Emily Cross’ journey into hospitality wasn’t a choice made in a classroom; it was born in the soil of a mixed crop and livestock farm in Mid Canterbury.
Growing up, the connection between the land and the plate was a way of life. She milked the cow every morning and night, ate mutton from her own paddocks, and tended a vegetable garden so vast she had to plough it with the John Deere. Understanding where food comes from wasn't a lesson for her, it was her heritage.
That foundation led her to Noah’s Hotel in Christchurch, where she began as a kitchen hand. Those four years of her apprenticeship were a whirlwind of grit and "bucketfuls of resilience."
“It wasn’t easy, but the hard work paid off when I won a variety of cookery competitions including New Zealand Apprentice Chef of the Year. From there, the world beckoned. After four years of exploring and working across the globe on my O.E., I returned home to discover a new passion: teaching,” she said.
By 24, she was teaching at CPIT (now Ara). Her career has since bounced between industry and education. From a hotel kitchen, a café, a boutique lodge, or a winery, or guiding students at Ara, Toi Ohomai or Otago Polytechnic, she adapted to whatever life threw her way, be it motherhood, relocation, and personal crossroads.
Through it all, she never stopped being a student herself and gained her Diploma in Tertiary Learning and Teaching level 7, a Bachelor of Culinary Arts with Distinction and recently achieved recognition of becoming a WORLDCHEF Regional Judge.
“As a woman in this industry, you are often flooded with advice. The real skill is learning how to sift through it and take on board what works for you.”
The best piece she said she ever received was “Don’t chase the money; work in the places where you learn, and the money will eventually find you.”
Cross’ executive chef Serge Dansereau from The Regent in Sydney has been her biggest mentor. She described Dansereau as a visionary who respected the source. She recalled that he once took the kitchen team out to meet the growers and championed local produce long before it was a trend.
“More importantly, he was a leader who truly had my back, standing by me when I faced challenges with my sous chef.”
In recent years, Cross has seen the rise of technology, from equipment to AI, as well as a massive increase in dietaries and allergens and more processed and prepared food items. She said the most vital change has been the shift toward staff wellbeing, and that the fact chefs can now take breaks and sick days was progress.
Looking ahead, her heart is in sustainability. She would like to see environmental and social responsibility woven into the very fabric of the kitchen.
She’d also like to see more unique dining experiences that tell a story, and to move away from processed food and fewer additives and rekindle that direct connection with the grower that she knew as a child.
Throughout her more than 40-year career, the most rewarding highlight has been being able to give back to the industry. She said there is nothing more rewarding than empowering the next generation with the skills and confidence to carve out their own career path.
Her deep passion for good food continues to motivate her.
“It’s my creative outlet. A need for continued learning. Empowering students with skills and knowledge for the future.”
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