Ara | Te Pūkenga learners alongside top Māori chefs preparing for Tohunga Tūmau
Working with the very best creates buzz at City campus
Matariki only comes once a year but the chance to help prepare for Tohunga Tūmau is a once in a lifetime opportunity for some fortunate Ara | Te Pūkenga cookery ākonga.
A star-studded line up of chefs is in Ōtautahi preparing for the event which is being held at Te Pae convention centre. It’s the first time the event has come to Te Waipounamu in its three-year history.
The brainchild of hangi master Rewi Spraggon (Te Waiohua, Ngāti Hine), the Puanga Matariki dinner will see almost 500 guests enjoy a five-course meal with matching wines, celebrating the best of indigenous ingredients, Māori performers and manaakitanga.
“Iwi throughout Aotearoa have their own protocols for Matariki, so by moving the event around the country it allows us to incorporate these customs into the celebration. This way we also get to share the occasion with people all around the motu,” Spraggon said.
The well-equipped Department of Hospitality kitchens at Ara Te Pūkenga and the newly commissioned hangi pit alongside the wharekai at Te Puna Wānaka, were buzzing with prep for the event with top chefs and delicacies at every turn.
“This is a way of us inspiring our rangatahi coming through,” Spraggon said. “It’s important for us that we have students involved in all our Tohunga Tūmau events, that we have the best Māori food and beverages in the country and our expert chefs are to the fore rather than in the background.”
The celebratory menu will feature indigenous ingredients including koura (crayfish), tuna (eel), kina mousse and tītī (muttonbird).
Former executive chef and owner of Wellington’s Boulcott Suite Bistro, Rex Morgan (Te Arawa, Kāi Tahu) who is now based in Ōtautahi and at home as a mentor at Ara, was charged with sourcing the produce for the occasion. He said the opportunity for Ara | Te Pūkenga ākonga was huge.
“You just don’t get these ingredients and this level of chefs in the same building at once. It’ll be a learning curve and hugely inspiring experience for them,” he said.
Ara | Te Pūkenga Executive Director Te Tiriti Partnerships Te Marino Lenihan’s longstanding friendship with Rewi Spraggon lead to him attending last year's event in Wellington to represent the Canterbury region and receive the mauri of the event for this year.
He said the principles of the Ara |Te Pūkenga framework for Māori achievement align with Tohunga Tūmau’s connection and relationship-building ethos.
“We are all connected by a philosophy of looking after our children, so they succeed, are happy and contributing to their society. It’s about growing the next generation and inspiring our learners to be the very best they can be. These things grow from connections.”
Lenihan who is proudly from a whānau of hunters, gatherers and cooks at their marae, said the heritage and traditions of Canterbury as eeling people was also being honoured.
“When Rewi sought to bring the kaupapa of Tohunga Tūmau here I asked him if he could honour our eeling heritage. We’ve managed to connect Rex Morgan with some local eel from our family and honour this signature kai which is part of our culinary heritage and renowned throughout our island.”
As for the students, there were nerves and excitement as the top chefs stepped into their world.
Level 5 Cookery student Liam Bamford said his class was feeling very fortunate.
“It’s not something that happens every day. There are some incredible chefs here and to gain knowledge of Māori cuisine is just so exciting. Everyone’s been very kind and it’s helped ease the nerves.”
The chef line-up for this year’s event is:
- Rewi Spraggon (hāngi master, TV presenter, chef)
- Peter Gordon (presenter, author, owner & Executive Chef, Homelands)
- Rex Morgan (ex-Executive Chef & owner, Boulcott Suite Bistro)
- Monique Fiso (author and co-owner & executive chef HIAKAI)
- Karena & Kasey Bird (authors, presenters, MasterChef 2014 winners)
- Nancye Pirini (Executive Chef, Novotel Hotel Auckland)
- Tama Salive (Executive Chef, The Duke of Marlborough)
- Joe McLeod (chef, kai Māori expert)
Find out more about Tohanga Tūmau here.
