After a tough couple of years, executive chef Laura Greenfield, of Field and Green, reckons Wellington seems to be "waking up". That's including her own popular eatery, which she and Raechal Ferguson opened in 2015, having moved from London.
"We have started to open Friday lunches again after two years and have been very busy," she says. And that buzz looks set to continue, with Visa Wellington On A Plate festival bringing even more life to the Welly hospitality scene. Laura's been busy testing their Visa WOAP pop-up dishes at home but takes a break to share some of her kitchen habits . . .
I would describe my kitchen at home as . . . gorgeous! We bought a new house in 2019 and had the whole kitchen gutted before we moved in. I got everything I wanted. Five ring gas burners and electric oven, the best combo.
Some things you'd always find in my fridge are . . . cold-smoked salmon, Diet Coke, parmesan.
My pantry staples are . . . chilli sauce of every description (I'm addicted), pasta and tinned pulses - always good to bulk out a midweek salad.
My favourite ingredient to cook with is . . . onion. The beginning of all good stocks and sauces. They're so versatile I love them raw in salads or caramelised, adding richness to many dishes and used in all cuisines.
The dishes I most love to make are . . . Indian dishes. The combination of spices always thrills me.
My go-to in a hurry is . . . I love a smoked salmon sandwich with butter, sliced red onion and chilli sauce.
And if friends stop by unexpectedly . . . it will be a pasta of some sort - I've usually got some pesto, tomatoes and rocket in the fridge.
My drink of choice . . . red wine. I don't care if it's in the middle of a boiling hot summer I'd drink it in the desert! It's just fantastic.
Something unexpected I make from scratch is . . . We [at Field and Green] make all of our 16 icecreams and sorbets from scratch.
How often I cook at home is . . . about four times a week. I'm currently trying out all the dishes for our Visa Welly on a Plate pop-up, which is fun.
My favourite place to eat right now is . . . I like simple food when I go out. Pizza Napoli is great and they have some good red wine as well.
The kitchen gadget everyone should own is . . . I don't know if you could call it a gadget but the Victorinox tomato knife is the thing I use most when I cook.
My food philosophy is . . . less is more. Don't over-complicate a dish.
Visa Wellington On A Plate runs for the month of August - see the full line-up of events at visawoap.com.
Field & Green, 262 Wakefield St, Te Aro, Wellington.fieldandgreen.co.nz