meet the finalists
AUCKLAND
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BOTSWANA BUTCHERY, Auckland
Located in the historic Ferry Building on Quay Street, Botswana Butchery Auckland brings a taste of the deep South to the heart of Auckland city. The restaurant offers lunch, dinner and bar menus in gorgeous surroundings.
The ethos of ‘fun dining’ is key to Botswana Butchery Auckland, which is plush and wonderfully distinctive but also welcoming. Botswana Butchery is all about relaxed dining in a premium atmosphere.
A huge steak fan, Mark Gillespie has been in cooking professionally for more than 16 years. With international experience throughout Australasia the master of meats prides himself on running a tight and efficient kitchen.
Having been at Botswana Butchery Auckland since day one, Mark has seen it go from strength to strength and has helped to shape one of the best dining experiences Auckland has to offer.
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VA BENE, Auckland
Paul was born and raised in Auckland City, in a household where food was for celebrating and providing comfort. His earliest memories are shaped by his Aunties’ laughter in the kitchen as they prepared meals. Food has always been the thing that brings our family together and there is nothing quite like coming home to laughter and the smell of the next meal being prepared.
Paul’s eclectic career in hospitality has spanned the globe and led to international awards, performances in Omnivore and restaurant consultation in Paris. Paul’s passion for food has led him to explore the best that both Europe and North American cuisine has to offer and this is what he has brought home to New Zealand.
Va Bene is where he brings his culinary journey home and is where he began his journey into the culinary world working at the Alligator Pear at the age of 15 just 12 doors down from where he is now making his own mark on Parnell Road.
In Va Bene Paul wanted to capture the spirit of the hole in the wall dive bars, restaurants and wine bars where he lost track of time over the years sharing good food and drinks with friends and strangers. He has also managed to mix in a little bit of his experience in American BBQ. Paul’s time with Mitch Benjiman smoking meat and competing in Memphis in May at the BBQ World Championship where they walked away with two awards including his own had always been a good time and he wanted to bring that to Auckland too. You will find this out the back of Va Bene where you can catch a taste of American BBQ at the Parnell Porker made with the best meat the world has to offer.
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ARCHIVE BISTRO, MUDBRICK, Waiheke Island
BJ was born and brought up in India. He first started cooking when young by helping his mother in the kitchen. He watched his grandmother foraging and incorporating lots of native ingredients while she cooked, while his mother taught him the basics of how to extract flavours from spices. His father owned a seafood farm and brought home fish and shellfish which he was able to experiment with a lot.
BJ’s chef career began at the age of 19. Having studied and graduated in a Bachelors of Commerce and Accounting, BJ found his true passion was cooking so began his travels and working in many different types of restaurant, including Michelin star restaurants such as Gordon Ramsey’s group in London.
BJ loves to be creative with food, have more freedom, trial a lot of techniques and of course, make people happy!
His favourite quote inspires him to cook;
“Food is a memory. The art of cooking or sitting down to a meal with friends and family, or simply that act of taking that first bite has the ability to transport us to another time and place. The food experience that either changed the way they think about food or inspired them to become a chef.’'
BJ came to New Zealand in 2013 and has since experienced working at luxury lodges, hatted restaurants, upmarket restaurants and working with previous Beef + Lamb Ambassadors.
He is currently head chef at The Archive Bistro which is the more casual side of Mudbrick. With plenty of seating in the garden on their outdoor terrace, its the perfect place to spend a sunny day or balmy summer evenings overlooking the breathtaking Hauraki Gulf.
CENTRAL NORTH ISLAND
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NERO RESTAURANT, Palmerston North
For as long as Dwaynne can remember he has had an interest in cooking. From helping his mum in the kitchen at home, to working with his dad at his fruit and vegetable shop.
The passion he has today for cooking kicked in during his last few years at high school when he found himself taking cooking classes which he loved and was very good at. He found cooking came naturally to him and soon found himself reaching for chef cook books and going on to study cooking and becoming a chef.
He has since dedicated the past ten years to his cooking career with one of his earlier highlights being winning the Manawatū Restaurant of the year at
Aberdeen On Broadway. At the time he was a young sous chef thrust into a leadership position and he loved it.
Dwaynne was also able to do some stages at some of New Zealand’s best restaurants which gave him more experience and confidence and he soon headed overseas to gain international experience.
Some of his overseas highlights were working at Melbourne restaurant, Highline and spending two years as head chef of a small independent restaurant in the UK called Wilsons, which had a small farm that provided inspiration for the day’s menu. A lot of the proteins he used at Wilsons were usually wild and locally sourced and it was during this time that Dwaynne got to play around with whole carcasses and experiment with different cuts of meat and modern techniques.
