I
n her dimly lit restaurant kitchen,
Monique Fiso is putting together
one of her most boundary-push-
ing dishes: green-lipped mussel ice
cream.
The Samoan-Māori chef, who
has worked at Michelin-starred
establishments in New York, took
about six attempts to get the savoury dish
right before she added it to the degustation
menu at Hiakai, her indigenous fine-dining
eatery in suburban
Wellington.
Fiso is hot right now
and has been hailed as
one of New Zealand’s
most exciting chefs.
She is in demand
both here and around
the world following an
appearance on Netflix
cooking competitionFinal Table, alongside a Michelin star-
studded cast of celebrity chefs. The show
premiered last November, the same day
that the 30-seat Hiakai (Māori for “hungry”)
opened. The restaurant is booked weeks
ahead.
Fiso’s goal is to completely overthrow
everything we know about Māori cuisine
and indigenous ingredients. Her restaurant
does degustation, so diners don’t have a
choice about what they are served. Thisallows her to tell a story through food. Up
until now, she says, most Māori cuisine has
been associated with the hāngi pit.
“At Hiakai, there is no hāngi pit. We
aim to make the ingredients so amazing
and showcase them in such an original
and delicious way that people will realise
Māori cuisine is more than just a hāngi in
the ground.’’
When dining out, New Zealanders
increasingly want to be told a unique storySTARS OF
OUR KAI
Celebrity chef Monique Fiso has starred in a top US cooking
show and opened a new restaurant in Wellington to prove
that there’s more to Māori food than hāngi. She’s just one
of the talented chefs pushing the boundaries of what is
possible in New Zealand. by SARAH CATHERALL ● photograph by HAGEN HOPKINS
SUPPLIEDEATING OUT IN NZ
Monique Fiso foraging
for ingredients: “Most
Mondays, the kitchen
team switches from chef
jackets and Japanese
knives to tramping gear
and hard-wearing utility
knives.”