Chef Ben Bayly with a Akaroa salmon. Photo / Makoto Takaoka
Chef Ben Bayly with a Akaroa salmon. Photo / Makoto Takaoka
Chef, TV presenter and proud champion of Kiwi kai, Ben Bayly chats to Herald Travel’s Sarah Pollok about NZ’s must-visit eateries, why travel is key for developing a good palate and more
As a chef, what NZ region has surprised you most?
This is a hard one, I feelsurprised every time we land at a destination, as I get to meet the most patriotic and passionate foodies in their neck of the woods. As I cast my mind over all the places I have been to – from the tip of the North to the Deep South, I could easily argue that each of our great Kiwi regions is so undiscovered when it comes to our food production. The place that is the freshest in my mind is the West Coast of the South Island. Harvesting cranberries in Westland was really special, as well as spending 24 hours with Glen “Weka” Kay, a professional guide in Barrytown. We collected so many wild West Coast ingredients for a feast. From red deer and trout to mushrooms, kōura, mussels, eels and then cooking it all under an open fire under the stars with his family.
Has a specific landscape or destination in NZ ever directly inspired a dish on your menu?
I love this question. For me, inspiration for a new dish always comes from one or all of the three “Ps” – People, Place and Provenance.
For example, I had dived one evening for some crayfish at Big Bay in Fiordland with our guide Warrick Mitchell. The next day, we were walking together through the bush near the camp, and talking about how I was going to serve the crayfish at Ahi. Then I saw the most beautiful native kidney fern, and the shape of the fern really inspired me. I instantly knew I would present the crayfish in this shape back at the restaurant.
Ben Bayly with crayfish on Tora Beach. Photo / Makoto Takaoka
What are three small-town eateries or producers every Kiwi foodie should visit?
For the South, I always go to Riverstone Kitchen, just North of Oamaru, anytime I’m driving between Christchurch and Queenstown/Dunedin. That place is the most epic example of what can be done in the regions.
For Auckland. I love Aryeh in Piha, magnificent cuisine by Lucas Parkinson on the wild West Coast.
For the ultimate food pilgrimage and getaway anywhere in New Zealand, you must go to The Chef’s Table at The Blue Duck Station. Incredible fine dining meets the most insane location for a restaurant. Headed up by chef Jack Cashmore.
The Chef’s Table at Blue Duck Station is Bayly’s pick for the ultimate NZ food experience. Photo / Makoto Takaoka
You’ve cooked in kitchens around the world. Is there anything distinctly ‘New Zealand’ we bring to the food scene?
Yes, we bring our own unique form of Kiwi hospitality or manaakitanga. No other country has this. Our restaurants strike a beautiful balance between being professional yet relaxed. We see our restaurants as an extension of our homes.
What’s an underrated Kiwi food and where should people travel to try it?
I love to hero the underdog food items as this challenges people’s perceptions regarding an ingredient that they may have held on to for a long time. Right now we have a snack that heroes the longfin eel, an animal I am very passionate about and my favourite fish.
The celebrated chef shares his must-visit food stops and why Kiwi hospitality sets NZ dining apart. Photo / Makoto Takaoka
How do you think travel shapes a person’s palate or appreciation for food?
Travel might be the most essential thing to do. For me, I had to go away and live overseas for years to realise what being a New Zealand chef is or what my version of New Zealand cuisine could be. My travels have defined me in this regard, travelling and eating cuisines of the world left me wondering “what is my food?”
Ahi Kitchen. Photo / Makoto Takaoka
Tell us about a memorable meal you’ve had while travelling
I landed in London many years ago and went out to a Michelin-starred restaurant called the Square. I ate sautéed foie gras for the first time, it was served with roasted pineapple with a touch of chilli and vanilla and a sauce of white raisins and pinot blanc. I will never forget it, I loved it so much I asked for a job and ended up working there for nearly two years.
Hawke's Bay Matangi Beef Farm cattle. Photo / Makoto Takaoka
Some say NZ doesn’t have a ‘cuisine’ like other countries. How would you describe the taste of Aotearoa?
We have to remember that as a young country, just a few hundred years old, built on immigration or migration over a very short period of time. We just don’t have the history of humanity of tens of thousands of years of humans existing and evolving in one place in countries, say like France or China.
We are a melting pot of cultures in New Zealand, and everyone has brought their own “seasoning”. Our cuisine may be in its infancy, but you really can taste the flavour of ingredients that have been grown and cooked here.
Season four of A New Zealand Food Story with Ben Bayly, premiered in prime time on TVNZ 1 and TVNZ+ on Saturday June 7. Catch up on Seasons 1-3 now on TVNZ+ and visit nzfoodstory.com.
