In my kitchen with ... Jason Tarrant – NZ Champions of Cheese master judge

Jason Tarrant is the NZ Champions of Cheese awards master judge. With the winners of the awards announced this week, Jason shares some of his at-home kitchen credentials.

My kitchen at home is ... my Kamado barbecue.

A change I'd like to make is to ... to enclose our outdoor area to allow year-round cooking.

Some things you'll always find in my fridge are ... Sawmill Beer, Good Fizz fermented drinks, sauerkraut, aged cheddar and blue cheese, free-range eggs, butter, carrots.

Some of my pantry staples are ... espresso coffee, barbecue spice rubs, pasta and red wine.

I cook ... once or twice a week when time and weather permit, as my kitchen is generally my barbecue and my wife cooks the majority of our family meals.

The kind of dishes I most love to make are ... low and slow barbecue, and pizzas using fresh ingredients.

My go-to meal in a hurry is ... tomahawk steaks.

And if friends stop by unexpectedly, I serve ... a large cheese, fruit, nut and cured meats platter.

My drink of choice is ... all Sawmill Brewery Beers – currently Blake Hazy as not only is it a fantastic brew but supports a great cause as well.

https://www.cheeseloversnz.co.nz/cheese-awards

My favourite place to eat right now is... Cheek & Chong in Ōrewa.

The kitchen gadget everyone should own is ... a stovetop espresso. And a good thermometer.

My food philosophy is ... quality over quantity, fresh and seasonal wherever. Spray-free, free-range and local.

The NZ Champions of Cheese winners will be announced on July 1. Go to cheeseloversnz.co.nz for more.