In New Zealand, hospitality, or “manaaki” is what we do. New Zealand and Māori tradition, in essence, says that if any guest comes, the number one priority is to look after them. To us, guests are higher than chieftains; guests are treated like kings or queens. It is about us looking after whoever comes into our home and looking after each other.
And when it comes to Māori cuisine, it's not so much about specific cooking technique or even particular produce, it's about the “wairua,” or what we call the “soul” of the food. For us, that comes from connection to the land, and the heart that’s gone into preparing the meal. Foraging is an important aspect of Māori cuisine and hospitality for these reasons. And as an expression of hospitality for my readers, my guests here, I’ve shared a recipe from the final meal below.
This trip came with mixed emotions for me. I live and work as a chef in London, and haven’t been back to New Zealand since 2020, when my mother passed away. She was a seriously good cook and taught me everything I know, and as an only child, she felt like the last link to the land where I’m from. Coming back this time is a beautiful experience because it feels like nothing changed, but also everything changed. And the Māori hospitality is central to feeling at home here.
What I learned from my mother is that there are four fundamentals to stick to for a dish. It must be sweet, salty, spicy, and sour. And this translates throughout many different cultures and cuisines. This is what I do at my kitchen in London, and how I put together the meal I wanted to create here. But since we’re foraging and diving, it’s important that the meal and I both be adaptable to what we do and do not come back with.
