liked going up to sing and just enjoyed performing. It was a way for me to connect to people – something I found difficult. Those random appearances resulted in an article in a local magazine which showed my picture, asking if anyone knew me! Luckily my mum saw the photo and I was then formally asked to appear the following year. That was my first real break.

How do you think the Bay has helped shape you?
Those first few appearances led to lots of opportunities to put myself out there. I have always been honest about how I function, how my brain is wired. It is really important for me to be me. No two performances will ever be the same because of that. It has meant that I have been able to give back to the communities that have helped make my life better, and living in a small town made this so much easier to do. There is a fantastic local music community too, with so much expertise and passion for what they do. Everybody knows everybody!

Who and what inspires you?
Musically I have so many to choose from but, local artist Georgia Lines, Riiki Reid and Benee are three Kiwis that really inspire me through their own journeys. Aussie artist Tash Palmer too. I also strive to be as vocally consistent as Christina Aguilera. Personally, I look up to anybody that isn’t afraid to give things a go, to follow their passions. Do what makes you happy.

You've talked about your struggles with Tourette syndrome, ADHD, Autism and OCD in the past. How has that affected your journey into music?
In some ways, it was my gateway into the industry, through my hyper-obsession with singing and my lack of filters when just rocking up on to a stage! But the struggles are all triggered by anxiety. The higher my anxiety, the higher my challenges from each of those things. This can affect simple functioning on a day-to-day basis. The most important thing for me as an artist is to recognise that and so my team and I have steps in place to keep my anxiety low. This means that a lot of the everyday elements of the industry are managed
for me. I have input and I have my jobs to do with reminders to keep on task. This allows me to focus on the creativity. I am hugely grateful to my whole support team, as I would not be in the position I am today without them.

How old were you when you released "Comfortable’? What is the meaning behind it and what was it like to create it on one of New Zealand's most famous beaches?
I had just turned 18 and it was my first experience of releasing with a video and through a PR company which certainly helps. The song is about being comfortable with yourself, accepting you for you and not having to change to fit in. The dancer is local Wes Graham and we have known each other for many years. We have both had personal journeys of accepting ourselves and so they were the first person that came to mind when we discussed doing a video. As well as being a talented dancer, we had a connection that enabled us to really feel the lyrics and musical journey together. Everyone that took part in the video has in some way been a part of my life, which was special in itself, and being on one of our beautiful beaches made it even better.

What are your plans for the future?
My last release, "Take Me Away", reached number one in the Hot New New Zealand Singles and so will be followed by my next release in early 2023. I have a busy time with live performances, which includes opening for Hollie Smith locally as well as singing on the stage for Auckland’s CocaCola Christmas in the Park. That will be followed with some local summer festival performances and then hopefully my first small taste of a tour with my own live show. We are working towards a plan that will see us maintain momentum in a steady way which will allow me to enjoy a successful long road of music. 

Listen to Sophie-Maude’s latest releases on Spotify and YouTube.

Why art matters

Bringing Māori art to the mainstream is a personal and professional passion for Julie Paama-Pengelly.

Words Monique Balvert-O’Connor / Photos Salina Galvan 

Julie Paama-Pengelly is unsure why UNO finds her story-worthy. Where to start? How about the fact she’s described as a formidable powerhouse artist, curator and strategist doing amazing work. 

She heads Te Tuhi Mareikura Trust – known for exceptional work nurturing and celebrating Māori creativity at all levels. The Trust was the driving force behind the inaugural Tauranga Moana Creatives’ Awards, introduced this year and held to align with the country’s first national Matariki holiday.  

She’s one of Aotearoa’s foremost wāhine Māori tā moko practitioners – she owns Mount Maunganui’s Art and
Body studio, has practiced ta moko for 30 years and was an initiator of the recent world indigenous tattoo festival, named Toi Kiri. 

And Julie is heavily involved in digitally promoting the work of Māori artists.

Of Ngāi Te Rangi heritage, Julie (whose whakapapa is Matakana) works closely with the commissioners, appointed to Tauranga, on a soon-to-be-released arts strategy.

She says, “You can’t do everything.” But it appears she’s giving it a go, fuelled by a desire to create an art space for Māori.

“I have immersed myself in what the Māori world means. I want to leave a better place. I understand what art means to our people and know that’s what to concentrate on to make a difference.”

When not heavily immersed in all of the above, Julie does… Art. Of topical interest, she has a proposal lodged for a solo exhibition at Tauranga Art Gallery. Plans are for that artwork to then travel to Vancouver in 2024. Julie trained in Māori visual arts painting and sculpture (she also has a Masters in Third World Development). Bringing art to the fore

Julie says chairing Te Tuhi Mareikura Trust “is a passion and a privilege”. The Trust advocates and leads education initiatives for artists and audiences and is dedicated to increasing opportunities for Māori visual stories to feature prominently. A five-year-goal is to create a Tauranga Moana Māori arts exhibition centre as a focal point for its artists.

“Our vision is to lead development, and give leadership, in the Tauranga Moana art space. That traverses some difficult conversations, like traditional versus contemporary, where Māori should be in the economy, who should be represented when it comes to Māori.

