Where hospitality legends wine & dine: Gareth Stewart

Following the launch of our definitive resource to the finest eateries across New Zealand, we now introduce the people behind the places. Championing the owners, operators, and teams responsible for our exceptional hospitality industry, we’ve hand-picked seven industry insiders to divulge their dining favourites, from celebrated classics to under-the-radar gems.

Dining Diaries — Gareth Stewart

Partner Chef at Advieh

Few chefs have left a mark on Auckland’s dining scene quite like Gareth Stewart. With a career spanning close to three decades and two continents, he’s helmed some of the city’s most iconic kitchens, from Soul Bar & Bistro to Andiamo, Jervois Steak House and Euro, before opening his latest venture, Advieh, in 2024. For the past 10 years, he’s also been at the helm of the Nourish Group as Executive Chef, cementing his reputation not only as a brilliant cook, but as one of the most respected and likeable figures in the industry.

Ask him where he eats when he’s not in his chef whites, and Stewart is quick to cite Hello Beasty as a firm favourite, “It’s so consistent, and every time I dine there I know what I’m in for. What Stu has done with the food is just incredible, and the service is always informative, friendly, and intuitive — the staff apprehend everything you want before you even know it yourself.”

When it comes to favourite dishes, his 12-year-old son has the deciding vote. “He’s always pulling my arm to go to Ragtag, and we’ll never go past the duck carnitas tacos with beetroot salsa. They come as a three, but we always order four.” Ragtag, too, is Stewart’s local comfort spot. “The service is great; you’re treated like an old friend the minute you walk through the door, and all of the food is just delicious — it’s spicy, it’s smoky, it’s full of flavour. For comfort food, Ragtag ticks all the boxes.”

For something a little more elevated, Ben Bayly’s Ahi is his first port of call. “Every time I’ve gone there, I’ve left feeling like I’ve experienced something special.” Alma, meanwhile, is where he takes visiting guests. “I love the fact they cook everything with fire. It’s just a different experience. And the food really is something exciting — Jo is amazing, she’s so committed and really raises the bar.” Culprit also earns a mention as a destination that never fails to both surprise and delight the chef, “It’s just so impressive. The way Kyle puts things together is great, it’s always a bit of fun, a bit nostalgic, and just unique. It deserves all of the praise it gets.”

His dream day on a plate reflects both his love of food and his loyalty to the industry around him. Breakfast would be at Advieh, the Turkish eggs with pita, yoghurt and butter. Lunch would be by the water at First Mates, Last Laugh. “Judith Tabron is an incredible owner-operator, and a long lunch there always goes down well.” In the afternoon, Culprit would re-enter the line-up for drinks and snacks, and dinner would be at Sid Sahrawat’s Cassia. “I’m a huge curry fan, so it’s the perfect way to end the day.”

Lastly, Stewart shares his favourite eateries outside of Auckland, and unsurprisingly (given his own pedigree and the slew of accolades the world-class eatery has earned), Amisfield tops the table. ”Vaughn, he’s just a mad man in that kitchen — he really is pushing boundaries, and to be recognised as one of the world’s top 50 eateries is testament to his skill.” When in Queenstown, Aosta is also an essential stop-off, “I’ve had some great experiences at Ben Bayly’s Aosta. It’s comforting food, a cool setting, and a consistently good experience.” And Embra in Taupō has recently made a lasting impression.

Above all, it seems that for Stewart, what makes a great dining experience isn’t just the food on the plates, but the people behind the scenes. The chefs, operators, front of house staff, and the wider team that turns a good dining experience into a great one — and something much more personal at that.