Stories

It's officially the age of hyperlocal goods. Spice up your consumption with food and drink made by hand, by real people you can chat to. Canterbury is an artisanal cornucopia, and Cityscape has a wee taste of what's on offer. Christchurch's streets are slathered with art, and the creativity doesn't stop there. Many of our bakers, butchers, bottlers and more are absolute maestros of food and drink. With some of the best produce in the world on our doorstep, the region’s small food producers have carved themselves a big reputation, with Canterbury always well-represented in national artisan cuisine awards. Why opt for bland and mass-produced when the region’s artisans and growers are powering out bold, beautiful flavours right here? If you haven’t already, it’s time to branch out; why not skip the supermarket and flock to the farmers’ markets, the factory shops and the gourmet food stores. Bakers In Riverside Market,...

Chef Kerry Wellman at Untouched World Kitchen tries to keep things simple, honest and tasty.  "‘Flavour’ trumps ‘complicated’ any day of the week. I have about 38 years of experience in the industry, starting at a local bakery and working at Dux de Lux, Mainstreet Vegetarian Café and the Lone Star and Joe’s Garage franchise before coming on as head chef at Untouched World Kitchen three years ago." Three key ingredients to a tasty dish? Love, passion, enthusiasm. What is your favourite guilty pleasure? DIY - I have to have something on the go. Whether it’s building, painting, demolishing. Love it. What is an interesting trend you’re seeing in food? I’m loving seeing the ‘veganising’ of mainstream food. It doesn’t always have to be about being healthy, it’s all about broadening minds, changing habits and trying something new. Who is your culinary hero? Yotam Ottolenghi. He’s awesome. Is there a particular...

Chef Paul Howells refers to the food he serves at Twenty Seven Steps as rustic European; unpretentious bistro-inspired cuisine. "I started my apprenticeship in the Isle of Wight as a 16-year-old, followed by stints in London, Paris, Stockholm and Ireland. I met Emma in Galway and came to New Zealand. We opened up The Little Bistro in Akaroa shortly after. After five years there, we sold up and opened up Twenty Seven Steps, which we’ve had for five years. We’re about to open a sister wine bar to Twenty Seven Steps called ‘Downstairs’. Its emphasis is on smaller plates with that same rustic European feel.” Three key ingredients to a tasty dish? The most important ingredient in any dish is actually to put some ticker into it. Aside from that good quality olive oil, garlic and onions – you can’t do much without those things. What is your favourite guilty pleasure?...

At Town Tonic, Chef Kanav Khajuria serves a sub-discipline of food science that seeks to analyze the physical and chemical transformation of ingredients. "I began my culinary journey in my homeland of India, completing a Bachelor of Hotel Management. I gained experience in a range of well-acclaimed international hotels such as Marriott and Sheraton before I relocated to the other side of the world, New Zealand, in 2012. I spent time in New Plymouth, Martinborough, Abel Tasman National Park, and Lake Tekapo before settling down in Christchurch and taking on the chef position at Town Tonic. Three key ingredients to a tasty dish? Social, artistic and technical. What is your favourite guilty pleasure? Ice creams. What is an interesting trend you’re seeing in food? Plant-forward focus and attention to nutrition. Who are your culinary heroes? Heston Blumenthal and Ferran Adrià. Is there a particular book that has inspired you in your life...

Chef Tawan Karnjanakajohnsak's cuisine is borne from passion, experience and imagination, all of which he brings to The Dish. "I use fresh ingredients to create flavours which you have never been exposed to before. In the musical world, people come to listen and expect a nice performance. It’s the same in the restaurant. People come to enjoy food and expect a good flavour as well as nice presentation. 12 years ago I was a percussionist. I never thought about being a chef until I had a chance to participate in the Percussion Duo competition in Luxembourg. I was fascinated with Western cuisine, culture and foods. I thought that music is the only way you can describe art, but I was wrong. There are many kinds of art, and food is one of those. After I came back to Thailand, I studied a Western-Thai culinary course at Dusit Thani College, and then...

A chef and instructor at Riverside Kitchen, Chef Stephen Bradley's cuisine is produce-driven and diverse, while sticking to the roots of the dish he creates. "I started out as a kitchen hand during school holidays as a 14-year-old, worked my way up and then at 24 opened my own restaurant which I operated for nearly 10 years.” Three key ingredients to a tasty dish? The key is to learn to trust your senses, not just taste, but smell and vision too. If you really watch what you are doing, see how the ingredients change through he processes, see how the aromas react with one another. And always taste as you go along – your dishes will get better and better. How important are local ingredients to you, and why? Super important. Not all, but most things lose flavour over time, so the fresher the better. Also the less miles it has...

