People

We were thrilled to catch up with Ben and learn about what makes a health-conscious entrepreneur tick in Auckland.

We caught up with DJ and owner of Ponsonby Social Club, Bobby Brazuka to learn more about why Auckland is home.

We caught up with Lisa King from Eat My Lunch to see where her favourite spots are in her adopted city.

As an Auckland transplant, we were curious to see what kept Leslie Hottiaux in the city after venturing over on a working holiday visa over ten years ago. Seems like it was the magic of the city.

Morina & Saniya may be two of Invercargill’s busiest (and most inspiring) women. As co-owners of the only women’s pole dancing studio in Invercargill, they host classes 4 nights a week while also juggling full-time jobs, families, and pole dance competitions!

If you ask anywhere in Invercargill for where to get a great cup of coffee and breakfast, they’ll point you toward The Black Shag. Owner operators, Sylvie Boutelje-Chasteau and Dion Milanesi, have such a passion for sustainable food and top notch coffee that they’ve taken matters into their own hands.

After a few years of amateur foraging I was giddy to meet Fleur Sullivan of Fleurs Place, a Moeraki restaurant I’d imagined many times in my head.

Lee-Ann Scotti and Michael O’Brien form two equal halves of a brewing team that’s a partnership in every sense of the phrase.

While they’re originally from Argentina, Yanina and Pablo Tacchini are some of Oamaru’s biggest fans and most genuine ambassadors.

Like many people you’ll meet in Palmerston North, Mahalee and Benoit Guieysse aren’t originally from the region, but they’re some of its most genuine ambassadors.

Te Motu o Poutoa, Anzac Park, affectionately known as “Pork Chop Hill”, is a look out point, observatory and car park perched on a bluff above the Manawatū River. Like many Palmerstonians, local creatives Catherine Russ and Simon Francis hung out there as teens.

The Herb Farm located in Ashhurst, is one of New Zealand’s most loved natural skincare brands. Lynn Kirkland started the business in 1993 with one goal in mind, to provide New Zealanders with wholesome, healing and supportive products.

Naga Tsutsumi is one of Palmerston North’s most cherished artists. His large scale charcoal drawings are considered and full of movement and detail to explore.

Kiwis Jemma Brackebush and Alexander Robertson are a busy pair.

We caught up with Absolution's owner and artist, Naith Morrow, to learn more about this tattoo/piercing studio and art gallery rolled into one.

The Modern Mess is a recipe subscription service which inspires people to get good at seasonal home cooking.

Nick and Joe are two thirds of the management team behind Buster Greens, a George Street café that satisfies modern brunchers and big brekkie enthusiasts alike.

A museum unlike any other, Dunedin's Museum of Natural Mystery is local artist Bruce Mahalski’s greatest work.

Designer and local, Sara Munro, built her Company of Strangers brand on a strong ethos, bright colours and bold designs.

Lots of Kiwis grew up wearing McKinlays shoes to school and many now take their children and grandchildren in for new pairs as they grow. The business has been operating in Dunedin since 1879.

Smokey T’s is the work of pitmaster Tristan (‘T’) Anderson and brother Nathan Anderson. Nat refers to his bro as “The Dan Carter of NZ BBQ” and if you’ve been to their Cashel Street joint, you know what he’s talking about.

Barefoot Eatery is the product of dedication and a genuine love for whole foods and nutritious eating.

O-Studio is the work of three locals with a wide array of experiences in the world of sport, meditation, yoga and well-being. In a time where there’s an information overload on all things health, fitness and wellness their approach is refreshing, exciting and focused. O-Studio is a restorative environment as much as it is a place to work on performance in a way that applies positively to all aspects of life - not just athletics.

In 1993 Stella Fraser Milne launched Whisky Galore with her partner, Michael. Since then this emporium to the drink has become a Christchurch institution where whisky fans both old and new can taste, learn and simply have a good time.

Nicole Zou, chef and businesswoman behind Miss Peppercorn, has been on a full circle journey when it comes to Sichuan Chinese cuisine. Growing up, she didn’t pay the realm that was her mother’s kitchen much mind. Since then, however, quite a lot has changed.

Tom Newfield cut his hospitality teeth here in Christchurch but brings years of experience working in Australia, Dubai and beyond to Welles Street and Earl - two of the city’s most well loved spots for eating and drinking.

In just three years, Mia Zhao and Andy Shiau have managed to bring the city Eightgrains, Sushi Soldier, TOM, Ramen Ria, Midnight Shanghai, Dose Diner, Gelato and Tea and more. While the list of their accomplishments is long, the pair are as humble as ever. Each establishment they’ve opened has been special to them in a different way and is the end result of careful planning and a hands on approach to hospitality. We caught up with them to learn more about how they keep it all together, and thriving.

Rachel Easting and Anjali Burnett know a thing or two about fashion, after all they have been running their company and brand Twenty-Seven Names since 2006.

Mount Eden-based designer Rachel Mills has made a name for herself as the go-to pattern maker for the likes of Trelise Cooper, Stolen Girlfriends Club, Karen Walker and others.

Meet Jayden Klinac, the face behind For The Better Good, a New Zealand company producing non-toxic, compostable beverage bottles made from plants, not oil.

Holiday Records is breathing new life into the analogue music scene with their stunning retail space in Auckland’s CBD.

