The Eat New Zealand Hui 2025

The Eat New Zealand Hui 2025

A huge THANK YOU to those who joined us as we celebrated 10 years of Eat New Zealand on the 6th & 7th October 2025 at the Eat NZ Hui at AUT in Tāmaki Makaurau / Auckland.

You can check out some of the action over on our Instagram here and here.

Here's how it all went down...

Ten years ago, a conversation in Ōtautahi Christchurch changed everything. Chef Giulio Sturla brought together chefs, producers, media, academics, and food leaders to ask bold questions about the future of food in Aotearoa. That spark became Eat New Zealand - a decade-long movement to shape our food story and reconnect us with our kai.

We celebrated ten years of this kaupapa with two unforgettable days of talks, ideas, and connection in Tāmaki Makaurau / Auckland, alongside our friends at AUT, The Centre for Critical Food Studies, The Pacific Food Lab and The Foundation for Arable Research.

We reflected on where we’ve come from, explored the challenges we face, and looked ahead to the future of food systems in Aotearoa. Scroll down to see the full Hui programme for Day 1 & 2. As always, it was about being in the same space to work on what comes next, together!

Full Hui Programme for Day 1 & 2:

Key Themes of the 2025 Hui:

  • Food will shape the outcome of next year’s election. The launch of a campaign that proves it.
  • Why this can’t be the end of small food businesses in Aotearoa.
  • The launch of a brand new provenance brand for NZ - the Grain Mark.
  • Kai Motuhake – Maori Food Sovereignty - the movement imagining a different food system globally.
  • The rise of the regions. How our food system is already being reimagined.

Why Attend?

The Hui is designed for anyone working in or influencing the food system:

  • Academics & Researchers: share insights and connect research to practice
  • Government & Policy Leaders: engage in shaping resilient food systems
  • Producers & Small Businesses: amplify your voice in the national conversation
  • Chefs & Food Leaders: explore the creative and cultural role of kai
  • Media & Storytellers: capture and share the evolving food narrative
  • Community & NGO Leaders: build networks for food security and regional resilience

The Official Dinner Event for the Eat NZ Hui 2025 - Mon 6th Oct:

The Next Course: Celebrating 10 Years of Eat New Zealand

Monday 6th October - 6.30pm | AUT, Central Auckland.

We gathered for an unforgettable evening to mark a decade of Eat New Zealand with a fundraising dinner showcasing some of the most exciting chefs and food storytellers shaping our national kai story and creating the future of NZ food.

Five of our Eat NZ Kaitaki chefs from across the motu collaborated on a five-course feast (with drinks pairing), each bringing their own region, story, and creativity to the table. The line-up included:

  • Sam Gasson | Moiety, Dunedin
  • Will Lyons-Bowman | Lillies & Vita Wines, Christchurch
  • Max Gordy | Graze Wine Bar, Wellington
  • Jess Granada | Nanam, Auckland
  • Matua Murupaenga | Tawhiti Wines & Takapuna Surf Club, Auckland