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KINGI Auckland
There’s a new hotel restaurant in town – one that is a little out of the ordinary. Not only is the hotel in question New Zealand’s very first five-green-star offering, its restaurant is being run by two young talents with a passion for sustainability and two very hip (and successful) brands under their belts. In other words, this is definitely one to check out (even if you haven’t checked in).
New eatery Kingi is part of The Hotel Britomart in downtown Auckland – just an oyster-shell’s throw from the waterfront. And every adjective that can be lavished on this 99-room edifice can equally apply to Kingi: sustainable, sophisticated, eco-conscious, soulful. Kingi is in the capable hands of Tom Hishon and Josh Helm of Orphans Kitchen fame, the small and friendly Ponsonby restaurant that celebrates New Zealand’s regional produce and whose cuisine has “purity, simplicity and sustainability” at its core. Executive chef Tom and manager Josh are also behind Daily Bread, the popular string of bakeries offering Aucklanders a slice of organic deliciousness. And now, with Kingi – an abbreviation of kingfish – they’re turning their attention to seafood. Though there will be other offerings such as wild venison and a strong focus on seasonal produce.
“Through my years at Orphans I always had a love and passion for seafood, and sourcing it sustainably, so it was a natural progression,” says Tom. “Seafood is what I love to eat at home, what I love to cook. I love fishing and scuba diving… it’s a true reflection of New Zealand.”
Like many of his recipes, Tom’s food journey has been organic. “My parents are good cooks, and I was always helping out in the kitchen,” says the Southland born and raised chef. “When I was 10 or 12 my auntie used to send over VHS video recordings of the first Naked Chef TV series. Jamie Oliver’s enthusiasm struck a chord with me. I’ve had a couple of people I’ve looked to in my career: my mum and Jamie. He was never about measurements, it was all freestyling and fun.”
Tom went to cooking school, moved to Auckland in his 20s, went travelling and ended up back in Auckland where, in 2013, he and Josh opened Orphans Kitchen. And while it might seem a big leap – at a turbulent time – from the cosy ambience of Orphans to the full-blown sophistication of a hotel restaurant, much of the philosophy that underpins their first restaurant applies. The style of cooking is something Tom been honing over the years, one of teasing out the nuances of different regional ingredients. Kingi’s menu is chiefly “a celebration of independent fishermen,” says Tom. “They’re using long-lining, fish caught with a hook. Or it’s regenerative shellfish and oyster farming; we’re working with a lot of seaweeds too.”
Tom finds his sources on social media, or through word of mouth. “They’re passionate about what they do. They love being out on the water. We want to talk to that. A lot of these species are endemic to New Zealand; it’s a big part of our history. More importantly, they’re delicious.” Just as the menu reflects our sea and turf, so the venue reflects the heritage of the building – with the Victorian architecture of the former Masonic building elegantly restored. “The setting is beautiful,” says Tom. “Architect Nat Cheshire has done an amazing job of the fit-out, restoring the character of the building. It’s warm and inviting… that’s what we want our food to be like too. In this climate that’s what people are after. To be looked after.”
A little laneway – echoes of Melbourne here – runs between Kingi and the hotel’s stunning lobby so Kingi is linked but not swallowed whole by the hotel. It has its own personality, albeit one that complements the hotel’s aesthetic. It’s a restaurant in a neighbourhood, one that bristles with the energy of multiple cafes, dining spots and upscale retailers – rather than a restaurant in a hotel. Inside, there is a nod to the simplicity of Orphans – muted green, brown and beige leather upholstered chairs; the pared-back décor.
But a couple of wow features too: a stunning curved timber counter that is one single giant piece of kauri – and a colossal chandelier made of hand-blown pieces of glass, swimming and shimmering in mid-air like the kingfish scales they represent. Then more ocean inspiration in the wall-lights, translucent and blobbily amorphous as jellyfish.