Step inside the historic Boys’ High building in central Christchurch and you’ll find your way upstairs to Indigo & Provisions, a stunning retail space with a focus on quality and a great brand story for the curated fashion and homeware items that adorn the shelves. We caught up with owner/operator Dominic Ellett to hear more about the brand, his ethos and inspiration for the store.

Alan Deare has made his mark on the cultural sector and publishing, picking up a swag of awards along the way. A decade on from establishing Area Design, Alan shares his thoughts on contemporary culture, music and the brand identity of some of those neat places he’s had a hand in creating.

In the context of Robyn Guyton’s work, “local vigor” refers to how well prepared a seed is to thrive in its planting environment. Put simply, a seed produced in Southland will grow best in Southland as it has specifically adapted to the region’s soils and temperatures. Robyn has plenty ‘local vigor’ of her own which she uses to leverage and care for the lush landscapes and friendly people of Southland everyday.

James Burt is a self-proclaimed coffee geek who detoxes on Saturdays.

Aaron Hogg likes to build "punk rock trails". Find him and his crew in the thick of it on dig days at the Christchurch Adventure Park.

Well-known about town thanks to his development of some of Hamilton’s new favourite nooks and crannies, Matt Stark tells us about packing away his tool belt and swapping it for folders full of plans.

An architecture graduate, teacher and mum of two, Esther Vreede is no stranger to hard work. But a dark time with depression caused her to rethink and slow down her life, and in time brought forth the creation of something very very good.

A composer and music maker first and foremost, Dr. Jeremy Mayall also has plenty of experience when it comes to collaborating with other artists, because as he tells us, it’s much more fun to create that way.

It’s not often you’d think to send a postcard while travelling to someone at a retail shop back home, but for visitors to Colin’s store, that feels like exactly the right thing to do.

Finalists in the latest SheEO awards, Mônica Senna Salerno and Jenny Oldham are no strangers to building a successful business. We take a moment to hear more about goat’s cheese and what links science to cooking.

We sit down with Emma Mettrick – co-owner of much-loved Christchurch restaurant, Twenty Seven Steps to find out what makes her tick.

Flip Grater is switching up the lunchbox scene with her delivery service, Yumbo.

We chat to designer and maker Keva Rands about the why, the what and the who of her company, Papa Clothing.

Elisha Watson’s business Nisa is simultaneously providing work for refugee women in Wellington while making “kick-ass” undies.

Cook, ceramicist, pop-up professional – there's very little that Ruby White AKA Miss Changy can't do. We sat down with her to have a chat about some of her current projects in the world of food and art.

Sally and Sam Hooper are the couple behind some of Christchurch’s coolest fusion restaurants, Pot Sticker Dumpling Bar and Sister Kong Bao Bar.

A chance meeting and a set of two dreams combined led Desiree and Ash to the creation of Cardrona Distillery. The first of its kind in the area, the copious amounts of work the duo have put in is starting to pay off in a very big way.

If sweet treats are your thing, and you fancy them freshly made with local ingredients by a couple of people that have years of experience in the art of patisserie, then Pembroke Pâtisserie should be your first port of call.

If you have a wedding, hen-do, birthday party or any other kind of outdoor celebration planned in Wanaka, you should contact Anna Begg and get your name down quick smart to hire The Caravan, a mobile bar complete with vintage design and smiley staff.

What started as a way to fundraise for a school trip as a 14-year-old, has grown into two roaming ice cream carts, two ice cream shops and a cult status brand for Jed Joyce.

We grabbed a moment with Rick Rudd, aka ‘the teapot man’, to talk creativity and challenges when it comes to owning your very own museum.

We get Catherine to dust off her hands for a moment and tell us what makes Wellington Sourdough a rising star in the baking world.

The clever artist behind ceramic company Wundaire tells us how her successful business started off with YouTube clips and simple repetition.

At the helm of one of New Zealand’s fastest growing fashion brands sits Kathryn Wilson; enigmatic and very easy going, we sat down with her to chat about design and life.

We chatted with the green-fingered entrepreneur Natalie Rose Rutherford of Flowerhead to discuss posies, best work practices and what it takes to run a floristry business.

Let’s be honest, there’s no denying that Rachel Savage clearly has a bit of a thing for food.

If one thing is evident when talking with Sam Ellis of Grizzly Baked Goods, it’s his absolute passion for baking bread and for preserving the time honoured process within today’s instantaneous society.

Taking the humble sandwich to a whole new level, Ruth and partner Jeremy have taken things

It’s not uncommon for James Hay to look around a restaurant and see who’s drinking beer. That’s because as the sole owner/operator of B’Effect brewing company, it’s important to know what’s filling the glasses of local drinkers.

A passionate maker of chocolate ever since she was taught the craft by a man in Ecuador, Liz now supplies stockists up and down the country, with each bar privy to the ethos that means it can be traced right back to the very farmer co-operative where it started its life as a cocoa bean.

The creative force in the Madam Woo kitchen, Josh Emett has impressed eaters up and down the country.

We have a quick chat with Jordan Rondel from The Caker to find out what’s behind the magic in the kitchen that’s got sweet treat lovers excited all over the globe.

Got queries on how bread can be wholesome and healthy? Well, it would be best to direct your questions to Yeshe Dawa, AKA The Midnight Baker.

It would be easy to mistake the impulses that lead Alex Davies as ambition, but it is more like restlessness – a deep, nearly primal desire to keep moving forward as a person and chef, evolving, improving. It’s as if he is allergic to stasis.