CRISPY BITS

A wedge of good times comes to the Wynyard Quarter.

News, openings, events, products, makers and more

After 34 years in the cheese business, Whitestone’s Simon Berry knows a thing or two about culture. Which is why he jumped at the chance to open a cheese-and-wine bar in Auckland’s Wynyard Quarter. The local industry has come a long way since the 1970s and at this intimate establishment, the studded pineapples will be ditched in favour of cheeseboards to share and the ‘chateau box’ replaced with regional wines and craft beers. “It’s a great way to put some boots on the ground in Auckland,” says Simon. “We’re bringing a bit of North Otago to the viaduct.”

Which includes the famous-in-ourlifetimes cheese roll, based on his mother’s recipe. “She fine-tuned that one for morning tea when catering for the shearers,” he explains. “It needs to be tried to be believed.” While he admits to updating the classic using Aged Airedale or Totara Tasty Cheddar, Maggi onion soup mix and plenty of butter remain crucial to the recipe, but there’s another secret ingredient he’s keeping close to his chest. A man’s got to retain some mystery.

The rise of Whitestone Cheese, from an artisan producer launched as a spinoff business when farming took a downturn, has been well documented. Since Simon’s mum and dad (Sue and Bob Berry) set up in 1987, the operation has expanded to multiple sites with a national distribution chain and 75 staff. “As the puzzle grows larger, it’s so much more than just cheesemaking,” says Simon. “Every day something new pops up that we need to handle.”

Much has changed over the decades, including milking technology, which fosters more analysis of the raw ingredient and better farming practices. “As more local North Otago farmers come on stream, they are working hard to improve soil and pastures, which gives the milk a more consistent quality.”

The proof is in the peer-reviewed pudding. Their first cheese, Whitestone Farmhouse, continues to win awards (bronze at the World Championship Cheese Contest 2020) and their latest offering, Oamaru Blue – a soft, buttery cow’s milk cheese with a corrugated rind – was named best new cheese at the

2021 New Zealand Cheese Awards. Simon is upbeat about the accolades the fourthgeneration family business continues to achieve. And, of course, he’s fizzing with customary passion about this latest venture.

He says The Whitestone Cheese Bar, a collaboration with Lion Breweries, is more than just a place to eat and buy cheese – it’s an experience. “In our market research, we discovered that people wanted some ‘cheese leadership’,” says Simon. To him this meant not only somewhere to explore new and exciting cheese-and-wine combinations, but a place to be playful.

That comes naturally to the Whitestone team. In the rustic space, along with cheese chillers and a bar, there’s a walk-in cheese maturation room. It’s where the fun really begins. Cheeses are shipped in ‘green’ from Oamaru to be finished in experimental ways. “We are doing things with cheese here that can’t do down south because of the need to keep yeasts out of the factory,” says Simon. Drunken Windsor Blue, soaked in a honeyed Irish whiskey liqueur, will be first new offering to roll out on the ‘Blue Board’ teamed with others of its ilk and served in generous South Island hunks alongside fresh honeycomb and toasted fruit and nut bread.

If that doesn’t key into your cultural cravings, perhaps one of the plates? Haloumi chips with buffalo sauce anyone? Or the grilled cheese sammies with truffleroasted mushrooms and bread and butter pickles, all ooze and unctuousness, might be the go, served alongside a spritely sav or a smooth pinot to cut the fat.

“The sky’s the limit with what we can do,” says Simon. “We’re even imagining high tea-style platters stacked with cheese.” Cheese, wine and watching the world go by. It doesn’t get much better than that.

Whitestone Cheese Bar, 17 Jellicoe St, Wynyard Quarter, Auckland, whitestonecheese.com

parkhyattauckland.com

AUCKLAND

As we went to print, Carlos Noel Buenaventura, Craig Thompson

and Matthew Venables were hard at work on Bar Magda, a downstairs bar and bistro focused on Aotearoa’s seasonal produce through a Filipino lens. Details are scant, but look it up on Instagram – it promises to be a winner. Spiga has opened on Remuera Road, forging a marriage between a traditional pastificio and a trattoria, and serving daily hand-rolled pasta and Roman-style pizza with great gusto. We’re more than delighted to see that a wedge of cheesy goodness or two has landed in the Wynyard Quarter with the opening of the Whitestone

Cheese Bar. See full details on page 38. Parnell has welcomed Va Bene wine bar on Parnell Road. The brainchild of friends Paul Patterson, Esmeralda

Kasmara and Brent Newdick, it’s a place where you can expect sharing dishes and big flavours, an extensive wine list and a substantial Champagne menu.

