Transcript
KENINA COURT: So here we are with the biggest polynesian capital in the world and we don't have any sort of a restaurant, like a pacific cuisine restaurant here in Auckland. We've got Chinese, we've got Vietnamese, we've got Greek, we've got Mexican...everything from the other side of the world. But our own backyard - we don't have anything here. So, that's really what started off. So now it's about bringing that idea to life.
INDIRA STEWART: So what does this menu - for Kai Pasifika, what will that look like? Can you describe some of those dishes?
KC: It's really taking foods of the pacific and the cultural way in which food is prepared, and then putting a modern twist around it. The menu will have a lot of sharing plates. The plates will be table plates, so that everybody gets to be a part of that and there is more of an experience about dining with people and eating the same food. As opposed to, you know, this is my meal and I'll just eat off this plate. Because in Pacific, that's exactly what happens. You know, everybody just puts the food out and it's kind of like more towards a smorgasbord as opposed to an actual you know, where you just do the A la carte thing.
IS: Has there been much interest from the local community for a Kai Pasifika restaurant?
KC: To be honest, I don't think that there's been a whole bunch of people who have been going around saying 'we need a pacific cuisine restaurant'. We're just seeing that you know, we've got over 300,000 people in Auckland who identify as Pacific and there's nowhere for them to go and have a lovely meal with their own pacific cuisine.
IS: Considering some of the health issues that Pacific Islanders face here in New Zealand, obesity rates, non-communicable diseases, when we look at a lot of our traditional pacific foods, they're quite high in fat and not really considered healthy meals. Is there a way that your restaurant is looking at preparing them [in a way] that may be good for health?
KC: Well that's actually a big part behind Robert's thinking, is that there are a lot of misconceptions out there about pacific cuisine and you know how it is, but pacific cuisine, at the heart of it it's actually really healthy. Because it's full of lots of fish, fresh fruit, fresh vegetables. And Robert's take on it is, how do we put together a meal within the pacific culture that looks gorgeous, that tastes divine, but is going to be good for you. There isn't anywhere where we can go and have a really wonderful meal in our own cuisine. And you know, some of the stuff I wouldn't even know how to make. You know, Auckland has got such a huge number of Pacific chefs but they don't themselves have the training in how to prepare pacific cuisine because there is nowhere for them to go for that.
IS: They're all trained in Western dishes and other cultures...
KC: That's exactly right, that's exactly right. So we'll give them that place where they can come and learn about their cuisine And some of other comments that we've had from chefs that have worked with Robert, they see their culture in such a different light and we just want to do more of that.
IS: Do you think that this restaurant could help change some negative stereotypes there might be on Pacific food?
KC: That's what we'll be gunning for, absolutely. There's lots of misconceptions out there about pacific food and people will get to see a completely different side to pacific.