Dwaynne is now head chef at Nero Restaurant in Palmerston North, located on the Broadway end of Amesbury street in one of Palmerston North’s original historic buildings set on 1/4 acre of landscaped grounds. Nero is the ultimate venue for fine dining, corporate entertaining; or a relaxed social occasion with a stunning outdoor fully landscaped courtyard, perfect for summer outdoor dining.
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BRANTRY EATERY, Taupo
Prue is a passionate foodie, who owns and operates both Brantry Eatery and Yum Food Company in Taupo. She has spent the past 25 years following her culinary menu from teaching Culinary Arts as a chef lecturer, creating memories for many clients from private cook schools, to chef services to weddings to large scale events. Prue is a well-seasoned chef with many great stories to tell.
The Brantry is an award-winning eatery which has built its reputation on top quality New Zealand cuisine that is unique to Brantry with a sophisticated wine list to create a unique dinning experience.
Brantry House, is a charming character home which collaborates with ZeaYou Gallery who provides incredible New Zealand art, nestled within a lovely cottage garden & hosts a cosy open fireplace. The perfect place to enjoy great food & company.
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AMAYJEN THE RESTAURANT, Palmerston North
Andrew is from the Manawatu and has been in the hospitality industry for over 25 years. He travelled extensively throughout Europe and Zimbabwe where he extended his repertoire whilst discovering new ingredients and techniques.
On returning to the United Kingdom, he started working as Head Chef in one of Scotland’s Top Country House Hotels which is a member of Relais and Chateau.
Andrew started Amayjen the Restaurant (pronounced Imagine) with his wife Jenni in 2014, beginning another culinary story. Their main goals were to be one of Manawatu’s finest eating establishments by providing the locals with a modern and innovative approach to cooking fresh local ingredients.
Andrew has developed his style at Amayjen gaining accomplishments and awards in his own right. He feels at home in the kitchen but if he is not creating dishes, you will often find him out foraging for ingredients, including a variety of wild fruits, herbs and flowers to add a personal touch to his dishes.
Andrew and Jenni have recently relocated Amayjen from Feilding to Palmerston North.
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SHINING PEAK BREWERY, New Plymouth
Dylan grew up on a small farm in the UK with a small amount of livestock including cows, sheep, pigs, chickens, turkeys and ducks. He was well educated on the circle of life and the way it worked. Dylan says his dad was his biggest inspiration around food, cooking whatever they had on the farm that was in season. He saw it as a beautiful thing to live off the land and as a small child he didn’t really appreciate it but now looking back he sees how it has impacted his career massively.
Dylan knew he wanted to be a chef by the age of 6. His first job in the kitchen at the age of 14 was washing dishes that turned into peeling potatoes and podding peas. Thirteen years later he now has the pleasure and challenge of running his own kitchen at Shining Peak Brewing in New Plymouth. He always remembers the journey it has taken to get where he is and the incredible chefs he has learnt from along the way.
One chef he had the privilege of working under was Michael Caines who holds 2 Michelin stars. Michael had an enormous amount of respect for produce and execution of ingredients on the plate. Dylan admired his passion and perseverance throughout his career and has taken on some of Michael’s ethos and classical French cuisine.
Shining Peak Brewing proudly takes their name from their province – Taranaki. In Te Reo Māori, tara means mountain peak and naki is thought to come from ngaki meaning shining – referring to the mountain’s winter snow cover.
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EMBER, New Plymouth
Dylan knew he wanted to be a chef from the age of 15. He jumped at the first chance he had to gain experience by scrubbing dishes in a local café, unpaid, to fulfil his early passion to become a chef. Sacrificing weekends with friends to be elbow deep in pots and pans made sense to him.
After some hard work, he was able to start his apprenticeship in a busy winery, working with some amazing chefs from around the world, taking in every bit of knowledge and experience possible. The next few years were dedicated to learning the basics of the craft he wanted to make as his career and making connections with fellow chefs from around the region.
In 2012 Dylan became sous chef of the same restaurant, where his passion grew as did his responsibilities. It was tough work but moulded him into the chef he is today.
In 2015 he moved on to another local restaurant as sous chef to spread his knowledge, gain experience and connect with and learn from more international chefs. Dylan was given a lot of freedom with menus and creativity which enabled him to hone in on the food he was really passionate about.
In 2019 Dylan became head chef of Meat and Liquor, a high-end steakhouse, that focused on the best quality dry aged NZ beef accompanied by local, seasonal produce. By this time it was clear what was important to him about food, and that was to showcase quality and seasonal produce in simple but delicious ways.
