The New Zealand restaurant industry has had its fair share of big names, with one of the most recognisable being Simon Gault.
Chef, restaurateur, food writer, entrepreneur, and television personality Gault has done it all. Gault will be best known to New Zealanders for his time as a judge on MasterChef New Zealand and his restaurants, such as Euro, Gault on Quay, and Giraffe.
His latest project has seen him return to his love of flavour and seek the best locally and internationally sourced ingredients.
Gault's Deli in the Auckland suburb of St Johns is heaven for any foodie, offering a selection of savoury and sweet delicacies and a test kitchen, and Gault is in his element. The location even has a pizza dough factory on site, complete with an authentic Italian pizza oven.
"This has always been a dream job of mine, with an office upstairs and kitchen downstairs. It's the perfect place for us. There is plenty of parking out the back, too," said Gault.
After travelling around Europe as a chef, Gault returned to New Zealand to discover a need for fine and speciality ingredients. Wanting to buy a big wheel of cheese, Gault found that no one in New Zealand sold them. Therefore, the only option was to import from overseas. So Gault set up a location in Takanini, importing some of the highest quality ingredients onto the local market.
Gault's Deli has been roughly a year in the making and opened in late March 2023. Where an office space once stood is now home to a state-of-the-art kitchen, complete with a bench to fit no less than ten. This a chance for Gault to share his expertise and encourage customers to experiment with different flavours and products.
Artisan foods such as relishes and sauces adorn the shelves, with fridges offering various types of meat, and pre-made ready-to-cook doughs. One of his aims is to introduce products through this platform that could eventually become mainstream.
Taste testing some of the in-store products shows that flavour, quality, and innovation are vital to making this deli different from most others. Gault said he always looks at what an ingredient can offer customers and its background.
"I always look for the story in each product; it needs something interesting to grab your attention. I hate having to say no to a product."
Passion is served with every offering at Gault's Deli. Aiming to make people more interested in cooking, he runs regular cooking classes, offering a place to learn and improve culinary skills. With a kitchen space catering to up to 30 at once, it is the perfect place for a team-building exercise or a fun night out with friends.
"One thing I have noticed here is that it is frightening how many people want someone to cook for them instead of trying it themselves. The point is to excite people about food within the moment; there is so much inspiration out there."
"Cooking does not have to be complicated and is quicker and easier than most people realise."
Several of Gault's food products are also available in-store, from seasoning inspired by international cuisines such as Italian and Moroccan to a range of stocks and sauces.
