Six Notable New Zealanders On How They Met Their Best Friends

From culinary school to music video shoots, these New Zealanders share the beginnings of friendships that have gone the distance.

How did you meet your best friend?

Maybe you were strangers seated next to each other on a plane and got chatting during the flight. Maybe you met while waiting in line outside a concert or in university halls, or you’ve known each other since the first day of primary school.

Some friends are part of your life just for a season. Some childhood friendships run their course and you naturally grow apart. Some arrive at just the right time to help you navigate change or a new challenge.

Here, several New Zealanders share the stories behind how they met the person they call their best friend.

Coast’s Toni Street and Sophie Braggins

Toni, how did you meet Sophie?

Sophie and I met at Highlands Intermediate in New Plymouth in 1996. She was a new girl to the school and was in the same class as some of my other friends.

What were your first impressions of each other?

Soph stood out because she was so much taller than everyone else, and had long limbs like a grasshopper. She also had really blonde hair, so you could easily pick her in a crowd. I remember thinking she looked athletic and I was secretly hoping she was a good netballer to join our ‘A’ team, but alas she was a gun hockey player, haha.

How long have you been friends?

We’ve been friends since intermediate in 1996, so nearly 30 years.

What’s your favourite thing about your best friend?

There are so many things I love about Sophie, but one of my favourite things is how consistent and level she is. She’s the type of friend that always keeps connected, whether that’s via a call, text or a visit – she really makes the effort.

The most recent example of this was just last month. I was staying in New Plymouth with her family, and sitting on my bed when I arrived was a handwritten note telling me how proud she was of me and why she valued our friendship. There was also a container of creatine for me to start taking to combat my peri-menopause symptoms, haha (she’s definitely the health nut in our friendship).

What’s one of the best memories you share?

Undoubtedly, the most special memory we share is the day my son Lachie was born. Sophie gave my husband Matt and me the extremely selfless gift of being our surrogate, and those moments when Lachie came into the world are hard to put into words. It’s the greatest gift a friend could ever give.

When it comes to an earlier memory? Standing on the New Plymouth Girls’ High School stage as year 10s singing Natalie Imbruglia’s Torn for the talent quest is seared into my memory.

Lomas Kerr PR’s Julia Lomas and Simone Kerr

Julia, how did you meet Simone?

We met in 2016, working side by side at another PR agency. What started with a shared desk and a few knowing glances across WIPs quickly evolved into a friendship built on mutual respect, shared values, and plenty of laughs. A few years later, we took the leap and started our own agency [Lomas Kerr]. It takes a particular kind of friendship to withstand the pressures of running a business together, and ours has only grown stronger.

What were your first impressions of each other?

Simone radiates warmth, the kind that instantly puts people at ease. From day one, she made me feel truly seen and heard. That deep empathy hasn’t just shaped how we show up as friends, but also how we lead our business. We’re both grounded, fiercely hardworking, and honest. We balance each other’s energy, skills, and emotions (me being the more sensitive of the two!). And as two mums running a business, emotional support isn’t a nice-to-have, it’s essential.

How long have you been friends?

Almost a decade!

What’s your favourite thing about your best friend?

Her resilience. Simone moves through life with grace, humour, and a heart that leads every decision. She has this way of lifting people up just by being herself, kind, clever, and quietly powerful.

What’s one of the best memories you share?

The day we decided to start our own agency. Equal parts thrilling and terrifying, it was a bold leap into the unknown, but one I never questioned for a second, because it was with Simone. That decision marked the start of something far bigger than business: it was the beginning of building something truly meaningful, together.

Bar Magda’s Carlo Buenaventura and Chino Salazar

Carlo, how did you meet Chino?

Chino (from Moreno cafe) and I went to the same culinary school back in the Philippines. Both not being from Manila, we didn’t have a direct inner circle. I was slightly ahead so I already had friends and he didn’t, so I made friends with him – just kidding.

It was October 2008 when their batch started and one of my mates invited the new class to join us for drinks when classes were done. We were more like acquaintances before, then became really good friends over time. I moved to New Zealand in 2010, then he did around 2011 or 2012, I believe.

What were your first impressions of each other?

He was pretty confident and fresh, he knows that and we often laugh about it because my mates sort of gave him a bit of a bollocking that first time we all hung out.

But I soon came to realise that he’s just a really friendly and social guy. He thought I was quite normal and sane, but he soon realised how annoying I am – I’m like that with my close friends.

How long have you been friends?

We’ve been friends since I was 8, so 17 years now.

What’s your favourite thing about your best friend?

Honestly and loyalty are both important. Friends are your next closest support group outside of your family. Having someone that knows how to boost your morale but also knows to tell you when you are not in the right is so crucial for personal growth.