And while it’s all uber-tasteful, Tom and Josh want Kingi to be approachable. To be the sort of venue you can pop into several times a week, to sit down with a wine and a bowl of olives one night, then return later in the week to linger over a meal. And with their first venture having switched to daytimes only, Orphans devotees now have somewhere to adopt them come nightfall.
MOIETY Dunedin
In central Dunedin, next to the green triangle of Queens Gardens, stands an imposing late 19th-century building that was once the railway central terminus hotel. Its ornate cream facade – part of the heritage Warehouse Precinct – is a stoic reminder of the city’s past, but within its walls are modern apartments, a winery, a bakery and a restaurant intriguingly named Moiety.
“‘Moiety’ comes from a Latin word that means ‘a whole which can be divided in half equally’,” says Sam Gasson, chef and co-owner with his partner Kim Underwood. “It worked for us because it’s as much about the food as it is about the experience – and having an open kitchen that splits it but keeps it all as one.”
Step inside, and what greets you is one long room, with the aforementioned kitchen-bar down the middle. On one side, the chefs are busy; on the other you can sit at the counter watching them rustle up your evening’s deliciousness. Just like you would at a mate’s house – stomach rumbling but placated by the wine in your hand, the odd pre-dinner snack. And, a key component, the conversation. “It is nice as you get to chat to the customer. It’s the first time in my career that I’ve developed these relationships with regular customers – surgeons, lawyers etc… people I’d have no reason to talk to in my everyday life. It’s amazing because you are getting to form these connections.”
And there’s nowhere to hide for the chef; everything is on display. Doesn’t that create a bit of pressure? “It forces chefs to be calm, to be careful about what you are doing. It’s that experience thing. You can go and have food anywhere but it’s hard to find an experience.”
It’s not just the food then – more of that in a moment – but a whole vibe. When the couple took ownership, they stripped it all back to exposed brick, put in a polished concrete floor and a bar top of rolled steel. “It’s quite industrial and chunky but the lighting and soft furnishing are warming so it’s comfortable. It’s also just 26 seats, so it never feels like a cavern.”
It’s casual, fun, a place Sam and Kim themselves would want to go and eat. Even the music reflects their personalities. “We got sick of working in restaurants where it was St Germain or something generic, so we’ve followed that Melbourne trend of playing a bit of old-school hip-hop. It’s aimed at that younger demographic without being offensive. You can’t alienate grandma while she’s eating dinner.”
Though to be fair, grandma would probably be too absorbed in her food to worry about the odd bit of cussing mid-rap. The menu is five courses (plus small plates if you want to pop in casually for a drink and a snack) – and it’s a five-act show where good, honest, seasonal produce gets top billing. When they can, they source from Dunedin, but otherwise from the wider Otago region. There’s a Yam and Cashew Curry with Leeks; Lamb, Celeriac, Black Garlic and Celery; an Ikejime Fish dish with Turnip, Parsley and Yolk; Popcorn, Parsnip and Honey; and Beetroot with Mandarin, Curd, Walnut and Onion. They change out one dish every week. “It’s more sustainable for the staff. Ideas are allowed more time to develop. And it needs the flow of new dishes and creativity happening. It also means a lot less food waste. Instead of starting from scratch and getting rid of a whole lot of stuff, you roll through the menu and the idea, then when that’s finished a new dish comes on.”
Sam did his cookery course in Dunedin, but did a lot of wandering before finding his way back – first to a hotel in Wanaka, then the French Alps as a private chef, and schlepping around Europe for six months. He opened a restaurant for someone else in Dunedin, went to Melbourne and then Hobart, where they met an investor who “convinced us to have a crack at opening our own place. It was a small investment so we opened Moiety in 2018 for next to nothing.”
And while they’ve grown a loyal customer base, there’s no denying lockdown was tough. But then Sam says Covid is just accelerating a process that had to happen. “Hospitality was so broken before Covid. There was the start of progress and change. Covid will have pushed that process. What would have happened over 10 years will happen in the next two.” He says hospitality’s best hope is technology, to help people work smarter. “Margins have to improve.” Plus, he says, cutting wastage, trimming excess labour, and increasing staff’s skills.
