Across New Zealand’s dining landscape, five stories show how identity, memory and migration shape the plate. From three friends who carried the soul of a small Colombian eatery to Hawke’s Bay’s hills at Mijita, to Rob Hope-Ede’s rise from kitchen hand to culinary visionary, each journey is grounded in grit and hospitality.
Sean Connolly chases ‘food of the sun’ with rock-n-roll swagger and grandmotherly nostalgia. Josh Emett refines modern Kiwi dining through seasons and produce. Henry Onesemo’s Tala brings Samoa’s umu-born comfort to central Auckland. Together, they remind us that great restaurants are built on people, place and shared tables.
When three friends walked into a small eatery in Colombia more than a decade ago, they had no idea it would one day lead them to the rolling hills of Hawke’s Bay, New Zealand.
What began as a modest 25-seat restaurant has grown into a journey that spans continents, cultures and cuisines. Today, Rafael Pabon, Jade Gosling and Alejandro Fajardo stand proudly behind Mijita, their second restaurant together - this time thousands of miles from where their story began.
Their New Zealand venture brings the warmth and vibrancy of Latin America to Hawke’s Bay. The concept is simple yet soulful: an invitation to connect, converse and linger over shared plates and cocktails.
Born in Auckland, New Zealand, Rob Hope-Ede’s story is one of persistence, humility and an unshakable love for food. His culinary journey began not with glamour, but with suds and steel - washing dishes as a kitchen hand at Sausalito Café in Northcote Point.
Mondays were quiet in the little café and Rob often found himself covering the pizza section while the Chef slipped outside for a smoke. It was an unexpected apprenticeship and one that revealed his natural affinity for the stove.
The defining moment came when the kitchen was left short-staffed one night. Rob volunteered to step in, only to be dismissed by the Head Chef as "just a kitchen hand.” With quiet confidence, he revealed his secret - he had been running the pizza section every Monday.
Sean Connolly is a creative force in the culinary world, with the Yorkshire-born Chef’s career spanning more than 40 years and continents. A businessman, ‘affable geezer’ and lover of rock n roll, art and fashion, Sean has built a culinary empire across Australia and New Zealand.
From Esther at QT Hotel in Auckland to Pavilion Bar & Kitchens in Queenstown and Steak & Co by Sean Connolly at West HQ, Sydney, his venues are united by a philosophy that prizes tradition over trend, provenance and simplicity.
Yet for all his cool-guy cred, Sean’s approach to hospitality is also deeply personal - rooted in nostalgia and inspired by the sweet memories of his Grandmother Esther, after whom his flagship restaurant is named.
Josh Emett is one of New Zealand’s most influential Chefs, a restaurateur whose career bridges fine dining, casual concepts and television screens. From the rolling farms of Hamilton where he grew up to kitchens in London, New York, Los Angeles and Melbourne, Josh’s journey has been defined by curiosity, precision and a commitment to exceptional produce.
Today, he co-owns Onslow in Auckland, The Oyster Inn on Waiheke Island and Gilt Brasserie in Auckland’s historic Chancery Chambers building with his wife Helen. Across these venues, his approach is clear: celebrate New Zealand ingredients, respect the seasons and deliver a dining experience that is as elegant as it is approachable.
Henry Onesemo’s journey to the heart of Auckland’s dining scene is as rich and layered as the dishes he creates. Growing up in Samoa, his passion for food was sparked early. He remembers helping in the kitchen as a child and the ritual of early Sunday morning trips to the fish market with his Dad to make the umu before church.
One of his earliest food memories was eating palusami with taro leaves, onions and coconut milk wrapped in banana leaves and cooked in the umu.
"At 17, I moved to the USA and began to miss the food from home. I was on a mission to re-create palusami without taro leaves, fresh coconut milk, banana leaves, or an umu. That journey led me to rediscover and reimagine childhood memories and gave birth to my love for cooking.”
