Having published and edited some of the most influential lifestyle magazines both in New Zealand and in New York, it’s little wonder Claire has an excellent ability to create inspiring editorial content. As Denizen’s Editor-in-chief, she is firmly placed at New Zealand’s authority on the art of living well. In addition to The Denizen (website and magazine), Claire also publishes and edits New Zealand’s leading design magazine and website Design Folio, and is widely regarded as an authoritative figure in the design community.
I think it would be safe to say that yum cha holds a universally appealing place within our dining culture. The concept of gathering the troops, whether it’s friends, family or both, for a weekend dining experience that is, for some of us culturally different, and others warmly familiar, is exciting.
Combining our love for both yum cha and Japanese cuisine, Masu has just launched its Sunday yum cha brunch. The new addition is the brainchild of executive chef Nic Watt, who says “I have so many fond memories of yum cha with my kids and my family. There is just something fun about it.”
On Sunday my family and I were lucky enough to try the first service of this weekly Sunday offering. With my young children in tow, both suffering from what can only be described as a Halloween hangover, the idea of sushi and yum cha combined, seemed like the perfect antidote. Because, let’s be honest, we all know how well traditional yum cha goes down on a hangover.
The service starts with a roaming trolley piled high with a delectable array of artfully created sushi, from classic salmon and avocado, to more exotic variants like crab with spicy sauce. What caught my ever-roving eye however, were the bottles of Perrier-Jouët perfectly lined up at the end of the cart. What a great idea! Nothing goes down better with the freshest sashimi than a delectable drop of French Champagne, especially on a Sunday.
The cart service features an array of cold dishes; sushi, nigiri, and sashimi with each dish presented on traditional Kaiten sushi plates. A separate menu of specially created hot dishes does not disappoint either. The restaurant’s signature miso black cod features, along with their delicious lamb cutlets, both at a more palatable price than the evening menu, in-keeping with the yum cha concept of cheap and cheerful. Also on offer is a range of quintessential Japanese family dishes such as the Okonomiyaki pancake, chicken yakisoba noodles, and a firm favourite within my family: black cod croquettes.
As usual with yum cha, it’s hard to not get carried away, snatching plates at every opportunity, but there’s also something inherently light and refreshing about starting with sushi and sashimi that doesn’t leave you feeling overwhelmed. Which was very good news as we spotted the dessert cart heading in our direction, complete with a range of desserts including a fruit custard and an utterly delicious matcha crêpe cake.
Masu’s new brunch experience is available every Sunday from 11am.
I’m not sure if I should admit this openly, but when the iconic waterfront eatery Euro first opened its doors 21 years ago, I was there. At the time, just prior to the 30th America’s Cup, the new restaurant was widely celebrated as our first foray into becoming a sophisticated, cosmopolitan city by the sea.
Euro was the place to be. It became the gathering place for the city’s movers and shakers; the cultural and business elite all congregated here to share war stories, conquests and failures over languishing long lunches that rolled into dinners.
Twenty-odd years on, and our city’s hospitality scene has evolved into an entirely different beast. What we eat and the way we eat has completely changed. We can safely say that we have grown into our global status as a cosmopolitan city, and with that comes a more comfortable and relaxed way of enjoying life.
Richard Sigley, of Nourish Group, has been involved in the Euro since its inception and is very familiar with the changing evolution of our city. This experience has lead him to conceive, alongside his wife Paula and Executive Chef Gareth Stewart, a bold and bright new incarnation of Euro that is guaranteed to see it continue its longstanding reign as the waterfront destination of the summer and beyond.
“Euro was my firstborn, so to speak — my first foray onto the dining scene, so it will always hold a special place in my heart,” says Sigley. “When it opened, it blew everyone away. It was a truly international restaurant that has been consistently good for two decades, but the time is now right for reinvention.”
“Our evolved vision for Euro is for a place where the traditional boundaries between kitchen and dining room are relaxed, where meals become a series of vividly flavored shared dishes rather than rigid three courses, and where the menu responds to its customers’ needs, rather than being prescriptive.”
