We sat down with our Chef Dominic hodge who spoke with us about his experiences in the kitchen, food & dining today, as well as some tips for the newly engaged!
What was the main reason you decided to be a chef?
My mother is a fantastic cook and owned various small food businesses as I was growing up-she was well ahead of her time in contemporary dietary fads and still is!
What inspires you the most?
I take inspiration from all places; Food and ingredients themselves- the seasonal challenges that come with catering particularly now as we progress in to winter can also be inspiring.. I call it the PPP season
Pears parsnips and pumpkins.. I take my biggest inspiration however from my small young family- they get me going every day.
What is your favourite thing about working in the catering industry and for Kawau Bay kitchen - What about the most challenging?
I have always been cooking, I was in the restaurant industry for around six years before moving into private catering 16 years ago. Catering affords me the chance to go home alot of the week nights and spend time with my family, While still getting the opportunity to create new and exciting dishes. Plus the staff here [at KBK] are amazing. I am surrounded by a great group of hardworking people. They make it refreshing to come into work every day. Especially Himan, (the logistics head ) The challenge foremost was shifting the mindset from cooking individual dishes for maybe one hundred people in a night, to creating unique menus for numerous events at different venues taking place in the same amount of time.
You mentioned the restaurant industry; tell us a little more about that!
I completed a chef’s apprenticeship on the eastern seaboard of Australia- a nomadic trip, that included Noosa heads, the Gold Coast, Central New South Wales and Sydney. It was the early 90s
Fusion food AKA East meets West reigned supreme and I was fortunate enough to work with some talented people who gave me the foundations in professional cookery that I still use today.
This industry, whether it is restaurant or catering, is always changing, how do you keep up with all the cooking trends?
Read, read, read. I am a huge media junkie, there is so much information in books and online.I have also gotten the opportunity to work with so many amazing chefs that I've been able to discuss a variety of techniques and trends with. A lot of my friends are foodies and former industry types so even when socialising I am still immersed in some kind of discussion revolving around cuisine.
What is your favourite type of cuisine to cook?
Mediterranean, North African, really anything from that corner of the world. I love that whole area, the spices that they use, how they prepare dishes, really everything about that style.
If you had one weekend to travel anywhere, which city would you dine in?
I have spent a lot of time in Southern Europe which is heavily influenced by French colonial Northern Africa so I think Morocco and cities like Marrakesh. I am also keen to check Bueno Aires Argentina now that you can do fly direct from Auckland.
Is there any ingredient you think is under-appreciated in dishes?
Not here, we really create so many diverse options and use everything. If I had to say something in general, I would say vegetables in general. I love vegetarian dishes and think they are something in cooking as a whole that can really be expanded on. When I am cooking at home I try to be really experimental with theses types of meals. Since I started the business in 2008 I have watched with pleasure as Auckland's food scene has exploded.
For the newly engaged, what kind of questions should they be asking their caterer?
They should go in with all their needs, and a good caterer will ask all the questions. Our mission [at KBK] is to take what the client is looking for and then create & deliver exactly what they are imagining.
Any advice you can give them then?
Trust us. Seriously, when I meet with people during their consultation I assure them I treat each and every event with the care it deserves.
