Incredible edible journey

BEN BAYLY’S PASSION for New Zealand’s produce is showcased throughout the new eight-episode series of A New Zealand Food Story as he gets out of the kitchen and heroes the country’s farms, orchards, waters, markets, and artisan food suppliers. While meeting the growers and suppliers who are developing the New Zealand food scene into a world class industry, he also seeks new ideas for his menu.

The areas he covers are as far-flung as berry picking in the far North to mussel gathering in an area so remote, it’s only accessible by helicopter. Other episodes demonstrate the diversity of New Zealand’s homegrown produce, from a truffle orchard in Te Puke, to macadamia nut groves in Katikati to a plantation in the far North with the most delicious pineapples he has ever tasted.

■ The series airs Saturdays at 4.30pm on TVNZ 1 with replays on Sundays at 9.30pm on DUKE, and is available on TVNZ OnDemand. The final episode screens on July 2.

A New Zealand Food Story 2 is a chef’s journey celebrating New Zealand food heroes, amazing Kiwis who grow, hunt, gather, forage and fish in a sustainable and kind way. Watch the path of these world class ingredients from their conception to plate at Auckland’s Ahi restaurant. moana, it’s a sport I always wanted to get into, and I got a lesson from one of New Zealand’s best. Also meeting my childhood hero, ex All Black, Glen (Oz) Osborne in Episode 5, that was pretty special too. pests and doing something great for the environment while harvesting meat in a humane way. When you think about people being heathy in this day and age you can’t go past the oldest profession of humankind. This has made me rethink how I eat at home with my family and what I cook in the restaurant.