Last night, to celebrate my husband’s birthday, I had the pleasure of experiencing Euro 2.0 with my family. Upon arrival it’s abundantly clear that this is an exciting new era for the iconic eatery. The interior, a collaboration between Paula and CTRL Space, is light and bright, with sleek modernist accents such as floors lined with pale pink travertine tiles. The outdoor space emits a club-by-the-sea aesthetic, with high and low tables and comfortable wrap around sofas where one can take in the view of (or spy upon) Prada’s America’s Cup base.
Local oysters on ice with finger lime and green hot sauce
Inside, something that’s impressive — and a rarity in many of today’s new eateries — are the extremely comfortable seats; perhaps a nod to the old days where one would linger all day and into the evening.
Euro 2.0 has added a youthful energy that’s apparent everywhere, from friendly and passionate staff, to a soundtrack of great upbeat music that had our toes tapping under the table. Add to this the seasonally changing collaborations with local artists, that promise to keep things continually fresh and evolving; by integrating both their artworks and taking inspiration from their colour palettes, each quarter the restaurant will transform with an element of surprise and delight.
The first of these artist collaborations features photography from multidisciplinary artist Meighan Ellis, whose imagery also inspired the yellow colour palette that will be utilised throughout the restaurant in summer. Plates, serveware and cocktails also all reflect the hue of each season and will align with future collaborators.
Charcoal-grilled Wairarapa oyster mushrooms
When it comes to the food, Executive Chef Gareth Stewart has endorsed his excellence with a menu of shared plates which are quite frankly some of the tastiest dishes I have tried in a long time. My entire family, including my young children, devoured the salt and pepper crispy pigs ears with green onion, chilli and a fried egg on top. Not something for everyone, and certainly not something I would expect my five- and seven-year-olds to enjoy, but this dish was so moreish we had to order another. The menu proudly puts equal emphasis on the garden, the ocean and the land, with some utterly impressive vegetarian dishes of a calibre not often seen in restaurants. The charcoal grilled Wairarapa oyster mushrooms with stinging nettle and sour cream were a standout.
Paula and Richard Sigley
Much thought has gone into creating dishes that are both easily shared, and have a level of layered flavour and texture that elevates them well above what we have come to accept as ‘shared plates’. These are the Rolls-Royce of the category, and surprisingly, most are within the $20-$30 bracket — again something that’s becoming a rarity in this city.
A regularly evolving cocktail menu also embraces the leanings of the artist collaborations. The All England Club, with pink gin, Campari, coconut, lemon and cardamom strawberry soda is set to be the refreshing drink of the summer.
For someone who’s been eating, drinking and commentating on the Auckland food scene for more years than I wish to acknowledge, leaving the new Euro last night, I felt a warm fuzzy sense of both nostalgia and immense pride. Pride that, in a city that has grown exponentially in the past 20 years, we have hospitality operators like Richard and Paula Sigley, who are capable of capturing the cultural Zeitgeist of the moment. Euro 2.0 is destined to be a rousing success. I suggest you try it for yourself, I doubt you will be disappointed.
Centrally located in Auckland’s Victoria Quarter, on Sale Street, Denizen’s Headquarters are a much-admired creative office space. Renovated to the highest standard in 2018, and published in Denizen Modern Living, our offices are a true reflection of the Denizen brand.
With our previous tenants moving on, the opportunity has arisen for an appropriate, creatively minded tenant to move into the ground floor of our building. We have approximately 200sqm available for lease, which includes the shared use of an impressive kitchen and bar, boardroom and luxe bathrooms. The building also comes with plenty of undercover, secure parking.
Interested parties should email [email protected] for further information.
Just four weeks ago, when we began production on our Spring issue, we were buoyed by a sense of comfort that we as a country had done the unthinkable and conquered the great beast that is COVID. What we’ve learned from our recent experience, is that the future really is unknowable. The only thing that is truly guaranteed, is that this pandemic will be the most defining event of our time.
