Josh Emett on friendship with Gwyneth, NZ’s hospo industry and what’s on his Christmas menu

Josh Emett dished on his friendship with Goop founder Gwyneth Paltrow.

Josh Emett’s friendship with Goop founder Gwyneth Paltrow made headlines last year — now, he’s revealed he’s “pretty much” on her Christmas card list.

Speaking to Newstalk ZB today, the Auckland-based celebrity chef dished on the time he “cooked up a feast” with the star.

Paltrow revealed her “crush” on Emett in a newsletter earlier this year, revealing she hosted him and his family for dinner during one of his visits to the United States.

The pair cooked Emett’s famed hasselback potatoes, prime rib, steak sauce and butternut squash.

“We were on a bit of a holiday then,” Emett recalled, adding they “cooked up a feast” together not once, but twice.

“Gwyneth’s incredible ... I have regular contact with her, she’s a lot of fun.”

Emett has brushed shoulders with some huge stars while working as a chef and travelling the world.

But in 2021, he shared a plea to Kiwi chefs based overseas to come home as the New Zealand hospitality industry battled the cost of living and staff shortages.

Now, “largely, the recruitment thing has sorted itself out”, he but immigration was still a “tough” process.

“To say we’re frustrated by that process is the understatement of the century ... I understand that they’re [Immigration NZ] under-resourced as well, but the cost is ridiculous and time-consuming.

Josh Emett and his wife Helen outside their central Auckland restaurant Gilt.

“New Zealand is a fantastic place to live, we do need to allow more transient staff into the country.”

Heading into the busy Christmas season, business is good at Emett and wife Helen’s CBD-based restaurants Onslow and Gilt.

“It has picked up and we’re trading pretty well ... the last six weeks have been really, really solid.”

Emett’s Waiheke Island restaurant Oyster Inn had a “long, hard winter” but thanks to some renovations, it’s “looking spectacular for summer”.

As for newer opening Gilt, Emmet revealed despite a tough financial year for many, “We’ve still got regulars that come in five or six times a week”.

“Some days they eat really simply and fast, other days they’re there for four or five hours for lunches or meetings.”

But what does a celebrity chef such as Emett have on his Christmas menu? Turns out, like many of us, his mum is in charge of cooking this year.

“Helen’s English, so we have to have roast potatoes ... I’m in the mindset of, I just want to eat roast duck and braised cabbage and turkey.

“My favourite part of Christmas day is dessert,” he adds.

“Pavlova, trifle, Mum makes an amazing Christmas cake and Christmas pudding — [it’s] a grazing feast of sugar.”