If you’re the type to judge those who queued up for a post-lockdown Big Mac, perhaps it’s time to ask yourself some hard questions about why you really disapprove so much. Since we moved to alert level three, there has been a flurry of attention on fast food – namely that after five weeks of … Read more
For a few weeks we haven’t been able to escape each other or ourselves or our own terrible cooking. But at least the celery soup is a prison of my own making. Read more from the lockdown letters here. I’m not a good cook. “What’s for lunch?” my workmate Kirsten used to ask, as I emptied … Read more
A Madeleine Chapman guide to the best and worst of the change range. I once fell asleep at LAX while waiting for a flight and somebody stole my wallet. I made a sad face at check-in and was able to check my bag for free then had to survive a day in Boston and an … Read more
While KFC staff are desperately trying to draw attention to their terrible working conditions, people are losing their shit over a chicken burger. Over the weekend, as their staff begged them for better working conditions, KFC sent out an email to influencers and media inviting them to a party. KFC relaunched their Double Down burger … Read more
The expectant royals are here for five days – plenty of time to sample some of Aotearoa’s finest cuisine. As we excitement-starved colony-dwellers eagerly anticipated the arrival of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, attention naturally turned to the New Zealand delicacies their Royal Highnesses might be treated to during their five-day visit. Some details … Read more
The Spinoff Board of Review visited Texas Chicken on west Auckland’s Lincoln Rd to see if its Fiery Crunch Chicken was, as claimed, the “spiciest fried chicken in New Zealand”. This was a test, right? What is stronger – the love of fried food or the fear of looking stupid in front of your workmates? Chicken or … Read more
Last week food critic Simon Wilson took rookie fine diner Madeleine Chapman to upmarket restaurant The Grove. Then she took him to her restaurant of choice – here are their reviews of KFC. This piece was first published in December 2017. Read part one, The Grove, here. Madeleine Chapman The wicked wing was divine. Served … Read more
We review the entire country and culture of New Zealand, one thing at a time. Today, staff from The Spinoff gorge themselves on giant pieces of fried chicken. Before you read this review, go somewhere you can listen to this at the same time. Trust us. Today The Spinoff lunched on more than $50 of … Read more
An essay about race, immigration, and KFC by Sri Lankan-born, Hutt Valley-raised novelist Brannavan Gnanalingam. On our way to New Zealand in 1986, we stopped at Singapore Airport. In this of all places, my dad bumped into his brother, whom he hadn’t seen for years. We were going to a new life in New Zealand. … Read more
New Zealand’s newest and fanciest KFC opened on Fort St in Auckland this week. Vocal KFC fan Madeleine Chapman was there to experience the magic. I showed up to the new KFC opening on Fort St wearing a KFC sweatshirt, KFC trackpants, and a KFC beanie. The security guard at the door was checking names … Read more
The Real Pod team assemble in the board room of dreams to talk reality TV and real life in New Zealand, including a great week for lookalikes and a scary new addition to the KFC menu. This week Jane Yee, Duncan Greive and Alex Casey delve deep into almost every element of Toni Street’s surprise … Read more
In a world of excess and greed, Madeleine Chapman just wants everyone to get the most out of their food. When I was in my final year at university, I had my heart broken. Not by a young man, but by Hilary Barry. The spear she used to pierce my heart was this tweet. For years … Read more
It was the competition that captivated a nation. The busy working world of New Zealand ground to a halt as one tweet, featuring three identical, nondescript beanies, received 6,800 retweets and a bountiful supply of favourites. This is the oral history of the greatest online giveaway in New Zealand history, as told by key players. … Read more