With more than 20 years of experience in the culinary industry, the Auckland restaurant scene has been fortunate to have James Laird at the forefront of some of the best dining spots in the city.
Born in Rotorua, Laird spent much of his youth hunting, fishing, and cooking the catch with his father, who was a butcher. Having been taught the art of preparing home kill, Laird learned to respect animals and food through a holistic approach.
Laird studied at Waiariki Institute, a culinary school close to home. He then moved to Auckland to chase the dream of handling the pressure and sharpening his culinary skills.
Having worked in Prego, Euro, then landing in Sean Connolly's kitchen as a Sous Chef at The Grill, Laird realised he would want to work alongside Connolly to open his own restaurant one day. In 2020, the pair opened Esther Restaurant at QT Auckland.
Laird's spark was lit at Prego, where he loved the Italian cuisine and restaurant structure. A crucial inspiration that is integrated with Esther.
"Esther is all about the flavours of the Mediterranean, taking inspiration from Morocco, through to Sicily, Italy, to the South of France. Connolly's food philosophy is to cook good ingredients well and let them speak for themselves."
There is a high priority for sustainability at Esther, where they only use grass-fed beef, free-range eggs, and line-caught fish—only purchasing whole cuts to maximise efficiency and minimise waste.
Paying tribute to traditional cooking with a modern approach looks to respect the traditional dishes while adding a personal touch.
As part of a new initiative, Laird teamed up with Connolly in making the meat of retired dairy cows a premium offering. A ritual entrenched in the Basque region of Spain ultimately means to honour better the contribution dairy cows have made during their lifetime.
Grant Bennett from Speckle Farm butchered the cow into premium cuts cooked differently at Esther to prove that older cows can end their life as a high-end meal. This has since been brought on the menu at Esther as a unique offering.
Esther and its co-pilots believe sustainability is vital. Despite the current climate's financial challenges, Laird believes that keeping sustainability a top priority is necessary to overcome this.
Laird believes in not letting a mistake turn you away from an opportunity but instead learning from it and letting it challenge you, as they often lead to progression in one's self.
From winning his first-ever hat as Head Chef at Gusto to opening Esther alongside Connolly, Laird has had his fair share of industry wins and wants to keep going.
"I want to continue to grow and develop myself, develop new dishes and assist in the evolution of Esther. My goal is to continue to develop and mentor the team, teaching new skills and encouraging young chefs."