But in true Denizen nature, we have soldiered on, and continued to look at the positives, celebrating the fact that, despite it all, we still have a lot to be thankful for in our little country.
Our Spring issue sees the unveiling of our inaugural Hospo Heroes award winners. After receiving more than 5,000 votes from readers, we are excited to reveal the best people, places and food that are universally loved by us all.
We also introduce an influential group of small to medium business owners and creatives; including artists, architects, chefs, fashion designers and fitness gurus, who share their inspirational stories of resilience and survival.
And, if the wanderlust is starting to take its toll, we’ve provided you with some very compelling reasons to hit the road, and tick off some great bucket list experiences to be enjoyed in our magical South Island.
Now more than ever, our fellow countryfolk need us. Our hospitality, retail and tourism sectors (to name a few) need our support. So Denizens now is the time to do everything in your power to rally the troops. Think beyond your own personal sacrifices and let your presence do the supporting. Go to that bar, meet your friends for brunch, book a local holiday, buy the dress, and for God’s sake get a haircut. Stand tall, dig deep, and know that the human spirit thrives on rebuilding, reconnecting and relaunching.
In our Spring issue you’ll find all the inspiration you need to navigate your way around the very best people, places and enterprises that deserve your support.
Denizen is available at all good newsagents and selected supermarkets. To ensure you never miss an issue, subscribe here.
As the figurehead of a family business that was started by his grandfather in 1909, Mike Thorburn not only has an undeniable eye for impeccable design, but is also one of the local industry’s most adored personalities. Passionate about making world-class exceptional design available to New Zealanders, here he shares some insight into his inspiring world.
“I’m forever inspired by European culture, its history is so rich. I feel pretty blessed that my work allows me to be exposed to such history and immense creativity. I’ve been to the Milan Fair annually for the past 40 years, I still come away from Italy feeling totally inspired and excited for what is happening next.
When I’m in Milan, I always make the effort to get together for dinner with many of our suppliers, I also love to catch up with designer Marcel Wanders. Not only is he a very funny man, he has an incredibly creative mind and our conversations just flow. We could talk all night.
I think as a business we relate so well with the Italians. We’ve worked with the Minotti and Guzzini families for decades. As a family business, we carry and value a deep sense of connection with our clients and suppliers. It’s these relationships and the strong family bond that makes for great business.
My sons and I have a huge focus on relationships, we’ve worked with so many of our clients across generations, and many of them have become our friends.
If there’s one thing people need to consider more when they are designing homes it’s the lighting. The architects we work with do this so well. We are constantly working on new projects around the country and I’m always amazed at what we achieve with the latest lighting technology.
From left: Portofino chair by Minotti from ECC; Superloon light by Flos from ECC
Classics never go out of style. The most iconic designs we have carried over the last 30 years, such as Artemide’s Tolomeo lamp by Michele De Lucchi, which proves to be just as popular today.
Similarly, I love classic pieces, my favourites are the Portofino chair by Minotti and the Superloon light by Flos. You also cannot go wrong by choosing a sofa that is classic.
A sofa should be comfortable, durable and timeless. The Italians are masters of this balance, in particular Minotti who reliably offer a structured aesthetic with comfort and abiding appeal.
I’m really noticing a strong movement towards people wanting things that are both original and organic in nature. Brands such as Anna Karlin, Apparatus Studio and Henge create spectacular pieces of furniture and lighting that are sculptural and finished in a manner that makes them truly one of a kind.
I just finished watching the first virtual release of the 2020 Minotti Collection and I was blown away. They do so well to reinvent their designs year after year. The latest collection features more tactile and organic details, I think everybody is wanting to feel more connected to the environment at the moment.”
After a successful international career in advertising, Lucien Law now sits firmly at the head table of the New Zealand’s hospitality scene as the co-founder of Savor Group, which includes Azabu, Ostro, Ebisu and NSP among its bulging stable of excellent eateries. We asked Law to reveal the ingredients of his happiness and success.
