We all have our favourite hospitality spots where we love to eat and drink, but when you’re in the business your expectations of what makes a great meal must be through the roof. With that in mind,
I spoke to some of our favourite local hospitality heroes about where they like to frequent when they’re not in the kitchen or working the floor.
Sid Sahrawat, executive chef & restaurateur, Kol, Anise, The French Café & Cassia
When you’re not in the kitchen, where do you go to enjoy a meal?
We always eat out with the kids for Sunday lunch. We take turns picking and (Sid’s wife) Chand literally makes us pick numbers, the debate gets so intense. The kids usually love low-key places like Real Burger in Birkenhead, yum char at Grand Harbour or The Blue Breeze Inn or Prego in Ponsonby. We recently went to Advieh and really enjoyed that. For date nights, Chand and I like to go to Apero on Karangahape Road because it feels like home with our friends Mo and Leslie.
Are you a brunch person?
After the gym I do get hungry, so brunch becomes my first meal of the day and I need it to tide me over until staff meal time. I love going to Duo in Birkenhead and getting a coffee and either their smash burger or their spicy nduja on hash.
Do you still enjoy cooking at home?
Chand has a rule where she doesn’t cook on my days off, which are Sunday and Monday. I get teased that I have made meat-free Mondays a steak night in our house. I pop into Well Hung butchery in Milford and grab a good cut for dinner then either make steak with truffle butter and broccolini or a steak sandwich with truffle fries. They all roll their eyes but love it.
What’s your pick from your current menu offering – the dish you wish every diner would try?
It would have to be our new dish at KOL: chicken marinated with ginger, garlic, yoghurt and tandoori spices then cooked in the tandoor, with sauce made with smoked cashew and fenugreek.
Nic Watt, chef & restaurateur, INCA & MASU
When you’re not in the kitchen, where do you go to enjoy a meal – be it date night or family time?
It may sound cliché but we are creatures of habit for our family meals out together, so we always go to our local neighbourhood Italian called The Hood Woodfire Eatery & Bar. It is a short walk up the road and our four very hungry teenage kids all love it. The pizza dough has a 72-hour fermentation, so is out of this world good.
Are you a brunch person and, if so, what is your favourite order?
Yes, I am a brunch person. I usually don’t eat until after 10.30am as a standard. Brunch has to be wholesome, healthy and built using whole ingredients. If I see huevos rancheros (Mexican baked eggs) then that is my go to, no question. Another similar version is shakshuka which has a more Middle Eastern approach.
Do you still like to cook at home?
Yes, I am the primary family cook. I love cooking, even after a long day at work I am in my happy place preparing a family dinner. Or if the kids ask nicely, my partner and I will bust out a batch of 60 pork and kimchi gyoza. They never tire of these and demolish the lot!
What is the INCA dish you wish every diner would try?
INCA is Nikkei cuisine, where Japan meets Latin America, so the dish that best represents this is our spicy tuna tostada, with jalapeño and ginger dressing, avocado and Peruvian peppers.
Lesley Chandra, executive chef & owner, Sidart
When you’re not in the kitchen, where do you go to enjoy a meal?
When I’m not in the kitchen, I spend my free time with my family, and if we were to go out for dinner our favourite place at the moment is Chop Chop Noodle House in Ponsonby Central. The kids love the ramen, the bao buns and the vibe!
Are you a brunch person and, if so, what is your favourite order?
I’m not really a brunch person, but if I were to go out for brunch, 90 percent of the time I would order eggs bene with bacon. It's got everything I want in a brunch dish.
When you’re not in the kitchen at Sidart, are you in the kitchen at home?
I love cooking at home, especially for friends and family. We have a pizza oven outside so everything gets done there – from slow cooked meats to wood fired meats and actual pizza.
What is the Sidart dish you wish every diner would try?
My favourite dish at the moment is 'Mum's Curry', based on a prawn curry I grew up eating back in Fiji every Sunday. It consists of steamed fish, prawn mousse and a Fijian-style prawn curry sauce made from the heads. It brings back a lot of memories of my childhood growing up in Fiji and sharing that with our diners is very special to me.
Clare & Joost van den Berg, founders & owners, Daphnes
When you’re not in the kitchen or out on the floor, where do you go to enjoy a meal – be it date night or family time?
Most of our dinners at the moment are family time at home which we love, but we also try to do date nights together as much as possible. With the kids, Thaiger in Grey Lynn is a favourite – the kids love it and the team there is so friendly and welcoming to our family. For date nights we often try something new or a local close by. We live just off Ponsonby Road so have a lot of choice, and we like to support owner-operated venues where possible.
Are you brunch people and, if so, what is your favourite order?
Brunch is a favourite and always has been. At the moment we have been frequenting some of our favourite bakeries like Fort Greene on Karangahape Road and the new Beabea's Bakery. Joost will often head to the bakery early, giving me a lie in with the kids, which I love. Our son Harvey will set the table and Joost will come back with an array of treats; it is the best.
Do you like to entertain at home?
We love to entertain at home when time permits. At the moment we are working a lot and our children are still young. Hosting friends is such a treat for sure though. We love cooking and go through phases of choosing something from a favourite cookbook like ‘Always Add Lemon’ – we love Danielle Alvarez; or ‘Old World Italian’ by Mimi Thorisson. To have the time to make a new dish is always a luxury.
Our chef Alfie Ingham's food is a favourite too, and to be able to take home some Daphnes food and re-create that experience at home is something we love.
What’s your pick from your current menu offering, the dish you wish every diner would try?
The haloumi fritters are simple but so delicious. They are available on both the morning and night menu. Another favourite is our famous slow-cooked lamb shoulder with butter beans, garlic and oregano. (HELENE RAVLICH)
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Published: April 2024