Bali Nights is a new Ponsonby eatery on Williamson Avenue dishing up street-style Balinese food. Dine in or take advantage of the takeaway options on offer. It’s unlicensed, but the BYO option is sure to be a winner. Natural wine bar, restaurant and wine shop Clay on K Road has welcomed chef Georgia Van Prehn (ex-scotch, Blenheim), who is already leading the way with her new dishes and unique style.

Puhoi Supper Clubs by Toa Mātauranga has sprung into action to bring you a seven-course plant-based degustation dining experience, with natural wines, great tunes and a killer setting in the beautiful Puhoi Valley, just 20 minutes from Auckland city. Recently opened Bucklands Beach eatery Bucks Bistro is the latest creation by Auckland restaurateur and caterer

Amanda Frecker. Seafood is at the heart of a seasonal bistro menu by head chef Tom Loose (ex-o’connell Street Bistro) that is already luring innercity diners to the eastern suburbs. Previously known as Major Sprout, Yun on

Graham Street delivers modern Chinese with a Western-style breakfast also available. Try the pan-fried dumplings.

WELLINGTON

Dark Horse Coffee Roastery

from Paraparaumu has set up a flagship Welly store on Egmont Street, where locals are heading for the perfect brew and a bag of beans. Te Aro’s Upper Cuba Street is now home to Nolita, reported to be New Zealand’s first plant-based pizzeria. It’s already making waves with its dairyfree cheese, which feels like the real deal, and dough made from rye sourdough starters. The doors are open all day, and you can also grab a beer or cocktail.

If you love Mr Go’s and Ombra, you might also love Kisa, a pop-up serving Turkish and Middle Eastern fare. Grab a loaded flatbread at LTD. on Dixon

Street, Wednesday to Saturday from 5pm till late. Have you discovered

Evil Twins on Vivian Street, a holein-the-wall coffee shop keeping it simple with coffee and iced drinks? Owners and twin sisters Natalie and

Stephanie Chin are supplying the caffeine to some of the capital’s addicts.

CHRISTCHURCH

A renovated café inside the Portstone

Garden Centre is attracting gardeners and non-gardeners alike with its upbeat menu. You’ll find Red Eight at Portstone owner

Stephanie Reeves at the counter dishing out home-style baking and a fresh menu.

WANAKA

As we write this, James Stapley (owner of Kika, Wanaka) and Sam Cooper (head chef at Kika) are set to open Arc Wanaka in mid-june. The plan is an all-day café, restaurant and bar, where we can expect the same creative approach that we know and love at Kika. By the time you read this, they should be ready to welcome you with eclectic global tapas and crafted drinks seven days a week!

Catherine George

talks to a chef who has achieved a lot in a short time.

ackson Mehlhopt has to be one of New Zealand’s youngest head chefs. At 21, he’s just picked up his first head chef gig at Gin Gin, a recently relocated gin bar on New Regent Street, Christchurch. Luke Dawkins, Gin Gin’s owner, had worked with Jackson on some pop-ups, and with Jackson wanting to move back to Christchurch to be nearer to his partner, the timing was perfect. But Luke wasn’t the only one to spot the potential of this chef. Very early in Jackson’s career, Giulio Sturla of Roots (Cuisine Chef of the Year in 2018) gave him a high degree of trust and responsibility and also taught him the power of saying no. “People are always trying to influence you, so saying no to letting yourself be influenced by others and following your own path is so important,” says Jackson.