I got into this industry initially because my father owned restaurants. He sold them when I was 12 years old. I have done almost every job in hospitality at some stage. From dishwashing, working as a glassy, waitering and cooking, to managing restaurants and bars.
At some stage, while at Waikato University, I fell into advertising and got a job as a copywriter which I enjoyed. It took me to London where I worked at Saatchi & Saatchi and other agencies, but after 10 years of advertising I’d had enough and opened up my first restaurant in Auckland, Ebisu. Customers are much more enjoyable than clients. Frankly, I got into restaurants and bars because I like restaurants and bars a lot.
I think because we have a number of restaurants people think I’m not in the detail or driving the menus. Nothing could be further from the truth, I spend 90 percent of my day in the weeds and that’s fine with me.
The best piece of advice I was given was stay out of prison. The food is shit and the sex is worse.
And the worst piece of advice was “just be positive”. I think this sets people up for a mental health nightmare. If you’re overly optimistic you don’t consider all the risks. Beware of the happy clappers.
I think the Auckland hospitality scene is changing and it’s a fantastic time to be getting into it if you have a great idea. With change comes opportunities for up-and-coming chefs and new food ideas. Auckland has a runaway ‘foodie’ culture. Diners are looking for so much more from their restaurant experience than ever before.
I generally make big decisions by trying not to make permanent decisions based on temporary emotions. Restaurants are fuelled by the emotions of a lot of people. It’s important to take a step back before you make changes that are hard to turn around again.
The success of a restaurant hinges on one thing, customers leaving happier than when they arrived. It’s that simple. So the best part of my day is getting that right.
When you’re serving in the vicinity of 500,000 meals a year, I guess at times, of course we’re going to get it wrong. But it hurts every time you hear or read about us fucking up. It’s very personal.
Right now, post Covid it’s been invigorating to see people’s desire to get back out to restaurants. It certainly reminds me that at their best, restaurants serve a higher purpose than to just put food and drink on tables. We help fill a need for basic human connection, something you don’t realise is important until it’s taken away.
I’ve always wanted to do something worthwhile. I can see now I should have been much more specific.
There is no one person I attribute my success to, but I think my family’s work ethic has played a huge part. Starting with my Great Grandfather who arrived in New Zealand from China in 1903 to become a market gardener in South Auckland.
That entrepreneurial gene is strong in my family. At times my parents and my four siblings have all been running their own successful business at the same time. Being the youngest in the family and witnessing all of that was intoxicating. I think I was always going to be working for myself.
I really want to be travelling the world bite by bite.
I envy people who have faith. I don’t believe in anything supernatural. But in some way, I envy people that do, because it must be soothing to have an imaginary friend looking down at you from a cloud.
I can tell in two minutes if you make good coffee.
Everyone needs a friend who can tactfully tell them the truth.
Food should be delicious, but at its finest have a sense of place within its community.
Often the perfect restaurant experiences have little to do with the food itself. Choose your company wisely.
There is nothing worse than restaurateurs talking about restaurants.
I feel sorry for people who are cheap tippers or rude to their server. In the words of the late, great Anthony Bourdain, “If you’re a cheap tipper or rude to your server, you are dead to me”.
The motto I live by is: Don’t sweat the petty things and don’t pet the sweaty things.
As commercial and events manager for one of the city’s most loved eateries, Soul Bar & Bistro, Olivia Carter’s weekly schedule is hectic to say the least. Conceiving, conceptualising and implementing an ever changing roster of enticing events that give Soul its widely revered soul, is no mean feat.
The true embodiment of the saying ‘if you want something done ask a busy person’ (Carter also has two young children), here she shares insight into the diversity and dynamism of her week, revealing the magic that goes into creating an establishment that exudes magnetism at every corner.
Everyday I start my day by checking in on our social media activity. It’s always great to see people sharing their experiences at Soul, and we love to share this with our wider audience, so they can see what they’re missing out on.