It’s a meaty topic, one well worth a visit to Moiety where, over a nice glass of red and something delicious, you’ll find Sam more than happy to chew it over with you.
WOOF! Dunedin
When Aucklander Josh Thomas moved to Dunedin 10 years ago, he wanted a change. He’d been working in TV and events, but needed a fresh start. And when he pondered what he loved, and his criteria for a new career, the answer became obvious. Open a bar.
As a newcomer to Dunedin he got involved running a pop-up fringe festival club with a bar, kitchen and lots of performance. He was in his element. “I’ve always loved looking after people. One realisation was I wanted to work for myself and for it to be fun and celebratory. I thought a bar could provide that.”
Josh had a clear vision of the experience he wanted to create. “I felt Dunedin was lacking bar options. There are a couple of great little bars but when they’re full or closed – they often shut early – there was nowhere to go for a large chunk of people. There was a need for a larger bar with personality and character. I wanted it to have the homeliness and welcoming feel of a pub, but with elevated food and beverages.”
It’s bittersweet listening to Josh enthuse about Woof!, the venue he’s created on Moray Place with musician partner Dudley Benson. Because you immediately feel the lack of such a place in your own neighbourhood. You just want to pop on some lippy, grab your wallet and a friend, and rock on up to Woof! for what sounds like a very fun time indeed. However, if you are lucky enough to live in Dunedin, here’s what you’ll find at Woof! It is a generous space – a main bar with six booths and a couple of tables, then another lounge with two more booths. The venue seats about 70 yet it’s cosy – with acres of personality. “When we first moved in, it was big and cavernous,” says Josh.
To make that huge interior feel warm and embracing, and on a super-skinny budget, they created lots of little spaces. “They are all kind of interconnected. There are lots of little nooks, which are part of the main room, but they’re hidden away enough if you want to hang out with someone on your own.” In the lounge is a “funny little L-shaped booth for two people that gets called many things – the date booth, the kissing booth, the mini booth”.
There’s a delightful quirkiness to Woof! – partly thanks to the posters lining the walls including one of Marlon Brando, and another of that chick from Twin Peaks who you never really meet because she got bumped off at the start. But it’s also the exposed brick, eclectic furniture, and general lived-in charm. They scoured op shops and Trade Me, and called on family who are builders to make the booth seats. They did the upholstery themselves. The effect is an interior that has aged like sherry, gradually developing its flavour and foibles over time. Hard to believe it only opened in March.
“When you’re doing a new fit-out, it can look contrived. I was conscious not to do that. Because a lot has been made by friends and family, there’s a lot of love instilled into it.
People say ‘it feels like it’s been here for 10 years’. That’s because we’ve had to be resourceful.”
And we have to talk about Dudley’s playlist. “He creates one every night – unbelievably!
It’s everything from 80s yacht rock to jazz and electronic music, hip hop. People from all walks of life say how amazing it is.”
Then the food – where again, eclecticism is the dish of the day. Think Indian-inspired dishes, Thai green curry, a German potato salad, a classic Kiwi cheeseboard with crackers. Sticky date pudding. “We got an amazing musician, Stef Animal, a chef and a friend, to work with us. She totally got the kai we wanted to do, which aligns with the vision for the bar – lots of personality, playful, comforting.”
It’s a diverse clientele, from “art school kids” to lawyers, families and seniors. Just how
Josh wanted it. And a lot of effort has gone into making people feel safe. “We need places where you can see a friendly face and know it’s a good place to be. We get a lot of groups of young women. The staff have done sexual harassment training so we are as clued up as we can be; some terrible stuff goes on around alcohol in bars.”
What is he most proud of? “When I walk in, I sometimes catch myself; I look around and think ‘it’s a beautiful-looking place and people are happy sitting within it’. It’s all sparkly and twinkly and comfortable and I’m like ‘oh yeah, this is working!’”
