Television's queen of the kitchen Nigella Lawson will give Kiwi foodies a taste of her sultry style next year.
Auckland's Langham Hotel will host the award-winning Nigella Feasts star for a gala charity dinner on January 25, before she jets off for the South Island the day after.
Organisers will next week confirm whether Christchurch, Dunedin or Invercargill gets the second gig. Tickets will then go on sale.
The best in Kiwi food and wine will take centre stage at the decadent 4-hour functions, with guests treated to a presentation and what is sure to be a highly anticipated question-and-answer session.
Duco Events chief executive Martin Snedden told the Weekend Herald his organisation has been trying to land dates with Lawson for two years.
After previously luring the likes of Sir Richard Branson, Gordon Ramsay and Andre Agassi to Auckland, Snedden says "the stars have finally aligned" between Duco and Lawson, with the 55-year-old on a promotional tour in Australia the week before touching down in Auckland.
"We've been hoping to secure Nigella for a long time; initial discussions go back a long way and we've reached an agreement for two charity fundraisers," Snedden said.
"If you say 'Nigella', everyone knows exactly who you mean and can picture her. She means different things to males and females and we think there will be an attraction for both sexes."
After the release of Simply Nigella, her first cookbook in three years, Lawson's accompanying TV show has been giving a dressing down this month with critics saying recipes for "avocado on toast" are patronising and ridiculous.
Lawson's private life is also no stranger to the headlines.
In 2013, cameras caught her then husband, advertising mogul Charles Saatchi, grabbing Lawson by the throat in broad daylight while the pair sat dining in central Mayfair, one of London's most exclusive areas.
Later that year the former couple's two personal assistants, Italian-born sisters Elisabetta and Francesca Grillo, went on trial, accused of fraudulently using credit cards from Saatchi's private company.
During the trial Lawson was forced to respond to allegations she was a regular cocaine user. She admitted using the Class A drug but denied being addicted.
The Rising Foundation, an organisation which helps at-risk-youth in South Auckland, is the charity beneficiary for Lawson's appearances.