A Cook's Tour

IF you're a hardcore foodie headed to New Zealand for the first time because you've heard how good the produce is, its national airline knows how impatient you can be. That's why Air New Zealand roped in top Kiwi chefs Peter Gordon and Michael Meredith to prepare inflight menus that give you a taste of Maori hospitality even before you touch down in its gourmet capital of Auckland.

What Auckland lacks in skyscrapers and urban sophistication, it makes up for with a cosmopolitan population and amazingly diverse food. For them, it's not just about eating: their food (kai) is also about whanau (family and friends) and oranga (health and wellness) - qualities you'll find in abundance here.

If you don't want to waste time, you can hit the dining ground running with Pasture, a 20-seat restaurant located in Pamell, helmed by Ed and Laura Verner and their enthusiastic chefs. Theirs is the epitome of New Zealand cuisine, with menus built around seasonality, giving equal weight to both meat and vegetables.