Our Food

This free-form tart is designed to be generous, forgiving and deeply satisfying, the kind of bake that looks beautiful precisely because it isn’t perfect. A flaky wholegrain spelt pastry cradles soft almond frangipane, ripe late summer/early autumn pears and pockets of sharp berry chia jam, all brought together in loose, rustic folds.

This autumn, Jo Cribb is inspiring us to take our cue from nature. Just like grapes storing starch for winter dormancy, let’s fill our tables and tummies with harvest produce, matched, of course, with delicious wine.

The natural sweetness of autumn grapes makes them the perfect pairing for these smoky, herb-kissed pork chops. If you have the chance, cooking over fire adds a beautiful depth of flavour and connects you to the elements, golden hour light, the crackle of wood and that primal DNA that thrives outdoors. It’s a moment to reset, breathe and sync with nature’s rhythms.

This is a dish designed for sharing. It improves with time, fills the house with the kind of aroma that signals comfort and abundance, and pairs perfectly with simple accompaniments like rice, couscous or flatbreads.

Recipe & styling Amber Rose, Photo Greta Kenyon

Roasted Baby Vegetables with Turmeric & Preserved Lemon Hummus

Sweet, earthy, baby vegetables, roasted until just tender and lightly caramelised, served with a vibrant turmeric and preserved lemon hummus. This is a simple, nourishing plate that works beautifully as a shared dish or a generous side.

Strawberry & Rhubarb Eton Mess

A crunchy outer shell, a soft chewy inside with lovely caramel notes; carefully broken into pieces and layered with cream and a strawberry and rhubarb compote, it is a deliciously decadent dessert.

Pan Fried Fish with Whipped Cannellini Beans & Purple Asparagus

A simple yet elegant and utterly delicious dish; served alongside crisp, sweet Mangaweka Asparagus, it is guaranteed to impress!

Rump Steak Tacos with Charred Corn & Chipotle Mayo

Nothing says summer quite like charred corn for a lovely smoky flavour. Piled into a corn taco with crunchy cabbage, juicy rump steak and generous dollops of chipotle mayo, this is an all-round crowd pleaser.

Green Chicken Rice Paper Rolls

These not only look pretty on a plate, they pack a serious flavour punch and will have you fighting over the last morsels.

Roasted Tomato Bruschetta

What better thing to do with a glut of ripe red tomatoes than slowly roast them and pile them atop a good slice of sourdough spread generously with herby ricotta. Best shared with a cool drink and good company.

Extending the Olive Branch

Escaping the corporate life, Toby Green is sharing the food he fell in love with as a trainee accountant with the country.

From Farm to Freezer

Looking at the project years ago, South Island farmer Wayne Cameron knew it wasn’t the right time to bring his dream of beef bites to life. Revisiting the idea after Covid, timing aligned and after a whirlwind year in 2025, Little Ardroy Beef Bites have now hit the shelves to fill a gap in the mock takeaway market.

Across New Zealand the Lumina, and Headwaters farming community is more than just a group of producers – they are passionate ambassadors of a truly exceptional product.

As frosts give way to warmed soils, Jo Cribb inspires us to reach for zingy fresh wines that mirror spring’s freshness and sense of renewal.

This vibrant salad in a jar is a flavour-packed, plant-based lunch upgrade, with crispy marinated tofu, crunchy veg, herbs, noodles and a zesty tamari-lime dressing layered to-go. Just shake and enjoy!

This smoky chorizo & black olive tart is rustic perfection. Buttery wholemeal pastry packed with melty cheese, crispy chorizo, and herby goodness. Topped with zingy rocket and baked golden, it’s your next crowd-pleasing weekend bake.

Smoky, spicy, and seriously satisfying. These roasted red pepper, avo & pickled onion egg wraps are a low-carb, high-flavour lunch win. Made with a fluffy egg base, hot sauce mayo, and tangy lime onions, they’re perfect for prepping ahead or impressing friends.

Crunchy, chewy, and just the right amount of sweet, these nutty oat bars are the ultimate homemade snack. Packed with seeds, honey, and a drizzle of dark chocolate, and ready in under 30 minutes!

Elevate your salad game with this vibrant Lumina lamb dish. Juicy backstrap, ribbons of carrot, creamy hummus, and a zesty dressing all on one show-stopping platter. Fresh, flavour-packed, and ready in under an hour.

To celebrate the milestone that is their 35th vintage, we sit down with second-generation winemaker Sara Stocker of Allan Scott Family Winemakers to toast three and a half decades of family, innovation, hard work and laughter.

Averse to the cold and the shorter days, Jo Cribb is determined to enjoy wine in her socks, fireside, with those she holds dear.

These biscuits are incredibly morish due to the addition of the ground pumpkin seeds adding texture (but not too much) and a depth of flavour. I grind my seeds in the little food processor attachment that came with my stick blender. If you have any leftover, add it to chia pudding.

The transformation that takes place when a cheap cut of beef, cooked long and slow, becomes rich and melt-in-the-mouth delicious is a little like alchemy. 

Creating a legacy of craftsmanship and passion, James Polhill is on a mission to bring new sensory discoveries to palates here and abroad. A mission he is well on his way to achieving, with his new whisky-infused Mānuka Honey.

This breakfast is a firm favourite in our household where we top ours with cocoa nibs instead of dark chocolate. Though a bit of dark chocolate is good for both body and soul in my eyes. It can easily be made in advance and transported for breakfast, or snack on the go when away.

Making your pull-apart in a cast-iron pan means it can be easily transported and warmed on the fire before devouring. A word of warning, this won’t last long!

This recipe takes a much-loved classic and adds fresh herbs, lemon zest and good dose of green vegetables for a slightly more sophisticated end-result, with all the hearty warmth of a traditional mac’n’cheese.

Cradling a cup of hot chocolate to warm your hands in winter after being outside is one of life’s greatest pleasures and in our house, we have to load them up with marshmallows.

There’s a lot to love about this tart. The silky-smooth, almost custard-like filling, the unctuous caramelised onions and the sharp, yet sweet blue cheese that finishes it off. Tarts are fantastic. They make great lunch or dinner fare and they travel well, making them perfect for picnics and potluck meals.

These pork and fennel meatballs were inspired by one of our conversations, a much-loved dish which they often cook for friends.

This Mexican-inspired hot chocolate is lusciously thick and layered with notes of orange and cinnamon and just the right amount of heat from the chilli powder.

The other night as I was preparing this risotto for our dinner, my daughter took off into the garden and returned with a handful of sage leaves which she carefully fried in butter and arranged for us on a plate to garnish our meal. This unfolding love of food is such a gift to witness and one I will naturally continue to foster!

Vanilla and spice-scented custard and chunks of dark chocolate are beautifully contrasted with flaky croissants in this delicious pudding.