Ben Bayly has set his sights on Shanghai, where he plans to open a pop-up version of his well-regarded Auckland Restaurant Ahi.
For the month of November, celebrated New Zealand chef Ben Bayly and his team will transform The Kitchen Table at W Shanghai - The Bund into Ahi Shanghai, an eye-catching collaboration that recreates his award-winning Auckland restaurant Ahi and brings the spirit of New Zealand hospitality and world-class cuisine to China’s culinary capital. The Kitchen Table, with its interactive open kitchen, celebrates the legacy of Shanghai’s flourishing trade, making it the perfect backdrop for a dynamic culinary exchange between New Zealand and China.
Opening November 4, Ahi Shanghai will run until November 30, offering guests an immersive New Zealand dining experience. The first week (November 4 to 8) will host exclusive New Zealand trade and media events, before opening to the public from November 9:30. Footage captured during the pop-up will also appear in Season five of Ben Bayly’s TV Show A New Zealand Food Story, due to air in 2026.
Meaning “fire” in Te Reo Māori, Ahi symbolises the heart of Ben Bayly’s cooking philosophy, harnessing flame to reveal the pure, natural flavours of New Zealand. The Shanghai pop-up aims to celebrate those flavours and the people behind them, connecting diners to the land, produce, and culture that make New Zealand cuisine unique.
“We created the Ahi menu to celebrate authentic New Zealand food, fresh organic produce with bold, elemental flavours, grown by New Zealanders embracing regenerative agriculture,” said Bayly.
“When I visited China last year, I was inspired by the generosity and passion for food I encountered. I can’t wait to return that hospitality and share a little piece of New Zealand with Shanghai.”
The W’s “Kitchen Table” restaurant has been fully redesigned for the pop-up, featuring an entirely new fit-out that mirrors Ahi Auckland’s contemporary warmth. The space has been brought to life by Hannah Churchill of hcreates Design, an award-winning New Zealand interior designer based in Shanghai and Hong Kong.
In addition to the main restaurant, guests can also visit “The Bach Shanghai” on the hotel’s iconic waterfront deck, a playful nod to New Zealand’s beloved seaside holiday homes. Here, visitors can enjoy New Zealand wines, fresh oysters, and refined Kiwi snacks like a luxe twist on the classic meat pie, all with panoramic views of the Bund skyline.
“At The W, we’re always looking to surprise and delight our guests with new experiences,” said Maarten Van Moortere, Director of Food & Beverage at W Shanghai - the Bund.
“Ahi Shanghai offers something truly unique, not only an inspired New Zealand menu but also a complete transformation of our space by a New Zealand designer. It’s a chance for even our regular guests to experience the hotel in a whole new way.”
The project is being produced and led by Tribal Brands Asia, a Kiwi-owned food and beverage marketing agency based in Shanghai, the pop-up continues the agency’s Ends of the Earth culinary exchange series, which first brought Chinese chefs to explore New Zealand’s ingredients and landscapes.
“This project is a real passion piece for us,” said Aaron Marsich, Managing Director of Tribal Brands Asia.
“We love Ben’s storytelling through A New Zealand Food Story, and wanted to bring that to life for our clients and partners in China. It’s about promoting New Zealand’s food culture and ingredients in a way that’s fresh and authentic.”
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