Hekes bringing kai to all New Zealanders
Home-cooking favourites Henry and Monique Heke are on a mission to make Maori dishes more relevant to a wider Kiwi audience.
The Hekes are putting a restaurant spin on dishes like hangi and boil up in their new show – Tradition on a Plate.
The pair who won the people’s choice award on My Kitchen Rules in 2015, want to showcase Maori kai to mainstream New Zealand.
‘‘I want to say Maori cuisine is acceptable for everyone and that indigenous food is the new thing,’’ Henry said.
Monique is keen to see New Zealanders learn more about modern Maori cuisine.
‘‘As urban Maori now, we’ve moved away from our marae, we’ve moved away from those rural areas and we’ve bought ourselves to the cities. Kaimoana is not abundant like it used to be.’’
Henry Heke said he learnt about the importance of food from his mother, who raised him on her own. She was unable to read or write, but she always made sure there was food on the table, that they all had clothes on their backs, and their children were educated.
He was taught to peel potatoes before he could go to school.
‘‘I remember when mum was beating cream and there were always two whisks – one kid got one, and one got the other and if there were three kids then one got the bowl.’’
The husband-and-wife duo use their different backgrounds to tell a story through food, and they want to pass that on to others.
‘‘Cooking is fun, cooking is easy, I love cooking and I wish more people cooked. I wish fewer people went out and got takeaways and more people stayed home and cooked food,’’ said Henry.
‘‘We are so busy as parents and our kids are so active – the one fundamental key is passing on those traditions that your parents, and grandparents passed on."
‘‘What we’re trying to do is to make what we deem as Maori food acceptable for everybody.’’
It doesn’t always have to be big to be traditional.
The Hekes want to inspire others to cook with their own children, or nieces and nephews.
The couples are at ease in this series and in front of the camera.
‘‘I love being on TV with my wife, it’s a crack up.’’ Henry says.
‘‘I enjoy the fact we’re on TV together and that we get to tell our story.’’