I also catch up everyday with Gavin Doyle our executive chef and George Dennigan our GM. The three of us work together on pretty much everything we do at Soul. We all have our own ideas and strengths in different areas. For me it’s coming up with event concepts and marketing ideas, then I need their input to help work through, to see if we can actually make it work.
We go over operations behind it, does it fit with our brand, will our staff get behind it, and ultimately will our clientele love it? The three of us are a package deal and whilst it’s like any relationship, that has its ups and downs, we have learnt over the years we need to be each other’s biggest supporters.
We also have the absolute best times together, travelling internationally (when will this happen again?), enjoying some of the best food, wine and cocktails from all over the world – but also the laughs, belly aching laughs, which happen quite often – this brings me so much joy.
George Dennigan, Liv Carter & Gavin Doyle
Each week I’m generally working on any number of events we have on the horizon. The amount of planning that goes into each one is far more detailed than anyone might imagine.
This could involve anything from wine tasting with Bailey, our restaurant manager to ensure we have the right combinations for our Ladies Lunch in September, to planning one of our many fashion shows throughout the year. Melbourne Cup planning is also already in full swing, it’s such a fun and fabulous day, and the look and feel that we manage to create at Soul each year is always something I’m really proud of.
I tend to spend a lot of time conversing with Mal from Total Event, he’s the guy I turn to to manifest my crazy ideas, such as building a pool out the front of the restaurant, to covering our steps in snow for our Soul Punch events, I think the fact that we go so all out for these events is why they are so hugely popular and so much fun.
Thursday afternoon I’ll do a cocktail tasting with our bar manager Scotty. This is one of my favourite things to do. We are working on cocktails for our upcoming Soul Punch event. How they taste, look and ultimately relate back to the theme is always a high priority.
I often have crazy ideas, like for our Halloween Soul Punch, we had red cocktails served in syringes with zombie brains as shots. We came up with this idea on the day of the event, which was a little stressful, but it was so worth it. People couldn’t get enough of them.
Friday morning, I might do a tasting, we’re currently working on our menu for August’s Restaurant Month. George, Gavin and I will taste all the dishes along with wines on the proposed menu to make sure they are balanced and of course delicious! Plus it gives us a chance to look at the menu as a whole to ensure we have good dish combinations to keep our diners both intrigued and happy,
Friday lunch, I get to join a Mumm RSRV Champagne tasting over a specially prepared menu. This provides a great chance to educate myself and some of our wait staff on this champagne portfolio, so we know what pairs best with what food, and the incredible history behind the brand.
Friday night is date night with my husband. Which can either mean going out, or staying in and binge watching a TV series together once the kids are asleep. He is such a bloody legend to put up with my crazy work life and he still makes me laugh… most days anyway.
Our print publication is back, better than ever before. Despite the neverending news media feeding us a plethora of equal parts optimism and pessimism, none of us really have the faintest idea what the short-to-medium-term future holds. But having hope for a brighter outcome gives us the motivation to keep going, in spite of it all.
Three weeks ago, a small team of our most passionate contributors gathered our collective resilience to pull together this issue. Our survival was paramount, our failure not an option. With the support of our strong community of both dedicated readers and generous advertising partners who have continued to empower us with their trust, we are here.
Our winter issue celebrates the best of what we have right on our doorstep, from proclaiming our love of Auckland, and supporting local, to exploring the best of the South Island’s iconic Queenstown. We shine a light on the restaurant dishes we longed for so greatly during lock-down. Contributing photographer Jake Terrey, and his model partner Matilda Dods, also share a glimpse into their life in isolation with a personal photo essay shot in their home garden.
But above all this, we also honour those Denizens who, in the face of all the odds, have chosen the path of resilience. Despite the inherent obstacles that have either been thrust upon them in the wake of COVID, or because systemic racism has made them have to work harder to be heard or seen.
Whatever the challenges, right here and now presents one of the greatest opportunities in our history to collectively accept that the world needs to change in positive ways.
We hope you enjoy the issue.
Denizen is available at all good newsagents and selected supermarkets. To ensure you never miss an issue, subscribe here.