Jackson has also worked with Vaughan Mabee at Amisfield (Cuisine Chef of the Year in 2019) and did a stint at Relae in Copenhagen, a former regular on the World’s 50 Best Restaurants list. He is incredibly grateful for these opportunities and to the chefs who have taken the time to teach him.

Jackson pays homage to Ryan Henley, formerly of Christchurch restaurant Pescatore, whom he met when dining at the restaurant. “Ryan has not only helped me with job opportunities, however also as a mentor in life itself. I knew that he was trying to do something a little more creative and interesting with his food. I hadn’t seen that standard in New Zealand before dining at Pescatore.”

Being dyslexic, Jackson was homeschooled and early on he discovered that cooking gave him a way of fitting in and expressing himself. “Cooking came naturally to me as a way of creating and being part of the learning experience. Mum definitely sparked the interest in cooking when I was young. Right from the beginning this whole grow/catch your own food I was always attracted to; it felt natural and raw.”

People are always trying to influence you, so saying no to letting yourself be influenced by others and following your own path is so important.

This interest grew while working at Amisfield with Vaughan Mabee, who took him hunting and showed him how to make the most of Central Otago produce. Vaughan helped the young chef in myriad other ways, even giving him a place to live when he first got to Queenstown, introducing him to suppliers, helping build his relationships and keeping him on at Amisfield after the downturn caused by COVID-19, when many others in the hospitality industry were losing their jobs. “Inside of work he showed me you can be as open-minded as you want when it comes to food, there are no boundaries,” Jackson says.

“I believe that what we’re trying to achieve at Gin Gin is an elevated level of that: going foraging to get our own herbs; working with people that have sustainability at the forefront of what they do; [choosing] producers that take the most care and respect. Customers are starting to look for it.”

Humbled by the opportunity to lead the team at Gin Gin, he’s thankful to be able to work with producers and people who give as much care and respect to the food as he does. “We’ve got some amazing suppliers – such as Black Origin, Gravity Fishing and Tora Collective – who really care about the produce they’re providing and are truly inspirational.” Having been out fishing with Nate from Gravity Fishing he feels a greater connection to the food. “Nate’s really awesome, teaching people about his fish and getting them excited about what he does. Being open to having a good conversation and being super transparent is key.”

After learning from so many great people we asked him what would be his advice for others. “It’s a great career but hard and takes a personal sacrifice. If you can accept that, you can have the most amazing career ever. Being a chef has come a long way. It’s what you want it to be, not just about knife skills. Be open to new experiences. It’s about relationships and people in general and what you can learn from them to create a holistic experience, for example, learning how wine is made. It’s about so much more about life and the journey you are on.”

gingin.co.nz

Follow @jacksonjame on Instagram to keep up to date with the dishes he's creating at Gin Gin and their inspiration.

SNIPPETS

Terrific to hear that South Island wild game meat specialist

Premium Game has started a programme to harvest and process wild highland beef. Its new product will come to you from Wild Highland Cattle that have led a free-roaming, high-welfare life on a back country block in South Canterbury. Highland Cattle are slow maturing, their shaggy coats and thick hides insulate against cold weather reducing the need to develop excess fat, which results in, lean, wellmarbled meat that is tender and succulent with a very distinctive flavour. Premium Game highland beef is naturally free from added hormones and antibiotics. premiumgame.co.nz

Once again six extra virgin olive oils made by New Zealand growers have taken out top awards at the 2021 New York International Olive Oil Competition. From Wairarapa, Loopline Olives has won two Gold Medals,

Olive Black has won one Gold Medal and Juno Olives has won one Gold Medal. From Kapiti, Waikawa Glen won one Gold and from Bay of Plenty,

Sapphire Olives won Silver. With a record 1100 entries from 28 countries, the New York competition is considered to be one of the most prestigious in the world. New Zealand has once again punched well above its weight with all entries scoring medals. Find out more at olivesnz.org.nz Condé Nast Traveler has named The Hotel Britomart among the world’s best on its annual 2021 hot list. Noting the thoughtful, sustainable, artisanal details and "strong sense of New Zealandness", the review describes The Hotel Britomart as "the blueprint for a modern urban hotel". thehotelbritomart.com