Dylan has recently made the move to open his own restaurant in New Plymouth alongside two local cafes. Ember, opened with one goal in mind - to serve the highest quality produce with the respect it deserves. From local NZ beef, dry aged for 30 days and grilled over our open wood fire place, to serving the freshest seafood caught right from our coast. Our main concept is to take a great local product and push it to be the best it can be.
Dylan is a proud kiwi chef showcasing the best products New Zealand has to offer with the respect they deserve. Cooking on an Argentinian open fire grill infuses each dish with rich, authentic flavours.
WELLINGTON
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ARTISAN AT THE BOLTON HOTEL, Wellington
MacLean grew up in Taranaki surrounded by dairy farms and enjoying hunting and the outdoors. He did his chef training at Massey Wellington campus and was lucky enough to have worked in some of the capital’s best establishments with amazing chefs, who inspired him to be the best cook he can be.
One of his career highlights has been the ability to travel which included trips around New Zealand as a temp chef as well as overseas, either judging or competing in culinary competitions.
He has worked as a chef in the Cook Islands, run a hotel and resort kitchens as Executive Chef in Kuala Lumpur in Malaysia, and more recently worked on a private island resort in the Maldives. During this time MacLean was able to travel and try different food in different countries in both Asia and Europe.
MacLean has been Executive Chef at Artisan Restaurant at the Bolton Hotel in Wellington since January 2014. During this time he has collected multiple accolades including the NZ Chefs Association, Chef of the Year in 2018 and is a World Chefs accredited chef judge. MacLean is also a member of the NZ Chefs National team that came second at the international competitions in Singapore in 2018.
MacLean is currently the Conseiller Culinaire for the Chaine des Rotisseurs society which promoted the culture of the dining table and organised and ran the New Zealand finals of the international young chefs competition. He has been a regular recipe contributor for NZ Guns & Hunting Magazine and is passionate about using ethical and sustainable food including offal and wild game.
Knowing where his food comes from, treating it with respect and minimising waste are all part of his ethos. A highlight of his career was being able to express these values when he appeared on Country Calendar.
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OAK & VINE RESTAURANT, Wellington
Shweta grew up in the bustling city of Mumbai and after getting married moved to New Zealand in 2012. Before coming to New Zealand, she worked for many 5-star hotels and found working in a male dominated career drove her towards the strong and resilient female Executive Chef that she is today.
Shweta has a beautiful five-year-old daughter who keeps them on their toes. She enjoys the fact that being a woman, wife and mother hasn’t stopped her pursuing what she aspired in life.
After 12 years in the industry, Shweta looks back and feel satisfied and proud that she didn't give up when things got difficult. With both her and her husband working as executive chefs, she says every day is a challenge to get the work and family life well balanced.
In her career span, Shweta has worked with some great chefs who helped her hone her skills and become strong minded in a dynamic kitchen environment. Some of the highlights in her journey have been accolades such as receiving the Beef + Lamb Excellence Award in 2019 in her last place of work under her leadership, twice being awarded 2nd place at the 'Chef of Capital' competition in 2014 & 2015, and being nominated as a finalist of the HM awards in 2020 in the 'Hotel Chef' Category.
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ONE80 RESTAURANT, Wellington
Inspired by his mother’s incredible cooking skills, Chef Chetan Pangam has always been passionate about food. Since he started his career, he prides himself on providing guests with an amazing experience they will always remember.
Chetan started his profession by working at some of India’s luxury hotels, The Oberoi, The Taj West End, and The Leela. During that time, he took the opportunity to gain valuable experience and hone his impeccable skills in the kitchen.
In 2002, Chetan decided to take a new challenge and moved to New Zealand. He has propelled the distinctive cuisine of his native India into New Zealand, and still endeavors by creating exciting and distinctive New Zealand and international dishes. He worked as a Chef de Partie and Jr Sous Chef at The Heritage Hotel in Auckland for 3 years. In 2005, Chetan joined Millennium Hotels & Resorts and has worked in various roles in 2 different hotel regions.
Chetan and his family now live in Wellington, where he currently works as Executive Chef for One80° Restaurant at Copthorne Hotel Oriental Bay, Wellington.
Chetan believes in sourcing only the finest seasonal ingredients and freshest local market produce from boutique purveyors to create indigenous flavours of New Zealand with international tastes of the world. He prides himself at the dining experience that One80° Restaurant offers.
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NOBLE ROT WINE BAR, Wellington
Shantanu hails from the south western part of India and he has worked in kitchens in India and New Zealand since he was a teenager. From an early age, he wanted to be a chef but admits he didn’t really have much idea what the profession entailed until later in life. As time passed his opinion was forming regarding what his career path could be as an adult and how he could also achieve the things he wanted in life.
