Created by owners Josh Emett and Fleur Caulton, the duo fused their shared love of Asian cuisine to build Madam Woo.
First opened in Queenstown in 2013, Caulton has brought her 20 years of hospitality experience and added it to Emett’s distinguished profile as a judge of MasterChef and successful Auckland restaurateur. “The name ‘Madam Woo’ was important to be able to convey these values. We wanted something catchy that would conjure up the image of a beautiful, strong, independent woman who would charm her clientele, while watching over the detail of the operation with the care, intensity and skill of us as owners,” said Emett and Caulton.
Madam Woo serves authentic Malaysian food, utilising family recipes handed down through the generations. The menu includes steamed fish and greens, fried wontons, pork belly and curries, as well as traditional Vietnamese drip coffee and Chinese loose-leaf tea.
West Auckland brewery Hallertau was commissioned to capture the essence of Madam Woo in a beer, resulting in the creation of the Woo Brew, available on tap. Brewed in the style of a radler, there are notes of coriander and citrus.
At the time the concept was being developed, Caulton and Emett had young Malaysian chef Jane Leong working in the kitchen of their other restaurant, Rata. Leong came on board as the head chef for Madam Woo Queenstown and helped develop the menu.
Madam Woo Takapuna
