A pair of innovative Kiwi startups have partnered with a Kiwi burger behemoth to bring two delicious, nutritious and under-appreciated local ingredients to the people. Long gone are the days when a burger strictly equalled a meat patty, a bit of limp lettuce and a sad slice of tomato or two between a couple of … Read more
Small businesses have told The Spinoff that hefty commission fees from the global delivery giant are pushing them to the brink, and are asking why global fast food chains get a discount. Small hospitality businesses are paying substantially higher commission rates to Uber Eats than fast food giants using the food-delivery app, and some say … Read more
Alice Neville dives into Wellington’s doughy underbelly to uncover the eye-opening truth about the capital’s passion for this humble baked item. One of my first proper jobs was at Nikau Cafe in Civic Square, where I worked part-time while I was at university, circa 2004-6ish, making coffee and life-long friends. I also ate a lot … Read more
We review the entire country and culture of New Zealand, one thing at a time. Today, Alice Neville leads a team of taste-testers in sampling the latest string to Indian culinary powerhouse Paradise’s bow. Paradise Indian Food, if you didn’t know, is kind of a big deal. Taking up an impressive amount of space in … Read more
Kate Underwood shared some special seafood with Clarke Gayford and spoke to him about why the way we fish is so important. Even though he now has access to the ninth floor of the Beehive, Clarke Gayford is still a Gizzy boy at heart. He’s grown up on and in the sea. He has fond … Read more
Lisa McMillan is an adrenaline junkie. Instead of Sallydiving or driving race cars, she collects rooms full of naked strangers. Josie Adams went along to the Naked Dinner and found it stimulated all the wrong hormones. In a tealight-lit lounge in a rented Symonds Street flat, I milled around with 23 strangers. We were all … Read more
When you crave fresh, bright flavours but summer veges seem far away, throw together this simple salad. Growing up we often ate this salad, or one very similar to it. My mum is a fantastic cook and this dish is one she still makes to this day – though I must confess her version is … Read more
At school camp, the children are banned from having phones, laptops, lollies, chocolate, money, cotton clothing or independent thoughts. They, are, however, allowed home baking – but it’s gotta be hearty. How hearty are you? We are packing for a school camp. If you’re thinking that the middle of winter is not the best time … Read more
George Clooney sold his tequila company for a billion dollars – but is the stuff any good? The Spinoff finds out. Imagine being so stupidly sexy you sneeze and sell a billion-dollar booze company. That’s what George Clooney did last year, flicking off the tequila business he started accidentally with an old drinking buddy to … Read more
Simon Day dined alone at Monique Fiso’s Wellington restaurant Hiakai, and discovered it was the perfect way to appreciate the meaning of this special food. “Would you like a few more minutes with your phone?” the waitress at Hiakai asked sympathetically as I mashed a final goodbye text to my wife on the touchscreen. I’d … Read more
We review the entire country and culture of New Zealand, one thing at a time. Today, Tara Ward taste-tests the best hot chips in the country. Everyone loves a hot chip because they’re a) hot, and b) a chip, but there’s nothing more disappointing than a bad chip experience. A flaccid, overcooked piece of … Read more
Inspired by the ethos of food-rescue organisation Kaibosh, chef Kelda Hains looked to the past to champion unloved ingredients and showcase clever waste-minimising techniques at her All Taste, No Waste dinner during Visa Wellington On a Plate. Ever glanced at those supermarket bags of pre-cut broccoli florets and wondered what happens to the stalks? Kelda … Read more
The new joint from the team behind one of Wellington’s favourite craft beer bars is dedicated to minimal-intervention, organic wine – and more exciting things are coming to the heritage building it’s housed in. Before the Cadbury factory opened in Dunedin in 1930, New Zealanders ate Cadbury chocolate made in England. After it was shipped … Read more
We love it battered and served with chips, but tarakihi stocks aren’t doing well and another big cut to commercial catch limits is in the works. Ah yes, terrakee, that’s a fish, right? Well, first things first, let’s say it correctly. Pronounce every syllable, remember the Māori vowel sounds (A-E-I-O-U), roll the r and you’ll … Read more
