Rotorua Daily Post
  • Rotorua Daily Post home
  • Latest news
  • Business
  • Opinion
  • Lifestyle
  • Property
  • Sport
  • Video
  • Death notices
  • Classifieds

Subscriptions

  • Herald Premium
  • Viva Premium
  • The Listener
  • BusinessDesk

Sections

  • Latest news
  • On The Up
  • Business
  • Opinion
  • Lifestyle
    • All Lifestyle
    • Residential property listings
  • Property
    • All Property
    • Dairy farming
    • Sheep & beef farming
    • Horticulture
    • Animal health
    • Rural business
    • Rural life
    • Rural technology
  • Rural
  • Sport

Locations

  • Tauranga
  • Te Puke
  • Whakatāne
  • Rotorua
  • Tokoroa
  • Taupō & Tūrangi

Media

  • Video
  • Photo galleries
  • Today's Paper - E-Editions
  • Photo sales

Weather

  • Rotorua
  • Tauranga
  • Whakatāne
  • Tokoroa
  • Taupō

NZME Network

  • Advertise with NZME
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • BusinessDesk
  • Newstalk ZB
  • Sunlive
  • ZM
  • The Hits
  • Coast
  • Radio Hauraki
  • The Alternative Commentary Collective
  • Gold
  • Flava
  • iHeart Radio
  • Hokonui
  • Radio Wanaka
  • iHeartCountry New Zealand
  • Restaurant Hub
  • NZME Events

SubscribeSign In
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Home / Rotorua Daily Post / Lifestyle

Jan Bilton: Fresh and seasonal best, say foodies

By Jan Bilton
NZME. regionals·
2 Jul, 2014 06:00 PM2 mins to read

Subscribe to listen

Access to Herald Premium articles require a Premium subscription. Subscribe now to listen.
Already a subscriber?  Sign in here

Listening to articles is free for open-access content—explore other articles or learn more about text-to-speech.
‌
Save

    Share this article

Buying seasonal fruit and veges ensures it's fresh and tastes great.

Buying seasonal fruit and veges ensures it's fresh and tastes great.

Twenty-five years ago, I met a bubbly young woman from Los Angeles. She'd recently arrived in New Zealand and we were both consulting to the same publisher. I was assisting in the publication of a cookbook and Dona White was organising the publisher's yearly hospitality trade show.

In 1993, Dona launched her own business, then in 2000 she and husband Gavin introduced Aucklanders to the first major Food Show.

The couple created the Food Show believing other people who shared their great love of food, wine and cooking would enjoy and benefit from the experience. It has become a monster - the major culinary event in New Zealand showcasing hundreds of new and popular foods, wines and beverages, and with celebrity chefs displaying their talents in a purpose-built culinary theatre.

Now the annual three-day show also entertains thousands in Wellington and Christchurch.

"The three shows are logistically very intense," says Dona. "We have a full-time team of 12 who work on our events and we engage many other contractors at the time of the shows. Presenting the Food Show to the highest standard and satisfaction for exhibitors, sponsors and visitors is our collective goal here."

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

I regularly attend at least two of the three annual shows and, as a food writer, I am delighted that the number of foodie fans attending just keeps increasing.

Because of the Whites' busy lifestyle, meals tend to be quick but healthy.

Dona swears she can't live without avocado but she also loves noodles and pasta in Asian or Italian dishes.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Coriander is her special favourite herb. Salads are the anchor for evening meals with lots of raw seasonal vegetables tossed with toasted pine nuts, red onion, maybe some feta cheese and avocado (of course), served with grilled fish or meat.

Discover more

Jan Bilton: Rice reigns in Italian favourite

04 Jun 06:00 PM

Jan Bilton: Simply measure, mix and bake

09 Jun 06:00 PM

Jan Bilton: Know which lily to use in your meal

18 Jun 06:00 PM

Jan Bilton: Slow cooked casseroles win the taste race

25 Jun 06:00 PM
Save

    Share this article

Latest from Lifestyle

Rotorua Daily Post

Rotorua Home & Lifestyle Show returns

20 Jun 04:00 PM
Rotorua Daily Post

How to celebrate Matariki in Rotorua

19 Jun 05:01 AM
Rotorua Daily Post

Watch: Monteith’s Wild Food Challenge final returns to Auckland after 11 year hiatus

18 Jun 06:32 AM

Kaibosh gets a clean-energy boost in the fight against food waste

sponsored
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Latest from Lifestyle

Rotorua Home & Lifestyle Show returns

Rotorua Home & Lifestyle Show returns

20 Jun 04:00 PM

The event is on from Friday, June 27, to Sunday, June 29.

How to celebrate Matariki in Rotorua

How to celebrate Matariki in Rotorua

19 Jun 05:01 AM
Watch: Monteith’s Wild Food Challenge final returns to Auckland after 11 year hiatus

Watch: Monteith’s Wild Food Challenge final returns to Auckland after 11 year hiatus

18 Jun 06:32 AM
Wapiti burger takes Rotorua eatery to Wild Food Challenge final

Wapiti burger takes Rotorua eatery to Wild Food Challenge final

17 Jun 08:58 PM
Engage and explore one of the most remote places on Earth in comfort and style
sponsored

Engage and explore one of the most remote places on Earth in comfort and style

NZ Herald
  • About NZ Herald
  • Meet the journalists
  • Newsletters
  • Classifieds
  • Help & support
  • Contact us
  • House rules
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of use
  • Competition terms & conditions
  • Our use of AI
Subscriber Services
  • Rotorua Daily Post e-edition
  • Manage your print subscription
  • Manage your digital subscription
  • Subscribe to Herald Premium
  • Subscribe to the Rotorua Daily Post
  • Gift a subscription
  • Subscriber FAQs
  • Subscription terms & conditions
  • Promotions and subscriber benefits
NZME Network
  • Rotorua Daily Post
  • The New Zealand Herald
  • The Northland Age
  • The Northern Advocate
  • Waikato Herald
  • Bay of Plenty Times
  • Hawke's Bay Today
  • Whanganui Chronicle
  • Viva
  • NZ Listener
  • Newstalk ZB
  • BusinessDesk
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • iHeart Radio
  • Restaurant Hub
NZME
  • About NZME
  • NZME careers
  • Advertise with NZME
  • Digital self-service advertising
  • Book your classified ad
  • Photo sales
  • NZME Events
  • © Copyright 2025 NZME Publishing Limited
TOP