Chef Keshan Sedara at The Pantry at Mona Vale specialises in New Zealand contemporary cuisine, using fresh produce that matches the seasons. “I describe my cuisine as yummy! I trained in Auckland – don’t hold that against me – at Bette’s in Devonport, before eventually moving south to Christchurch and to Mona Vale. Food is my passion and runs in my veins, with my parents and wider family all involved in the hospitality industry across the globe.” Three key ingredients to a tasty dish? Fresh herbs, to add life and depth. Paprika (and salt and pepper) – every dish should be well balanced with proper seasoning. Lemon juice, to add sharpness. What is your favourite guilty pleasure? Fresh seafood. It’s light, it’s healthy and can be prepared so many ways. What is an interesting trend you’re seeing in food? Heston Blumenthal has turned the culinary world on its head with essences,...

At Maharaja, Chef Vijay Biala makes wholesome food that sticks to basics.  "I started my career at a reputable hotel in Delhi. From there I went to Hong Kong and Singapore and worked as head chef at some of the top restaurants. After this I moved to Sydney and opened my own place, but I fell in love with Christchurch after visiting here and have been with Maharaja for 20 years now.” Three key ingredients to a tasty dish? Spices, fresh ingredients and love. What is your favourite guilty pleasure? Definitely a nice gin and tonic after good day at work. What is an interesting trend you’re seeing in food? With Indian food I’ve definitely seen a rise in people eating spicy food and trending to vegetarian meals. Who are your culinary heroes? My mother and my mother-in-law. Is there a particular book or author that has inspired you in your life...

Chef Diego Ghidetti's modern Italian cuisine at Francesca's Italian Kitchen is largely inspired by tradition. “I started working in the kitchen in my grandfather’s restaurant, who had by then been a restaurant owner and chef for more than 50 years. My other grandfather also opened a restaurant a few years before that. I grew up in kitchens and collected many memories. After five years I moved to Australia where I worked in several places as I was travelling. Then after three years’ experience owning a restaurant with my mother in Italy, I came back to New Zealand where I started working at Francesca's in Christchurch, not long after the restaurant opened.” Three key ingredients to a tasty dish? It has to be garlic, olive oil and tomato, the key ingredients of many Italian dishes. What is your favourite guilty pleasure? In Italy we have a habit: after finishing our pasta, we...

Chef Darrell van der Sluys at Fiddlesticks Restaurant & Bar creates classical cuisine with a modern twist. "My career started in Christchurch at the Millennium hotel, then off to Scotland to Gleneagles, The Stamford Hotel Auckland then seven years of alternating northern hemisphere and New Zealand summers. Now I’m approaching 12 years for the Maestro hospitality group.” Three key ingredients to a tasty dish? Fresh seasonal produce, seasoning and flair. What is your favourite guilty pleasure? Chocolate every day and red wine. What is an interesting trend you’re seeing in food? More plant based, local and fermented. Who are your culinary heroes? The Roux brothers and Thomas Keller. Is there a particular book that has inspired you in your life or career? The French Laundry Cookbook by Thomas Keller. What’s one thing people probably don’t know about you? I ride horses most days. RECIPE: Learn to make Chef Darrell's Chocolate Mousse fiddlesticksbar.co.nz

Chef Chanaka Jayabahu at 50 Bistro has a focus on creating simple and elegant dishes using locally sourced fresh produce. "I joined the Sri Lanka Institute of Tourism and Hotel Management after high school in Colombo to pursue a career as a chef, then moved to New Zealand in 2012. I continued to study and gain experience in hospitality and I’m very proud to have held positions managing kitchens at the iconic Galle Face Hotel and Palagama Beach Resort in Sri Lanka, La Brezza in Cyprus, and more recently at Terrace Downs in Canterbury, as well as one of New Zealand’s best ski resorts in Methven.” Three key ingredients to a tasty dish? Fresh produce, experience and love. What is your favourite guilty pleasure? Scrolling through Instagram. Yes, I can’t take my eyes away when I’m on Instagram. What is an interesting trend you’re seeing in food? I see that people...

We are lucky to have a huge array of choice eateries here in Christchurch, and let’s just say that if you’ve never struggled to pick which delicious menu to go for, congratulations – you’re a unicorn. For the more decisively-challenged among us, these dining destinations are like the food courts over the rainbow – magical, shiny, and filled with some truly stunning independent eateries. Don’t get us wrong, it’ll still be hard to choose, but these hubs are so belly-rumblingly cool you’ll probably just keep coming back until you’ve tried everything anyway. Riverside Market One of the crown jewels of Christchurch’s rebuild, Riverside Market is a seven-day-a-week indoor farmers’ market bursting with eateries, drinkeries, boutique shopping, artisan makers and more. Bringing international vibes to the Garden City, this bustling community hub is a true destination, for delicious food and drink, for fresh, organic, locally grown produce, for music and events, cooking...

