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 — Geeling Ching
Group Operations Manager at Foley Hospitality
Few figures in Auckland’s hospitality scene are as instantly recognisable, or as enduringly respected, as Geeling Ching. For more than two decades, she’s been in hospitality operations, largely at the helm of beloved Viaduct institution Soul Bar & Bistro. Now, she leads ops for Foley Hospitality — a group that counts some of the city’s top dining destinations as their own. But when she steps outside of Foley’s oeuvre, Ching’s relationship with Auckland’s food scene is one of deep familiarity and long-held affection. Here, she lets us in on her go-to spots and essential orders.
“Grand Harbour will always have my heart,” she says of her top dining destination in the city. “I’ve been going there since I was a child. Yum cha is part of my DNA, and I think of Grand Harbour as the OG.” Another sentimental favourite is Pearl Garden in Newmarket, run by distant family members. “The ladies there must be in their eighties now — but they’re still cooking the same great food. And I’ve always loved a lazy Susan.”
Ask her to name the best dish in Auckland, however, and she won’t be drawn. “That’s like asking someone to pick their favourite child. There are too many. What I can say is how incredible it is that Auckland has evolved to the point where you can dine at every level — and do it well.” She’s quick to champion the chefs she admires most, from Gareth Stewart at Advieh to Tom Hishon and Wallace Mua at Trivet, through to Soul’s “fabulous” Gavin Doyle.
When she craves something casual, it’s to Prego that she escapes. “I love going alone and sitting up at the bar with a pizza and a couple of glasses of red. The wine list is ever-changing, the bartenders are wonderful, and it’s just such a well-oiled machine.” For something a little flashier, Tala is next on her hit list.
Out-of-towners, of course, are ushered straight to Soul. “It has everything — the view, the food, the cocktails, the flowers, the people. It’s trustworthy, and that’s what makes it so special.” But she’s equally fond of exploring beyond her own patch. Rooftop at QT is her pick for drinks — “I love that it’s not too high, you can still hear the hum of the street below” — while below ground, Ghost Street and Nightcar are two spots she insists deserve more attention.
When it comes to dining for the people rather than the plates (or both), she singles out K’ Rd’s Apéro. “Mo has this incredible intuition. He never gets it wrong. You walk in, tell him how your day was, and he’ll just know exactly what you need. And Leslie’s food is beautiful.”
Her ideal day on a plate spans both Auckland and Wellington: a cheese scone with fresh butter and truffle at Pravda (“heaven”), a sunlit lunch with a flight of wines at Somm, a casual bite and glass of something delicious at Beau, and then dinner at Esther, where she describes James as “such a great cook.” For reliable excellence, First Mates, Last Laugh is her go-to. “Judith’s created something so international — casual yet refined, with this incredible lightness. It’s perfect.”
And when she leaves the city? Arrowtown’s Swiftsure made a lasting impression. “We’d been skiing, the sky was blue, the food was great, and the terrace looked out onto the most magical view. It was a pinch-me moment. You don’t get that in many places in the world.”
For Ching, the true measure of a great restaurant lies not only in the food, but in the hospitality — the sense of welcome familiarity, and of really being seen. And, if Soul is anything to go by, she’s well and truly perfected the formula.
Geeling’s Recommendations
