Eating away at cultural barriers
One of Auckland’s most iconic restaurants is embracing Pacific, Ma¯ ori, and European traditions to better reflect the city’s diverse culture, writes
AUCKLAND’S Viaduct is the place to dine for rich-listers. It’s where flashy businesspeople have their long lunches – but what if you don’t fit in?
Top-rated eatery Euro, so long the poster-boy for that Auckland exclusiveness, is working to change that perception by appointing two young Pasifika and Ma¯ ori creatives to lead a food revolution, of sorts.
Gone are the traditional white tablecloths and wait staff wearing crisp white shirts and ties, replaced by a more contemporary approach to style and service more in tune with Pacific and Ma¯ ori communal eating traditions.
‘‘I’m stoked about it,’’ declares Mount Roskill born-and-raised Samoan head chef Uelese (Wallace) Mua. ‘‘I’d love to see more young Polynesians here. I’ve got friends who I went to school with messaging me saying ‘I’d like to come in’, and that’s awesome.
‘‘Because these are people that you wouldn’t think you’d see here, and now you’re starting to see a much younger crowd coming through, which can only be a good thing – while still paying homage to the past as well. That’s really important.’’
The 32-year-old has crafted Euro’s new-look autumn sharing menu, featuring seasonal selections of moana (seafood), ma¯ ra (garden) and whenua (land), while five stunning works from Auckland-based indigenous artist Ho¯ hua Ropate Kurene compliment the dishes and bring the campaign to life.
Both are proud to be able to showcase Pacific and Ma¯ ori culture and flavours, and believe the campaign will break down social and cultural barriers to help Euro attract a younger and more diverse crowd.
I’m intrigued, given that before this interview, I’d never have stepped foot inside a place like Euro. I’ve never felt I had any business being there, being Ma¯ ori and on a reporter’s wage. I’m surprised by the laid back atmosphere. Since first rebranding and transforming its menu and interior last year, Euro has moved to create a more relaxed environment devoid of stuffy formality.
‘‘My siblings love it. My mum, she’s always gonna be honest with me. She’s like, ‘yeah, it’s good...’ says Mua. ‘‘She likes it but she’s really traditional.
When I’m at home, when I go to her place, I never go in the kitchen.
‘‘But we do have a good chance to connect with the younger generation who seem to be way more open to trying new things. That’s the aim.’’
Mua’s arrival at Euro in late January saw him return to the mentorship of Nourish Group’s executive chef Gareth Stewart, after they first worked together at Soul Bar & Bistro a decade ago.
Following a two-year stint at Soul, Mua ventured off to France where he had his ‘‘real awakening as a chef’’, working in Paris and Marseille – the latter where he opened George Bistro, in 2014.
After returning to New Zealand shores, he most recently served in the role as executive chef at Hilton Auckland’s FISH, before reuniting with Stewart at Euro and refining their shared ideas.
The autumn menu is a representation of ‘‘late summer’’, featuring standout dishes like snapper ‘‘on the bone’’ with XO butter and lime, fermented heirloom tomatoes with flatbread, whipped goat’s curd and basil and grass-fed beef tartare with horseradish, warm truffle potato rosti and raw egg yolk.
‘‘Gareth already had his ideas and was looking at me to add that Polynesian touch to it,’’ explains Mua.
‘‘So we spent a week playing with different things. That’s one of the reasons why I came back to [work with] Gareth – because he was always constantly pushing me to think outside the box and to develop more.’’
Mua admits he initially held concerns that Euro’s move to embrace Pacific and Ma¯ ori culture could be viewed with cynicism, but argues its indicative of the changing attitudes towards celebrating indigenous food and culture within the realm of fine dining.
‘‘People are trying to diversify a lot more, and it’s a really good thing,’’ he says.
‘‘You’re seeing a lot of restaurants start to acknowledge the Pasifika roots or the Ma¯ ori roots of New Zealand. Just look at the names out there now. You’ve got (Auckland restaurants) Ahi, Kingi – so [the industry is] starting to know what we have, and realising we’ve got really good produce, so it should be something that we’re using much more often.
‘‘The only thing that I worry about is that you’ve got to try to do it without being – it’s a bit hard to say – but without being token about it.
‘‘The fact that we are a Polynesian country, as Kiwis, we are all beginning to understand that uniqueness about our country, and we’re starting to acknowledge that much more.’’
He says Pasifika and Ma¯ ori chefs are feeling more empowered to express themselves – both vocally and creatively.
‘‘It’s funny, a friend of mine was saying to me ‘look at it as Polynesians coming into the limelight more and getting more recognition’.
‘‘For example, when I was starting out, a lot of the Polynesian chefs I worked with were always really quiet and reserved, and now we’re starting to bring more ideas and bring our own flavours.’’
Mua hopes his menu will also surprise people and challenge perceptions of Polynesian ‘‘comfort food’’. He leans heavily on familiar Island favourites like taro and raw fish, but says his dishes recall the healthier eating habits of his ancestors, who relied primarily on fishing and garden produce.
‘‘Look at what we consider Polynesian food, is that really Polynesian food?’’ he says. ‘‘Because, for example, (island staple) chop suey has Asian flavours, and so it’s trying to go further back and see what our ancestors ate. We were living off the land and sea, so our people were eating really well.’’
Mua serves up two of his delicious new offerings – yellowtail kingfish with sweetcorn, jalapen˜ o, lime and coriander, with taramasalata – smoked snapper belly, radish, salmon roe, taro and lavosh.
The Island influence is obvious in the fresh flavours and ingredients, and despite the beautiful share plate presentation of the Kingfish, I have no problem polishing off both dishes on my own.
Mirroring the Pasifika themes presented on the plates are five works from multi-media artist Ropate Kurene, who moved from Christchurch to Auckland to join the renowned Fafswag arts collective.
The specific pieces selected for Euro’s autumn campaign were inspired by travel with his wha¯ nau, experiences that leave him deeply connected with places, after migrating first from Porirua to Luatuanu’u in
Samoa, and later to Christchurch, all before the age of 12.
‘‘My immediate thought was cool, this is a great opportunity to step into my Pasifika practice, rather than just my Ma¯ ori practice alone, and to be able to explore that duality,’’ explains the 22-year-old.
‘‘A lot of my works are usually presented in empty spaces and sterile spaces, so I’ve never collaborated with a space that’s being activated at the same time, such as a restaurant with cuisine.
‘‘I am appreciative that there’s an opportunity for access – we don’t necessarily have access to this kind of stuff as Pasifika people. So to be able to create or support a project like this, with care and with respect to both practices, is great.’’