With vines stretching from the mountains to the sea, we’re flush with options for leafy long lunches. Cityscape has rounded up a few favourites. Greystone Wines Greystone’s eatery boasts sharing plates made from locally grown, organic, and foraged produce. Settle in for an ever-changing four-course lunch with paired wines, and if you’ve got some energy left afterwards, explore the vineyard’s walking and biking trails. Black Estate Winery There’s not a lot that can beat a languid al fresco session at family-owned and operated Black Estate, complete with winery, tasting room and restaurant. Savour the sumptuous combination of fine, locally-sourced fare with exquisite wines while drinking in the equally impressive vistas across the rolling Waipara hills. Black Estate’s spectacular seasonal dishes earned the team a Cuisine magazine award for Best Winery Restaurant 2019 and two hats in the Cuisine Good Food Awards. Fiddler’s Green Vineyard & Bistro Pull up a pew and...

Famously enjoyed on long summer evenings, gin has a warm-weather reputation. Juno Gin’s Dave James gives Cityscape some ideas for enjoying a gin in the cooler months. It’s all about choosing the right gin, and serving it up in the right style, he says. “Traditionally it's served as gin and tonic, but we’re trying to say ‘move away from that and see the repertoire you’ve got available to you’.” Juno’s Autumn 2021 Seasonal Gin is going to feature cranberries and a hint of Vietnamese mint. It isn’t a full-blown winter comforter, but it’ll have a warmer hue to it than a typical summer gin. “You can mix it with a little cranberry juice for a rich flavour that really suits the autumn mood,” Dave says. The next gin on the release list will be a nutty number for winter. “There’s an opportunity to use it as a toast or a digestif.”...

We round up great films, reads, shows to bingewatch, new albums to treat your ears to and a couple of decent podcasts to enlighten. Watching Film picks thanks to Lumière Cinemas' Nick Paris. The Father Based on the award-winning play by Florian Zeller, who also directed the film, The Father stars Anthony Hopkins and Olivia Colman and is already generating Oscar buzz. A film both frightening and devastating in its familiarity, The Father follows the story of feisty 80-year-old dementia sufferer Anthony as he begins to lose his grip on reality, while his daughter Anne becomes increasingly more frustrated and desperate to find someone to help care for her father. Collective On October 30, 2015, in popular Bucharest club Colectiv, metal band Goodbye to Gravity’s set ends with a small pyrotechnics display which ignites the entire club, killing 27 people. This shocking and unflinching documentary is really about what came after:...

Ralph Hotere was a prolific figure in New Zealand art through the late 20th Century, charting his journeys around Aotearoa and the world and reflecting on his experiences, identity and politics through his art. This exhibition, produced in partnership with the Dunedin Public Art Gallery, is the first major survey of Hotere’s career, bringing together works from collections all over the country. These include works of political protest, such as the Aramoana series created in response to a proposed smelting site, as well as landmark works such as Black Phoenix and Godwit/Kuaka. Through Ātete, Hotere’s vision and artistic achievements will be introduced to a new generation. Christchurch Art Gallery, Sat 27 Mar – Sun 25 Julchristchurchartgallery.org.nz

There’s nothing like a bit of early 2000s throwback to get a dancefloor moving, and this March is bringing the party vibe as Kiwi legends Elemeno P take the stage to celebrate the vinyl release of all three of their classic albums. This is the first time that Elemeno P’s discography have been released on vinyl, and the band in all its original glory will be playing all the hits from each, including ‘Fast Times in Tahoe’, ‘Verona’, and ‘Every Day’s a Saturday’. Lead vocalist Dave Gibson has returned from New York to tour New Zealand, and is pumped to be able to shake off a mad year by revisiting their much-loved music. The Good Home, Sat 27 Mareventfinda.co.nz

The number one event on the calendar for pop culture fans, Armageddon Expo is Christchurch and New Zealand’s largest entertainment and fantasy event, with over 130,000 punters rolling up every year. The expo is an iconic celebration of all things geek, where fans of classic and current TV and movies, comics, games, animation and more converge to revel in the enjoyment of their favourites. Featuring famous media stars, voice actors and other creators, the latest game releases, collectibles, performances, contests, movie screenings and the famous Armageddon Cosplay Contest, this is the ultimate meeting place for fandoms of all persuasions. Christchurch Arena, Sat 29 – Sun 30 Mayarmageddonexpo.com