23/08/2024
It has been a dream of mine for over two years to present my Pepeha on a plate…this is the first dish I created.
I call this dish, Te Waka o Aoraki 🥰 if you know the Ngai Tahu story then you will know that Aoraki and his three brothers are the first born sons of Ranginui and Pokoharuatepo (his first wife)
Aoraki and his brothers came down from the heavens in their waka to seek out their stepmother Papatuanuku…when they went to return home to the heavens Aoraki started his Karakia that would lift the waka back into the heavens, however his brothers tired and hungry from their trip began to argue amongst eachother, distracting Aoraki and ultimately breaking his connection to his Karakia. The consequences were immediate and the waka crashed bacc down onto Papatuanuku creating the South Island. Aoraki and the brothers cried out to their father and stepmother for help. No help came. Try as he may Aoraki was unable to fix his mistake…
The waka became petrified and the brothers turned to stone creating Ka Tiritiri O Te Moana.
This dish combines contempary, earthy, wild and native flavours evoking the rugged terrain, flora and traditional foods associated with Mauka Aoraki and its region.
Aoraki Matatu 🏔️