Good on their own, even better with cheese – these crisp, moreish crackers are destined to become your new go-to savoury snack. These crackers have been on high rotation in our household – they’ve filled lunchboxes, accompanied fine cheeses on evening platters and been eaten by the fistful straight from the jar. They are thin and … Read more
Wine should be fun, not intimidating – all you need is a little knowledge. Yvonne Lorkin, co-founder and chief tasting officer of WineFriend, provides some simple tips to help you empower your palate. Even I can get scared by wine. I’m usually super-meek and a tad feeble at high-brow, “industry” wine tastings. However, festivals like … Read more
We review the entire country and culture of New Zealand, one thing at a time. Today, Alice Neville critiques a curious culinary union. Fusion cuisine gets a bad rap, but some of the finest dishes on earth are culinary mash-ups. Would you really want to live in a world where there’s no bánh mì, where … Read more
Don’t chuck those lovely feathery green carrot tops in the compost bin – make this instead! We live in a little town in rural Taranaki. This semi-rural lifestyle has countless benefits, but one high on the list is the ready access to fresh, locally grown produce. There are two vegetable farmers no more than 15km … Read more
While the debate around methane continues to stink up the place, we are ignoring countless different ways to protect our food security in the future, writes climate activist Melanie Vautier. Agriculture is a huge and important topic in climate mitigation, in adaptation, in our very survival in terms of food supply. I went along to … Read more
A crack team of Spinoff taste testers munched their way through 34 dairy-free cheese alternatives to bring you this definitive list of the good, the bad and the ugly. Just as some people cannot fathom the concept of vegetarian sausages or almond milk, the idea of cheese that isn’t made from dairy provokes outrage in … Read more
Plastic Free July is over, but Josie Adams is still fighting for the environment. After a month of minimising plastics, emissions and even recyclables, she reflects on what she’s learned. You can read the first three diary entries here, here, and here. July has ended and so has my time as New Zealand’s most formidable … Read more
Simon Day has eaten great food in iconic cities all over the world. Nothing beats Wellington’s food scene, even on a bad day. Wellington is my favourite food city in the world. I’ve eaten croissants in Paris, and pizza in Rome, and pickled herring in Copenhagen. I’ve tried modern Japanese in Melbourne, and eaten my … Read more
Sure, it’s not as easy to love as the versatile lemon or the alluring tangelo, but the grapefruit has its place, says Amanda Thompson – and that place is on your toast. All over my dreary winter town, small gold and orange suns are bursting forth over fences, over hedges, casting themselves to the ground. … Read more
Pickle fanatic Dara Flaws brings us this definitive list of which gherkins are worth their brine. I work in a restaurant in Wellington and one of my biggest pet peeves (aside from the charming, considerate customers clicking their fingers to gain your attention) is when someone says: “Can I have the burger – without the … Read more
The popular and staunchly independent Auckland eatery Coco’s Cantina has launched a ghost restaurant on UberEats, and it ‘shows that our industry is not in a healthy place’, says its owner. Over the past couple of weeks, as they idly scrolled through the mind-boggling array of dinner possibilities, Auckland UberEats users may have noticed something … Read more
Pumpkin and blue cheese is one of the most comforting flavour combos of our time, so make a big pot of this and dive in (literally, if you want – we won’t judge). There is something wonderful about the combination of sweet, deep orange pumpkin and salty, sharp blue cheese. Even better when served alongside … Read more
In Mrs Krishnan’s Party, Kalyani Nagarajan plays the lead role and cooks the audience dinner to boot. What could possibly go wrong? The idea of cooking for more than 100 people would fill most of us with terror. How about cooking for more than 100 people within a constrained time limit while on stage acting … Read more
Dietary Requirements is The Spinoff’s monthly podcast in which we eat, drink and talk about it too, with special thanks to Freedom Farms. This month, we’re joined by comedian Pax Assadi to discuss the merits (or lack thereof) of white people food. Growing up in Auckland with an Iranian dad and a Pakistani mum, Pax Assadi … Read more
The modern zeal for eating this cruciferous crap must count among the most ridiculous food fads of our time, says Amanda Thompson. I bought a lush salad the other day, not a ‘I really should eat a salad or I might get scurvy’ grudge salad, but an expensive, delicious-looking salad, one I really wanted, full … Read more