River kai

Hayden Potaka,

Monique Fiso (right) and Jay Cripps are river people. Hayden and Monique have iwi affiliation to Whanganui;

Jay has lived beside the river for 18 years. When the trio put their heads together, they came up with gold: a wilderness experience with gourmet grub. A sort of hangi haute cuisine. Monique is a chef with an international reputation (hiakai.co.nz); Hayden owns

Unique Whanganui River Experience, specialising in canoe trips; and Jay has the perfect site to pitch tents and dine al fresco. Guests are taken by jet boat to the site before setting off by canoe to explore the river and nearby Puraroto Caves. Monique transports all the ingredients for a six-course feast to the camp site and starts cooking. The meal is based on traditional Maori kai and includes Jay’s smoked eel (“I call it KFE. Tastes just like chicken”.) Hayden also wants to bring in guest chefs, including his brother who is a chef in Sydney. The trips are fully catered, with guests only needing their sleeping bag and personal gear, and run from October to April. 027 554 4426, uniquewhanganuiriver.co.nz