By Marie-Antoinette Issa.
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.
"Growing up on a New Zealand farm shaped my early approach to food and training overseas refined it. My global experience gave me an incredible technical foundation. It’s those skills that have most influenced my cooking since returning home and have allowed me to develop my own style around New Zealand’s exceptional produce.”
Josh’s foundation in technique, honed under the intense gaze of Gordon Ramsay, now meets a deep understanding of local ingredients to create dishes that are both refined and grounded.
Josh’s earliest food memories were sweet and simple. "Baking was my first love - banana cakes, biscuits, pavlova, caramel slice - I was making them all from the Edmonds cookbook from a very young age.”
Those early experiments in flavour and precision would eventually shape his approach to professional kitchens, but Josh never lost sight of joy in cooking. Even today, his passion for ingredients and technique is tempered by a playful curiosity and generosity.
Each of Josh’s restaurants has a distinct personality, yet all share a commitment to provenance and seasonality. "Each venue has its own identity, so the menu always reflects that. For me, it’s less about New Zealand food culture and more about our ingredients - sourcing the best, ensuring sustainability and staying true to the seasons. Being an island nation means seasonality is non-negotiable.”
At The Oyster Inn, this philosophy is intimately tied to the local environment. "Our wine list highlights beautiful Waiheke wines alongside other great New Zealand producers. We also have a gin and whisky distillery, as well as olive oils and our oysters come from the island’s own Te Matuku farm.
"We grow a small selection of leaves and edible flowers in a shared garden featured in our salads, delivered fresh each day. The island has a really special community feel - locals often drop in lemons or fruit from their trees and we thank them with a gin and tonic on the house.”
At Gilt Brasserie, Josh channels contemporary European fare with a nod to New Zealand. "At Gilt Brasserie, we re-imagine European classics through a New Zealand lens. Right now we’re celebrating asparagus and courgette flowers and when Winter arrives, we look forward to truffles from Nelson rather than importing them from Europe. It’s about respecting technique while celebrating NZ provenance.”
Across all venues, he balances tradition with innovation, producing dishes that are instantly recognisable yet thoroughly local.
Josh’s influence extends beyond the plate. He has been a public face on MasterChef New Zealand, authored multiple cookbooks and acted as a brand ambassador for Nespresso. He has helped shape the conversation around New Zealand produce, particularly seafood.
"We’re blessed with some of the world’s best seafood. Most households get to enjoy this by fishing for snapper off the rocks, catching crayfish from pots and spots that families keep secret, Bluff oysters, sustainable salmon and paua. I’ve never quite warmed to kina myself, but I appreciate how treasured it is for many.”
His approach to hospitality is shaped by experience and observation. "It’s really the sum of all our experiences that has shaped us. Every dining experience and guest interaction we’ve had has left us asking, ‘What can we learn from that and how can we do it better?’ We want our guests to feel truly looked after - from the way our waitstaff listen and guide them, through to the thoughtful touches we incorporate from tableside service to hand-written notes.”
Josh’s personal life mirrors the balance he brings to his kitchens. "I’m an active rester. I rarely sit still. Exercise is a big part of my routine and weekends are for golf or fishing with my boys - that’s when I properly unwind.”
Despite his focus on European-inspired cuisine in restaurants, his cravings when dining out lean elsewhere. "Given that the food I cook in restaurants tends to be more classic French style, when I eat out I often crave Asian food like dim sum, which is our go-to for Sunday lunch, as well as Japanese.”
When cooking for friends and family, Josh leans into generosity and simplicity. "Fideua - a Catalan paella made with toasted vermicelli instead of rice and beautiful fresh seafood - is my go-to. It’s simple, generous and perfect for sharing.”
This same ethos resonates across his restaurants: technical excellence, generosity and a reverence for New Zealand ingredients.
Josh’s dedication to mentorship is equally steadfast. "Our legacy and role as Chefs and restaurateurs, whether Chef or front of house, is to train and develop our teams to an extremely high level of skill, passing on the knowledge that we have learned, teaching and preparing them for a sustainable future in hospitality.”
For Josh, success is not measured solely in awards or Michelin stars, but in the growth and confidence of the Chefs he nurtures.
Across Onslow, The Oyster Inn and Gilt Brasserie, Josh has spent decades building a vision of Modern New Zealand cuisine that is ambitious yet grounded, elegant yet approachable. Through his careful sourcing, technical mastery and mentorship, he has redefined what it means to eat well in Auckland, championing producers, inspiring Chefs and creating dining experiences that feel unmistakably Kiwi while reaching a standard that’s world-class.
