B
y thetimeBenShewry’sfishingguide,ScottMcNeil,
hasarrivedat thissleepyKapitiCoastlocation,thepink
streaksofthemorning’ssunrisehavebledintoblue.With
anearlystartfromWellington,Shewryhashadplentyof
timetocontemplatetheKapitiMarineReserve, whichseparates
themainlandfromthewildlife‐richKapitiIslandconservation
zone.Bartheoddpieceofdriftwood,thebeachis empty,and
whilethewindis unusuallystill,thewateris chilly.
AsambassadortotheAustralianMarineConservation
Society’sGoodFishproject,Shewryhasplentyincommon
withScottMcNeilandhiswifeMaaike,whosesmallwild‐foods
providorebusiness,Awatoru,suppliesmanyofWellington’stop
restaurants.TheMcNeilshaveanethical,small‐scaleapproachto
sourcingcrab,tuna,abalone,wildvenison,honeyandmore,and
theyknowalloftheirproducerspersonally.It’sa philosophythat
resonatesdeeplywithShewry.
Growingupona coastalfarminTaranaki,onthewestcoast
ofNewZealand’sNorthIsland,gaveShewrytheprivilegeofbeingexposedtotheflavoursoffreshfoodfromanearlyage,and
sparkedhisambitionat theageofjustfivetobecomea chef.
Indeed,hisculinarycuriosityhasdonewondersforhiscareer
andfortheAustralianrestaurantindustry.It hasalsoaffirmed
hisbeliefthatunlesswecollectivelyadopta sustainableapproach
toproduce,therewillbenothingleftforfuturegenerations.
Shewry’smostrecentreturntoWellington,thecitywherehe
startedhiscareer,hasgivenhimtheopportunitytoconnectwith
like‐mindedchefsandrestaurateurswhosharehispassionfor
sourcingseafoodwithgenuineintegrity.TakingtimeoutfromhisrestaurantgivesAtticachefandowner
BenShewrythechancetoconnectwithlike‐mindedWellingtonians
makingwavesontheWellingtonfoodscene.WILD WEEKENDS
SEA, FARM, TABLE
In keeping with his focus on Indigenous ingredients, Shewry
finds synergy with chef Monique Fiso from Hiakai in Wellington.
Fiso’s passionate and experimental approach to a menu based
on locally foraged native ingredients has been heartily embraced
by Wellingtonians.HIAKAI