ATLAS Wellington
We need to talk about garlic. Specifically, the black garlic, plum, coconut and bitter chocolate dessert that Atlas executive chef James Pask has just placed in front of me. Not only is it one of the tastiest things I’ve ever eaten, it should also be filed under ‘most creative use of garlic’.
“It’s the unexpected element of the dessert that surprises customers,” says James with delicious understatement. “But that’s what we’re here to do – challenge and delight.”
Atlas, which opened a year ago in Wellington’s CBD, is no stranger to flipping the script. It’s unashamedly fine dining, but without being stuffy – think Buffalo Grape Sorbet with New Zealand-made Sake; and Braised Beef Cheek with Liquorice and Cauliflower Couscous.
This is modern, confident food from a team of chefs who know how to make fresh, seasonal ingredients shine.
“Our vision from day one has been to create a casual, fun environment with a high-end offering of modern New Zealand food,” says James. “We also want to make it as accessible as possible so we offer both a 10-course tasting menu and an à la carte menu.”
When they opened in August 2019, he thought the à la carte menu would be the most popular, but the tasting menu (and its vegetarian equivalent) soon overtook it. “Around 85 per cent of our sales come from the tasting menu so we’ve reduced the à la carte offerings to focus on the tasting side of things.”
Atlas is one of six Wellington eateries, bars and vineyards owned by the Yu Group (others include The Hudson bistro and Choice Bros, a small brewery and taproom). It’s certainly the most Instagram-ready, with elegant gold accents, art deco lamps and the kind of squishy velvet seating you never want to leave. As my dining companion comments, it’s like snagging an invite to the coolest dinner party in town.
James, who was headhunted from the nowclosed Whitebait on Wellington’s waterfront, plays with a broad range of influences so, for example, traditional Japanese ingredients might be subject to classic European culinary techniques. “We’re not fixed on a certain style of cuisine, which means we can be more creative as chefs. I cook what I want to cook. Our menu is also a reflection of our name Atlas; we can roam the world without leaving Wellington.”
Wine also plays a big part in the Atlas story, with a cellar stocked with more than 400 bottles – a variety of old-world and natural wines. “Around 90 per cent of our wine is organic and biodynamic, including 60 available by the glass. If it’s good, no matter where it’s from, it goes on the list and [sommelier] Yong [Yan] rotates them according to the seasons.”
James was born in Lincolnshire, England but his Kiwi dad moved the family to Nelson when he was 16. His wasn’t a foodie whānau but he “fell into” the career he would have for life during a summer job at a Nelson restaurant. “I was working behind the bar but they needed someone in the kitchen so I ended up there and loved it. I suppose it was my a-ha moment.”
Roles at Abel Tasman’s Awaroa Lodge and Wellington’s Shed5 followed before he drifted north to Clooney to be acting head chef for six months. Then Europe called including six months opening a friend’s restaurant in Portugal, a year and a bit at a Brighton vegetarian cafe and at London Michelinstarred French restaurant Club Gascon. Back in the capital, he did stints at Matterhorn and Whitebait before Atlas came calling.
In addition to the 44-seater ground floor dining room, James also works as a private chef for Atlasup, a private dining room on the 14th floor that offers a 12-course degustation dinner for up to 32 guests. And if that wasn’t enough, the father of one-year-old daughter Winona is launching three other restaurants for the Yu Group in Wellington – a casual wine bar in the former The Bresolin restaurant, a Japanese eatery in Cuba Street and another near Atlas, which he can’t talk about yet.
“I’m the project lead for each restaurant, working with architect Allistar Cox on the fit-outs and developing the menus for each.”
Having had to temporarily close for lunch post-lockdown, Atlas has already felt the sting of the global pandemic. So is now really a good time to be opening a clutch of new restaurants?
“We saw some opportunities in the market for existing hospitality sites so we’re laying the foundations to come back stronger when the market opens back up and summer is upon us.”