Kasper the host What profession did you start your working life in?
Living and loving Dunedin
It was 14 years ago Christian Kasper made what he describes as the best decision of his life . . . he moved to Dunedin. “I mean look at our beautiful city. Is it a small city or a big town by the way? I’d like to think it’s both,” he says. “It has the hustle and bustle of any major city in the world but also the romantic vibe of a small town in Southern France.”
Kasper loves Dunedin almost as much as he loves food. “I’ve always been a foodie,” he says, pointing to a photo of a rather chubby kid as proof.
Delicious Dunedin is the brainchild of Kasper and two other mates.
“It all started with an idea to create a cookbook about the city,” he says. “Its restaurants, cafes, and people. Budget? Market research? Three of us in a room. ‘All in favour?’ Three hands went up, two of them were mine!
The book is a hard one to put down. If you are planning on skipping through it over a cuppa at the weekend, do understand you will be engrossed for hours . . . and hours.
I asked Kasper a few questions about himself and the book:
What attracted you to Dunedin?
I had a job offer to work for a small brewery based in Dunedin in 2004. I lived in Asia before I came here and I fell in love with how clean and beautiful everything is Dunedin and New Zealand in general. It’s not very hard to fall in love with things down here.
Where did you grow up and how does the food differ from there to NZ?
I grew up in Germany in the 70s (don’t tell my wife I’m that old, please). Germany’s food is pretty meat-based. There were no vegetarians or vegans in Germany back in the days. I think they must have been banned and sent to France. We ate a lot of pork. I still like it but I do eat more fresh veges. Being down here we are spoilt for choice, really.
Where or from whom did your love of food come?
I grew up with my nana and my dad. Being the only grandchild she always made sure I had enough to eat. It really annoyed my dad but what can you do when a cute, 70-year-old grandmother says so? Nothing, it’s the law!
What’s special about food in Dunedin?
Dunedin food is fresh, creative, innovative but most importantly DELICIOUS! We have everything cities like Auckland, Melbourne or New York have . . . but only one or two each. Chefs down here get really creative. They have the skills and the freshest ingredients at their doorsteps. What else can you ask for?
How long, and how many miles, did it take you to gather the recipes for your book?
Dunedin is a pretty big city. It took us about eight months . . . not sure how many miles we drove but we tried 102 dishes and averaged about 926 calories per shoot.
Apart from New Zealand where have you had the most delicious meal?
I lived in South Korea for a few years before I came here. Korean is probably my favourite cuisine. Kimchi stew. Amazing! I am a brewer by trade. Classic threeyear apprenticeship and then masters.
The photos in the book are nothing short of gorgeous! Who was your partner in crime on this venture?
His name is Kelly Lindsay and he is not just an amazing photographer but also a great partner in crime. A few weeks ago we were shooting for a book in New York and they had this candy jar: $1 for a handful. I distracted the cashier and Kelly stuck both hands in. We are daredevils sometimes!
Apart from fabulous recipes, what else do you hope readers will get from your book?
I would like all of the readers that don’t have the luxury of living down here to come and experience this amazing city and our food scene. We get less rain than Auckland by the way!
What food/meal/recipe are Kiwis most well-known for around the world?
Lamb, definitely. My dad always rang me when they had New Zealand lamb for dinner. The disturbing part though was that he could buy it cheaper in Germany than we could here.
Would you think about putting together cookbooks from other areas?
We are working on it already. Can’t wait to tell you all about it but not just yet . . .
What did you have for your school lunch?
In Germany school finishes around 1pm every day so I was lucky enough to enjoy nana’s cooking most days. Three meats and a vege most days.
What is the last photo you took on your phone?
I knew we were doing this interview so I took a selfie to check if my hair was all right . . . Seriously . . . food. My wife and I had our anniversary last week and we went to Bracken. I took a photo of the dessert. Eve’s Apple. You must try it when you come to Dunedin.
Tell us three things about yourself.
I love dogs. We have a black lab and a golden retriever at home; I got married at Countdown in Dunedin in a surprise wedding. My wife had no idea when she walked in; I hate coriander!