16 CONTRIBUTORS

NICOLA Past: A chatty and “organised” child who loved writing, Nicola (right) completed a postgraduate degree in journalism and worked in print and radio before moving to PR and marketing. Her first role was at the Sydney Fish Market.

Present: These days Nicola is living the Kiwi dream. From her Dunedin base, with her Aucklandbased Marvellous Marketing business partner Kathie, she’s using her corporate work experience to co- run the Outstanding NZ Food Producer Awards (read all about them on page 122) and to assist local food, wine, drinks and lifestyle companies. Outside of work, she loves tending her potager garden and then extending the life of its produce by preserving and pickling in the kitchen alongside daughters Alex and Evie.

Future: Nicola dreams of finding work/ life balance, abandoning her mother guilt and building a sustainable home within cooee of Dunedin.

KATHIE Past: Kathie has always loved food and grew up in a household with a dad who was a great cook and parents who loved to entertain. When she was young she dreamed of owning a restaurant. In Kathie’s early marketing career at Corbans Wines she managed the Corbans Wine and Food Challenge, an innovative food and wine- matching competition. Present: Self- employed for nearly 20 years, Kathie is fortunate to work with like- minded businesses in wine, food and hospitality. Happily married to Neville, they share a fur baby called Oscar. She loves to play golf, keep fit and to travel plus enjoys cooking and dabbles in the garden. Future: Kathie looks forward to making time for more travel, especially to great food and wine destinations around the world.