Cheap and cheerless – is this hospo’s chance at rebuilding better? David Williamson, AUT

The hospitality business has been decimated by Covid-19 - probably more than any other. So you’d forgive the sector for cutting its cloth to suit. But when does cutting cloth become cutting corners? AUT’s David Williamson a senior lecturer at AUT University conducted one of the first serious surveys of hospitality workers - and the results are disturbing. 18% of workers we paid below the minimum wage; 22% receive no holiday pay; 16% of workers did not sign an employment agreement; a staggering 81% received no training. Why is the sector such a poor employer and does it matter? And how can it rebuild into a more sustainable industry?

Farming fish sustainably: Suzy Black and Damian Moran, Plant&Food Research

Fish farming is good and all, but it’s just as messy as the land-based. Imagine if you could farm sustainably with fish native to New Zealand? That’s just one of the outcomes promised by Plant & Food Research. Vincent talks to scientists Suzy Black and Damian Moran about a new way to think about fish, farms and the ocean as a source of food.

Anna King Shahab and Antony Suvalko are at the heart of a dedicated community of foodlovers online called Lazy Susan Auckland and they are just about to release the second volume of Auckland Eats, a publication birthed from their love of the Auckland food scene. Auckland Eats Vol.2 The Prequel is an exciting journey through Auckland's food and dining history from the 70s til now, capturing the places, faces, dishes and stories that created the diverse and vibrant food scene we now know. 

We spoke with Anna King Shahab about creating Lazy Susan Auckland, which has grown to over 26,000 members and the inspiration behind Auckland Eats. 

You can order your copy of Auckland Eats Vol.2 The Prequel at lazysusan.nz

The Spring Sheep Milk Company is the largest sheep milk producer in the southern hemisphere, being supplied by 12,700 sheep in the Waikato and having developed its own breed of sheep, Zealandia. So how bright is the future of sheep milk? And can it compete with its big bovine brother on the one hand, and the feisty plant alternatives on the other. Vincent was joined by Nick Hammond, co-founder of SpringSheep and now newly appointed as CEO.

In this week's Long Lunch Tash speaks with Lulu Taylor of Secret Kiwi Kitchen about how she and Clare Gallagher tackled starting a new food business during Covid. We get to know her favourite family food memories of selling brownies and Vietnamese food in the farmers' markets of Martha's Vineyard and how Kiwis are being won over to their baking mixes using premium New Zealand ingredients. We talk about export and manufacturing challenges. 

Join us at The Feed for more!

What started as a food truck in Queenstown has expanded to two thriving restaurants plus a newly opened outlet in Ponsonby Road and is promising to become a chain of branded stores across Auckland, then New Zealand and maybe even offshore. So what madness drove cousins Robbie McGillivray and Ant Wilkins to launch a restaurant chain in the time of Covid? Vincent went hunting for answers.

We first interviewed Cherie Metcalfe from Pepper & Me, KitCo and Cain & Abel earlier last year. It was such a popular episode, we're releasing the whole conversation for you this week. Cherie first trained as a chef in the Bay of Plenty before looking at options to support her growing family. From there, Pepper & Me was born and has become a real success story of New Zealand entrepreneurship. We talked about each of the brands and how accessibility is changing the New Zealand food story. 

If you were looking for someone to launch a new food brand, Jade Gray is your man. He’s managed a farm and a supermarket butchery, ran a meat processing plant in China, launched a chain of pizza stores in Beijing called Gung Ho! Pizza (China's first B Corp certified Food and Beverage company). Now Jade and his family are back in New Zealand and he’s just launched Off-Piste Provisions, a plant-based food start-up dedicated to making Aotearoa as famous for its plant-protein as it is for lamb. 

Welcome to The Feed Long Lunch

It’s where we like to take a slightly deeper dive into conversation with some of our guests exploring New Zealand’s food stories, personalities and future. So grab a plate, a snack or a glass and join us for a slightly bigger slice of conversation. In this episode Vincent speaks with Michael Van De Elzen about the Good From Scratch cooking school and his involvement in the food sector. 

Don't forget to join us at http://thefeed.co.nz 

Welcome to The Feed Long Lunch

It’s where we like to take a slightly deeper dive into conversation with some of our guests exploring New Zealand’s food stories, personalities and future. So grab a plate, a snack or a glass and join us for a slightly bigger slice of conversation with Michael Van De Elzen, learning about the Good from Scratch cooking school and how he's been engaged in the New Zealand food sector over the last couple of years. 

Join us at http://thefeed.co.nz for more!