Full Steam Ahead - Late Sept Update

It’s been an extraordinary few months since lockdown in March. In that time we’ve seen Tourism NZ undertake research about our food & beverage opportunities, NZTE launch their ‘Made with Care’ Food & Beverage cross-sector brand, and MPI launch ‘Fit for a Better World’. We can see the push for a National Food Strategy beginning to bear fruit, regional New Zealand embrace the opportunity to explore their food stories and the strengthening of a grass-roots food resilience movement. Our hospitality businesses have become more creative than they’ve ever been, with chefs exploring their takiwā and connecting to their producers. Our fishers and farmers are becoming more aware of the need to find their eaters, the power of telling their stories and the opportunities they have to create better environmental outcomes for us all. And all of us as eaters are becoming more interested in provenance and the connection between food and health. There has never been a more hopeful or exciting time for food in Aotearoa.

Food Hui 2020 is a go!

After the government announcement this week, we are full steam ahead for our sixth annual Food Hui on the 19th and 20th October at Te Papa and co-presented with the Restaurant Association of New Zealand. Together we will bring a plethora of speakers and panellists to share knowledge and insights and assemble for two days of talking, listening and thinking about all aspects of New Zealand food.

Over the next few weeks will be revealing our speakers for Day 2 - Tuesday 20th October. As we present discussions around: Food Tourism, A National Food Strategy, Slow Fish, our Kaitaki Collective and A Local Grain Economy for Aotearoa. Find more details about what will be covered here.

Grab your ticket now to secure your place at the most important food conversation in New Zealand.

Terra Madre 2020 This year the Food Hui is International. The event is being included in Terra Madre, a worldwide Slow Food festival that seeks to unite our food, our planet and our future. Kicking off on October 8th, Terra Madre will present a rich calendar of both digital and physical events throughout the world, culminating at the Slow Food International Congress in April 2021.

You can find out more here. #Slowfoodforchange #TerraMadre

Remember that Day 2 is part of VISA Wellington on a Plate so tell all your food-loving friends!

National Food Strategy Webinar 4.0

• Sarah Smuts-Kennedy - Founder of Urban Farmers Alliance, For the Love of Bees and OMG.
• Julia Milne - Founder of the Common Unity Project Aotearoa.
• Sarah Meikle - CEO Wellington Culinary Events Trust & Festival Director of Visa Wellington On a Plate.
• Carl Freeman - Farmer at Freeman Farms and Farm Next Door

National Food Strategy ConversatioNZ 4.0 Webinar via Zoom

Date: Tuesday 29th September. Time: 4pm - 5pm

Attendance is FREE.

Register for the National Food Strategy ConversatioNZ 4.0 via Eventbrite.

Thanks to those who've joined our previous webinars. If you missed them you can watch the recordings below:

1.0 We Don't Need a Ministry of Food, We Need a Citizenry of Food

2.0 Further ConversatioNZ about a National Food Strategy

3.0 National Food Strategy ConversatioNZ

Our Kaitaki get to #KnowYourFisher

This month our Kaitaki Collective of young New Zealand food guides have explored the Slow Fish movement, an initiative by Slow Food International that celebrates artisanal fishing communities throughout the world and is an initiative that aligns deeply with out Eat New Zealand #KnowYourFisher campaign. Take some time to read, watch and listen to our Slow Fish stories, as these curious young people ponder, question and challenge the connection to where our fish comes from. They also celebrate a number of artisanal fishers who are doing things differently, and working hard to protect our oceans and further connect our people to the kaimoana that comes from it.

Upcoming Regional Food Events

Iconic Auckland Eats

The second fifty Iconic Auckland Eats will be selected from our team of 1.6 million Aucklanders. During Elemental AKL 2020 October 1st - 30th, people will be asked to nominate their dish of choice and tell the story as to why they think it should make the cut.

Take a look at the first top 50 dishes here.