He decided that being a chef would allow him to travel, work with his hands and his creative mind as well as open potential opportunities for self-employment. He wanted to make people happy with his food and to allow his creative talents to shine through. Naturally being a chef was a good fit for him.
In New Zealand, Shantanu attended Le Cordon Bleu School of Culinary Arts to further hone his skills and learn about French techniques with New Zealand produce.
He has been working as Head Chef for three years at Noble Rot Wine Bar, starting off as Sous Chef in 2018. In that time they have gained Best Wine Experience in New Zealand multiple times, and made it to the 50-Best Discoveries list and gained 2 Chefs Hat for 2018 and 1 Chefs Hat for 2019.
SOUTH ISLAND
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THE FAT DUCK, Te Anau
Cameron has been cooking since the age of 10 saying that what was his Nana's passion soon became his life-long love and career. For Cameron it all started back in the mid 90's in his Nana's kitchen where she produced outstanding baking and preserves which he would help her make before they would enter them in the local Sheffield A&P Shows. He says they were a great team and won many awards over numerous years.
At age 16 Cameron left school and went to CPIT to study cookery. He was then fortunate to get a job at the Crown Plaza and have mentors like Tony Smith, Richard Hingston, Niel MacInnes, Darren Wright and David Spice. He loved CPIT and was proud to represent them at the 15th Toque d'or event in 2005, winning double gold and maintaining CPIT's high standards. This set him up well for a great career in Hospitality.
During his career, Cameron has worked at Harvey Nichols in London and was head chef on a private yacht traveling the world and cooking for celebrities such as Beyonce & Jay Z, Paris Hilton, Bono, P Diddy & Rihanna. Cameron looks on this time as one of his best jobs, although there was a lot of pressure, he says it was so diverse with clients from all over the world and he learnt a lot. He also met his partner Selina, which he says is the best thing that happened to him and they now have two beautiful boys. They moved back to New Zealand in 2015 which led them to Te Anau where they purchased The Fat Duck Restaurant and Bar, as it had been a life-long dream to own a restaurant.
Cameron heads an outstanding team of 17 that makes The Fat Duck one of the best restaurants in Southland. He is very proud of what the team achieves day in, day out, and the reputation they have built in their community. He is also proud to have received three Beef + Lamb Excellence Awards in their first three years being in business. He is immensely proud of all their chefs, who have worked for them for more than 5 years. Seeing them grow into the outstanding young men and talented chefs they have become is an absolute privilege.
For Cameron, inspiration for his menu comes from sourcing great quality local ingredients, handling them with care and using great techniques to create a simple but delicious plate of food.
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NO. 7 BALMAC, Dunedin
Greg Piner is executive chef at No. 7 Balmac in Dunedin. He knew from a young age that he wanted to be a chef. From cooking on his parents fishing boat during school holidays to making family meals at home, the joy and satisfaction of seeing people enjoy your food was always a wonderful and fulfilling feeling. Over the years his style has evolved and he is very passionate about the quality and care that goes into the product that's being served to customers. He is most proud of how the industry is growing, taking more of a stand in ethically sourced, fresh foods.
Greg is proud of the career he has carved out and the achievements made over the years. A particular highlight was winning the ‘Battle of the Pacific’ teams event and training Cole McDonald to become the Junior Global Chef Australasia and New Zealand Commis Chef of the year. He believes it is important to pass on knowledge and skills to young aspiring chefs and is key to developing the industry and its growth.
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PODIUM AT SUDIMA HOTEL FIVE MILE, Queenstown
Trent is head chef at Podium Restaurant at the Sudima Queenstown Five Mile. He grew up in the Waikato and after graduating from cookery at Wintec, he soon found himself travelling and working across the globe, which he attributes to his curiosity and passion of fusing uniquely kiwi flavours with new techniques and cuisines.
During his travels, he spent time touring alongside famous musicians and bands doing catering and private cheffing. He has worked for stars such as Pearl Jam and Dolly Parton, before returning to New Zealand and falling in love with the mountains and setting down in Queenstown. When he’s not experimenting in the kitchen he nurtures his other passion of the outdoors, foraging, mountain biking, and snowboarding in the backcountry.
Trent has a passion to share and pass on knowledge to the next generation of chefs. He sees their fresh perspective and compassion as driving the industry to be more accountable and question the traditional processes, taking the industry in a more sustainable direction with their craft, and marrying new cultural takes on cuisine.
Podium Restaurant offers a flavourful dining experience and is the perfect place to enjoy a delicious meal or relax with a drink which can be enjoyed in the outdoor mezzanine with stunning mountain views.
www.sudimahotels.com/en/our-hotels/queenstown-5-mile/dine-drink
