New Maori Cookbook By World Famous Chef “Charles Royal”

Spot Charles early Saturday morning at the Rotorua Kuirau market buying his vegetables or even earlier having a soak at Waitangi Soda Springs. After that forget about reaching him by cell phone… he’ll be in the bush on the outskirts of Rotorua harvesting kinaki (native bush herbs of Aotearoa) or he could be in China promoting his Kinaki NZ brand and helping Dunninghams NZ to crack a major deal.

Kinaki wontons and dim sims for the Chinese.. you bet !

‘Cooking with Charles Royal’ is a taonga… a national treasure, as is the man himself.

Never before has New Zealand seen an indigenous cookbook of this calibre.

Charles generously shares his ancient knowledge of:

• harvesting our native foods,
• sustainability,
• preparation and cooking methods

as we are taken on a food journey where the bush and sea come alive and the mauri or life force almost jumps off the plate.

The food photography is exceptional and encaptures Charles’ gift of presenting us with the perfect balance of flavours, colours and shapes that heighten our senses and tempt our palates

Recipes and the traditional and modern cooking methods are easy to follow:

• Pikopiko Toroi,
• Titi Risotto,
• Fire Roasted Kahawai,
• Ti-Toki Duck and Miro Berries,
• Horopito Rack of Lamb,
• Sticky Kawakawa Meringues are a few of my favourites!

Horopito Salmon is one of Charles’ signature dishes I have been cooking for years and matching with Tohu Pinot Noir.

Tohu Wines, the Maori owned indigenous wines of New Zealand, are naturally matched with key dishes throughout the book. You will also discover a few very traditional surprises enjoyed by our ancestors!
From winning his first cooking competition at age six to being awarded ‘Innovative Chef of the Year’ 2003 and ‘Award of Innovation and Excellence’ we are introduced to his fascinating life story.  An army career cooking for hundreds of troops, guest chef at the Four Seasons Hotels in Rome and Milan, his dramatic and innovative food at his own restaurants in Paraparaumu, Rotorua and Auckland, his life impacting encounter with the Slow Food Movement, his New Zealand food tours and the formation and showcasing of his distinctly New Zealand brand and philosophy Kinaki NZ to the global market place.

Charles acknowledges his tupuna, his wife and whanau for their support and inspiration to create indigenous culinary experiences. His mihi to Papatuanuku is his commitment to ensure his culture’s food identity survives by promoting sustainability as practiced by our elders and passing on the health benefits of kinaki that lie at our doorstep.

At last a Cookbook from our most prized Maori chef and Kinaki NZ food supplier .

He taonga tuku iho.

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