We often make friends with different people along the way, but it’s important to value the years of friendship that you’ve forged with someone. We’ve had each other’s back - at times it’s been tested, but the idea of knowing how much we value each other always outweighs the situation.

What’s one of the best memories you share?

A notable one would be his wedding day. I called him “groomzilla” because he was more stressed out than Demi. It’s all because he wanted the best for her. To witness and be a part of that next chapter in their lives is a once-in-a-lifetime moment.

Chino has a big heart and I know his love for Demi would go as far as travelling to the Moon and back. He sets the example for unconditional love, not just for Demi but for his family and everyone that matters to him. And for that I love him like my own brother!

Photographer Rob Tennent, Ash Williams and Josiah Kennerley

Rob, how did you meet Ash?

Ash I met on set for a music video for Benee. We met at the fitting and she dropped me home. We were pretty much inseparable from that moment.

Jo and I knew each other for a while before he moved into my flat in Auckland - it was really from there that we became besties.

What were your first impressions of each other?

She was a party girl and I was a party boy, it was a match made. She is so confident, silly and doesn’t take things too seriously and it was refreshing.

Jo and I had the same love for the outdoors, which is hugely integrated into our friendship.

How long have you been friends?

I have known Ash for 4 years, and Jo for 7. We all live together now.

What’s your favourite thing about your best friend?

Ash – Her ability to talk about literally anything.

Jo – His baking.

What’s one of the best memories you share?

I can’t share a lot of them, but we recently went away for New Year and just spent a lot of time doing nothing. A lot of my best memories with these two are just the little in-between moments.

Bar Celeste’s Emma Olgivie and Keelan Bowkett Assaf

Emma, how did you meet Keelan?

We met at Bar Celeste not long after it opened. Keelan and her partner Elie were regulars, and it didn’t take long before we became fast friends.

What were your first impressions of each other?

We clicked instantly … one of those rare, easy friendships that feels like family right from the start.

How long have you been friends?

Five years now.

What’s your favourite thing about your best friend?

She’s endlessly caring, fiercely loyal and a lot of fun. She also always knows how to gas me up when I need it most.

What’s one of the best memories you share?

Shared summer holidays filled with incredible food, endless wine, and so much laughter.

Herald Lifestyle editor Stephanie Holmes, Deborah Ball and Amy Cown

Stephanie, how did you meet Deborah and Amy?

We met in the UK, on our first day of university. We were all studying the same degree and, in our first seminar, our lecturer asked us to introduce ourselves to the people sitting next to us. Deb was the first person I spoke to, and I instantly knew I wanted to be her friend. We met Amy later that day in the place all great friendships began in the 90s – the smoking area outside uni.

What were your first impressions of each other?

There was an instant bond between us all – I was attracted to their intelligence, their sense of humour, and fun, kind, caring personalities.

Deb was really cool and worldly, having lived in lots of different countries growing up – and she was effortlessly stylish (and still is).

Amy was hilarious and well-connected in Cambridge, the city our university was in, so introduced us to lots of new people and places.

How long have you been friends?

More than 25 years. The most unusual thing about our friendship is that only five of those years saw us living in the same country. I took off travelling a year after university and never returned, so we have been living on the other side of the world from each other for more than 20 years. If we’re lucky, we see each other once a year, but our friendship is still as strong as ever, despite the distance.

What are your favourite things about your best friends?

They know me better than I know myself. They celebrate my successes and encourage the very best in me. They know all my flaws and love me regardless. They’re there for me whenever I need them, even though we live in different countries, different time zones. Essentially, they’re the loves of my life.

What’s one of the best memories you share?

A couple of years ago I was in Italy for work, and Amy and Deb met me at the end for a few days of holiday. We were on the Amalfi Coast, but the weather was horrendous so we couldn’t do many of the things we’d planned. It really didn’t matter. Having that time together was invaluable – walking, eating, drinking, chatting, laughing, crying. I felt so proud of how far we have all come in life since we first met.

More on friendship

From wedding guest dilemmas to bonding over books.

The Social Kitchen: Meet The Book Club Forged In Food & Friendship. This group of women catch up once a month to chat over their latest read alongside a meal.

Best Buddies: Pua Magasiva & Sela Alo. The radio hosts open up about how they met and what they’ve learned from each other.

In A Cost-Of-Living Crisis, Should You Pay For Your Friends To Get Married? Weddings are getting more and more expensive - not just for couples, but for their guests.

Ask An Expert: My Friend Told Me To Invest In A Company. Should I? Should you take financial advice from a friend? An investment analyst chimes in.