Rewi Spraggon is one of New Zealand’s most prolific chefs, specialising in Māori cuisine.
Spraggon has a deep understanding of local cuisine, as his mother was the head Ringawera (chef) on their marae. A big fan of celebrity chef Julia Child, Spraggon said his mother would infuse traditional French cooking and techniques with Māori cuisine onto the menu of her catering company. Spraggon said that using logically sourced ingredients makes all of the difference.
“Local is about freshness and working with what's available at the time and, in most cases, seasonal,” said Spraggon.
Spraggon’s background on the marae and learning to cook from his mother have been the biggest inspirations throughout his career. He added that it was a solid platform that has enabled him to embrace everything he does within the kitchen. His career started at the bottom, washing dishes. Whilst unpleasant for some, this, to him, was one of the most important jobs in the kitchen, as often they have to be turned around quickly in order to be plated again. He has learnt that dishwashers need as much respect as everyone else in the kitchen.
He is perhaps best known as the Hangi Master, an example of his proud usage of Māori cooking techniques.
“Hangi Master is about respecting and upholding the mana of Hangi Masters of the past, the present and the future. Every Māori village had a Hangi Master, but now with the use of steam cookers, there are becoming less and less. It's my mission to take hangi to the world and keep the art of this cooking alive.”
Spraggon wanted to bring as many traditional Māori dishes back onto the menu as possible, especially Hangi, as it is the oldest dish in Māori cuisine. One of the reasons he so proudly re-introduced specific types of Māori cuisine onto various menus was due to the lack of variety available. An example he gave was that when cruise ships enter Auckland Harbour, they are greeted by every type of cuisine except Māori.
His introduction of traditional and contemporary Māori cuisine has now made its way onto several high-profile restaurants, including Peter Gordon’s Homeland and Ben Bayly’s Ahi. Spraggon is currently exploring possible locations in Queenstown to adopt some Māori dishes.
Thinking ahead, Spraggoon hopes to have a number of Hangi fast-food restaurants, offering authentic hangi options in a format similar to McDonalds, where everyone can have access to it.
Spraggon said that the uniqueness of local food makes it stand out from the rest of the world and that it is important to keep it uniquely local.
“Why would you want to be like everyone else?” he joked.
Spraggon has been selected by Laphroaig Whiskey Scotland as their New Zealand Trailblazer chef for 2023. As part of this role, he has crafted a bespoke menu combining traditional Māori hangi with the bold taste of Laphroaig Whiskey. Spraggon said that the event promises to be an experience that will transport guests to a world of where land meets the sea, putting a uniquely Kiwi lens on the strong flavour profile Laphroaig is known for.
“For me, cooking is all about bringing people together for a memorable experience. There is something special about sharing a great meal with friends and family.”
As part of the menu, mains have been designed to share, including beef cheek with pumpkin, pork belly with apple caramel, and vegetable melange with char-grilled broccolini. For dessert, Spraggon will serve honey mascarpone with a Laphroaig-infused steam pudding with kawakawa ice cream, lemon curd, and smashed meringue.