“It is really important for our commissioners to understand there is a shortfall in what is being presented as Māori art – we are lauded overseas, but not here.”

The Trust ensures the Māori voice will be heard in the pending Tauranga City Council Art Strategy.

“We have our own Toi (art) strategy because of the Trust, and we are developing a legacy plan.”

Julie firmly believes Aotearoa’s leverage as a nation is its Māori culture (as well as landscape). 

“We hold this as our own. We want to back this up with real development for Māori.”

The Trust includes a youth programme, Toi Ohooho (“be alive through arts”), launched a year ago. Not just for Māori, it helps at-risk youth aged 13 to 24, supporting them through art. They are mentored by established artists and involved in projects that explore their identity within their historic landscape. 

Tauranga City Council arts and culture manager James Wilson is full of praise for the way Te Tuhi Mareikura Trust is working to raise the profile of the many “amazing” tangata whenua artists and applauds efforts being made to connect their work to new audiences.

Julie’s work, he praises as grounded in traditional Ngā Toi Māori practices, yet contemporary and cutting edge, and always focused on carving out a new space in which artists can share their stories. 

“The creative life force of Tauranga is strong, and Te Tuhi Mareikura Trust enables the community to tune into this life force, and to discover why arts and culture is such an important part of who we are as people,” he says.

Art at a click

Tauranga may not yet have a Māori arts exhibition centre, but the opportunity for artists to showcase and sell their work has expanded thanks to a Digital Cluster Initiative Julie is involved in. Going digital enables Tauranga Moana Māori artists to reach far beyond local, and into new markets online.  

“Through digital, we (Te Tuhi Mareikura Trust and the Digital Cluster Initiative) will support collaboration and growth, work to lift productivity, enhance discoverability, and explore new direct-to-consumer markets online. “It is all part of the larger legacy project to cement Māori arts in the region,” an excited Julie tells. 

Awards and accolades

Te Tuhi Mareikura Trust teams up with key locals in the art space (for example, Sonya Korohina and Para Whati) to set aspirations. Honouring artists (with tribal connectivity to the Bay) for their achievement in Māori art is a result of such collaboration, and so the Matariki Awards were born this year. “It was a hit, a beautiful thing,” says Julie who was the event organiser. The awards include Tauranga City Council sponsorship and are here to stay. Inaugural winners included film producer Chelsea Winstanley and musician Stan Walker.

Ancestral stories, meaningful tradition

Julie calls the Toi Kiri Festival her baby. Te Tuhi Mareikura Trust hosted the festival this year for the third time. It’s essentially a world tattoo event involving leading indigenous practitioners who gather to share learnings and art. An underlying theme is the revival of the tattoo tradition. That’s hugely significant to Julie.

“One of the reasons I got involved in Ta Moko was because it’s a language – it tells a personal story and is a connection to our ancestors, to cosmology, to our youth. A lot of that has been lost for a lot of Māori. For every art form that disappears, there goes a way of being, a way of communicating, a whole body of knowledge.”

Upon reflection, Julie concedes much of note has happened as regards her shared aspirations for Māori within the region and within the new civic vision. It’s been timely to talk.

julesartistmoko.com 

Home away from home

If Tauranga’s Redoubt Eatery isn’t already your local, get down there for some comfortable vibes, good conversation and signature Sticky Chicken.

Words Dan Collins  |  Photos Erin Cave

Sometimes you want to go where everybody knows your name, and they’re always glad you came. Those may be the lyrics to the theme tune of the old classic sitcom Cheers, but for Jacob Henderson, proprietor of Redoubt Eatery, they’re words to live by. “Redoubt is your home away from home,” he says when UNO pops in on a sunny Tauranga afternoon. “You get greeted by name. You don’t have to try too hard or try and be cool. It’s that kind of place.”

Situated about halfway down Tauranga’s picturesque promenade of The Strand, it’s that easygoing and down-to-earth attitude that typifies and differentiates the Redoubt experience. It’s welcoming and unpretentious. The kind of place that knows your name and what you drink, and gets them ready for you as you walk in.

“You don’t have to study a wine list that’s got five sauv blancs, you’ve just got the one,” Jacob says by way of example. “It’s good. It’s reliable. You feel safe and comfortable.” Jacob’s fresh perspective on what makes a place worth visiting could stem from the fact that he’s new to the Tauranga scene and excited to be here. “We’ve got one Redoubt Eatery in Morrinsville and one in Matamata,” he says. “We wanted to see if what we do is good enough to work in the big city.”

It may have only opened its doors in August but it certainly seems to be working. There are plenty of people coming through the doors and, most importantly to Jacob, an ever-growing number of regulars settling in and making Redoubt their local.

He describes the move into town as a happy accident. His cousin walked past one day earlier this year and saw that the previous establishment was for sale. He called Jacob, who immediately spotted the potential. “We thought it was the best location, being on the corner here, and with that deck upstairs. Initially, we thought that deck might be a pain, but it’s such a great area. It’s one of the few places along here where you can see out into the harbour.”

