By Marie-Antoinette Issa.
There’s a quiet intensity to New Zealand Chef Josh Emett’s presence - a product of decades spent in some of the world’s most disciplined kitchen - but also a surprising warmth. It’s this duality that defines his food too: refined, yet deeply rooted; elegant but never overworked.
It’s an insight that AGFG was recently granted intimate access to at a kitchen takeover at Gilda’s in Sydney. Hosted by Tataki Auckland Unlimited, the Trans-Tasman lunch was a sophisticated showcase of Auckland’s dining scene that has become Josh’s signature.
Josh’s career reads like a culinary passport. He trained in New Zealand at Waikato Polytechnic (now Te Pukenga-WINTEC Culinary School), then cooked his way through Australia, Europe and the US before spending a decade alongside Gordon Ramsay in London, New York, LA and Melbourne.
"All Michelin-starred kitchens run with laser precision and exceptionally high standards,” he recalls. "Cooking under Gordon taught me a huge amount...he instilled a deep respect for ingredients and a strong discipline around waste.”
It wasn’t all fire and fury: "His humour made the intensity manageable. He was a lot of fun. But, you could never take your eye off the ball.”
After leaving Gordon Ramsay Holdings, Josh returned to New Zealand and opened Queenstown’s Rata, then Madam Woo and Hawker and Roll. Today, he runs three celebrated venues with his wife Helen: the refined Onslow in Auckland, the breezy Oyster Inn on Waiheke Island and the European-inspired Gilt Brasserie in Auckland’s historic Chancery Chambers.
"My cooking style would be described as uncomplicated, elegant cuisine where the ingredients are allowed to shine,” he says. "I’m obsessive about balance: acidity, sweetness, texture and always, always seasoning.”
Modern Kiwi cuisine is a throughline across all of his restaurants - even if it’s interpreted in different ways.
"To me, Modern New Zealand cuisine reflects the experiences of a generation of Chefs who headed overseas after uni or culinary school,” Josh explains. "Their time in Europe, the US or Asia clearly imprints on their menus - a globally-inspired approach that still feels unmistakably Kiwi.”
It’s also about a reverence for produce: "Native herbs like kawakawa and horopito bring a distinct flavour with the environment playing a huge role,” adds Josh, who says that honouring those local ingredients is key, even as the execution evolves.
The menu at Onslow perfectly captures this ethos. Dishes like crayfish éclair, 12-hour Lumina lamb shoulder and a theatrical salmon trolley - cured for 48 hours and carved tableside - are as elegant as they are Kiwi.
"We also offer a Martini trolley, adding a touch of theatre,” he says. "Another signature is the fried chicken and caviar - indulgent, unexpected and the perfect pairing with a glass of Krug.”
The Oyster Inn, meanwhile, channels a breezy coastal energy. "It gives off Hamptons vibes,” says Josh. "It’s a lot more casual, with a bistro-style menu that naturally leans into seafood.”
Staples like kahawai mousse, mac and cheese and choux buns with salted caramel have remained unchanged for more than a decade. "We’ve kept the menu true to the original...it’s a local favourite but also loved by Aucklanders who hop on the ferry for their regular Waiheke and Oyster Inn fix.”
Gilt Brasserie is the newest addition - a love letter to European bistros. "Helen and I met in New York and our favourite dining spots were places like L’Odeon, Balthazar and Pastis,” he says.
"We also both spent a lot of time in Europe...we wanted to bring that to Auckland.”
With dishes like salt cod croquettes, endive salad, duck à l’orange and even a whole section dedicated to potatoes, Gilt feels like it could be nestled in Paris or Madrid.
Asked to offer an insight into the future (and whether he would ever open a restaurant in Australia again) Josh is candid:
"I’m not sure I would, to be honest,” he says with a smile. "That said, I still feel quite drawn to the US…but you never know what’s around the corner.”
One thing’s certain - wherever Josh goes next, it’ll be thoughtful, precise and unmistakably his own.