Former pharmacist Sara Higgins was intrigued by the world of wellness long before Coronavirus swept the globe. Unexplained fatigue had hounded Higgins for five years and while seeking medical assistance she stumbled upon the beneficial effects of infrared saunas and more recently, red light therapy.
“I was fortunate to meet a lot of amazing holistic doctors and practitioners over the past few years who have been instrumental in helping me on my own health journey,” Higgins says. “I was looking to make a change to really focus on utilising my skills and combine it with my passion for helping others on their health journey.”
The red light at the end of the tunnel is Hana (which means to shine, glow and radiate in Māori) a stylish sanctuary created by Higgins at The Scrap Yard development in the heart of Auckland’s Grey Lynn.
The newly-opened Hana offers private infrared therapy with two standard-sized and one larger infrared sauna suited for up to three people, along with one of the city’s few red light pods. In addition to this, the space also houses an onsite massage therapist and a one-on-one reformer Pilates instructor.
Infrared Sauna
With polished stone floors, meditative arches and beautiful textured walls, brought together with triumphant visual harmony by architectural designers Pennant & Triumph, the feeling of replenishment begins when you step through the door. “I wanted to create a welcoming space where people can fully immerse themselves in a healing sanctuary and leave feeling fully nourished,” says Higgins.
Red Light Pod
To the novice, the idea of a sauna may conjure up images of hot steamy rooms, but the infrared experience is different. Unlike traditional saunas, which heat the body from the outside in, infrared saunas create heat in the body rather than in the air, penetrating tired muscles, stiff joints and gradually increasing circulation. The benefits of a regular 45-minute session in an infrared sauna runs the gamut of weight loss, cellulite reduction, immune system boosting, detoxification, a reduction in stress and relief from muscle pain. And then there’s the post-session skin glow which receives universal positive feedback from Higgins’ regular customers. “With the saunas you will feel great after a one-off visit, but to get the most out of it, I recommend at least once or twice a week.”
Stella Pilates pop-up
Unlike the saunas, the red light pod treats the body differently through photobiomodulation. Having become a firm favourite with health gurus and fashionable types the world over, the benefits of exposing the entire body to red and near-infrared light for 20 minutes are pretty enticing. Clinical studies have shown great results including repairing skin damaged by the sun, reducing fine-lines and wrinkles, healing acne scars, fading stretch marks, encouraging collagen synthesis and repair, all restoring the mitochondrial oxidation of the body’s cells. It’s also been shown to reduce inflammation.
“It depends on what you are hoping to achieve, what age you are and whether you have any health concerns, be it mild or chronic conditions, but ideally you would use the light therapy twice weekly. Definitely once a week is important,” Higgins says.
Harper Therapy massage room
As well as being a place for direct treatments that offer immediate benefits, Higgins hopes that Hana will become a destination for people to further explore their wellness journeys.
This is one of those occasions when we suggest following orders. If you’re told to walk towards the light, especially if the destination is Hana, then do so with haste.
Much-loved wine bar Annabel’s is enhancing its offering by elegantly pivoting to the daytime demands of a post-Covid world and bringing a welcome touch of Paris to Ponsonby Three Lamps.
Owner Henry Mitchell Temple has drawn influence from quaint European cafes that cater to the A-list appetites and varied needs of locals day and night, with Annabel’s now open from 7am (8am on weekends) daily. The staff have put away their corkscrews and are serving wake ups espressos from Supreme coffee, juices, pastries and a selection of prepared-to-order, utterly magnifique baguettes.
The rapid response of daily pre-lunchtime queues is a sure sign that the Parisian pivot is a welcome addition to the Ponsonby arrondissement, with customers eager to secure their crunchy French baguettes filled with tightly packed layers of serrano ham, mortadella, provolone and the essential slather of dijon mustard.
Take our word for it, these delicious baguettes are almost better than a trip to Paris and quite frankly more French, and stylish, than a beret. You will find them at the Paris end of Ponsonby, just look for the queues or follow the trail of baguette crumbs.
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