Those gorgeous elevated harbour views are bound to make it a favourite for long summer lunches or post-work evening drinks. “Just about every second person is asking for a table up there. We’re praying for that weather!” he jokes.

With seating for 70 people, Redoubt should be able to accommodate most sun-chasers. But to be on the safe side, you can always book a table. In fact, Jacob says, the team are happy to accommodate wherever they can. It’s all part of making Redoubt Eatery feel like a second home. It’s a philosophy that’s come from Redoubt being a part of his family legacy.

“The first Redoubt Eatery opened in 1999 in Te Awamutu. That was opened by my parents,” he says. “In 2002 my wife and I were overseas. My father rang and asked if I wanted to lease the pub. We said yes, came back and leased the pub for about two years while they went overseas.”

When his parents returned, it was obvious there were now too many chefs in the kitchen, so Jacob and his wife started looking around. In 2006 they opened a Redoubt Eatery in Matamata. The original in Te Awamutu was sold around 2016 so is no longer part of the family. However, Matamata was going so well that they opened a Redoubt Eatery in Morrinsville in 2018.

“Morrinsville doesn’t have a huge amount of eateries,” he says. “It’s nice to go to a place where you’re needed and it was a great opportunity. You always like to think you’re pretty cool and that what you do would work everywhere. Morrinsville went really well. When we went from one to two, it didn’t feel like a huge strain. We’ve got a bit of confidence. That’s why we got so excited about The Strand and thought, ‘What we do could work.’”

That said, some things have been tweaked for the Tauranga market. The decor and fit-out is fairly similar, with sports photos and memorabilia – like an autographed Mike Tyson boxing glove and photos of famous local sports heroes – decorating the walls, but the food and drinks menus have been given a slight makeover. Again, with the specific goal of making you feel relaxed.

“We don’t want people to feel intimidated. We don’t want you to have pretend that you know what certain words mean you know,” he laughs. “We want it to be very Kiwi-themed and comfortable. Certainly good and certainly fresh and seasonal. That goes without saying. But I don’t want anyone to feel intimidated when you’re in here. People can pick up the bone and stuff like that.”

He says they kept on some of the staff from the previous establishment, including the head chef Johnny, who presented his new owners with some ideas for the menu. “It was really impressive. His food is bloody good,” Jacob enthuses. “So the menu is different from Matamata and Morrinsville, except for one dish.”

This is Redoubt Eatery’s secret weapon, their hit. The one thing he knew they had to serve. “It’s called the Sticky Chicken. It’s our biggest seller in Matamata. It’s our biggest seller in Morrinsville and now it’s our biggest seller in Tauranga,” he grins as he talks about the chicken dish that comes drizzled in a ginger sauc and served on coconut rice. “It’s comfort food. We can’t take it off. It just goes off. It’s one of the few dishes that’s on the lunch and dinner menu.”

Again, the word “comfort” comes up when Jacob talks about Redoubt. It’s something incredibly important to him, and it turns out there’s a very good reason why. “When I was 19, I was travelling the world and ended up in this town in West Cork, Ireland called Clonakilty. The first day I was there, I went into this pub and the guy behind the bar urged me to try a Murphys and introduced me to a couple of locals. About a week later I was still jobless, running out of money and it was raining. I was thinking my dreams of travelling the world were over. I walked back into the pub and Barry was behind the bar again. He went, ‘Jacob! How are ya mate? Here’s your Murphys.’I just felt like I belonged, and he made me feel special. I thought, ‘This is where I want to be.’ I stayed there for two years. It turned everything around. “That’s what we want to do. It’s so cool to walk in and have someone say, ‘G’day, Jake, here’s your drink.’” 

That’s the vibe Jacob wants to create. A home away from a home. A place where everybody knows your name and… Well, you get the idea. This philosophy of creating a community even  extends to the photos lining the walls. “The vast majority of the pictures on the wall are of Tauranga things, Tauranga heroes or Tauranga villains. We’re always looking to grow that,” he explains before giving an example.

“I was talking to a mate and his son won the New Zealand freestyle scooter award. He’s a kid, 15 years old, and does triple flips and stuff. We’re gonna get his photo and put it up on the wall. He’ll sit next to Kane Williamson there – who goes without introduction,” he says pointing to a blank spot beside the Tauranga-raised Black Caps captain.

“That’s what makes a good local!” Jacob exclaims. “What I want is for you to be able to sit here and go, ‘That’s my bloody neighbour on the wall!' Because then you feel like you belong there. Eventually, these walls will be covered. I want a photo of your second cousin who played hockey for New Zealand in 1985. People like that. I reckon that’s worthy of being on the wall.”

Jacob’s vision for Redoubt Eatery – and, of course, its signature dish, the Sticky Chicken – should ensure it’s a hit. A relaxed place where you can go with your mates to catch up and chill out with a drink or two and grab something delicious to eat. If only there was a word for something like that. Turns out there is. “One of the meanings of the word Redoubt is ‘a place of refuge or safe haven’,” Jacob smiles. “So I quite like that as well.” 

redoubt.nz/the-strand