Kiwi Cooking Comes of Age: 25 Years of Cuisine

Media Release
20 February 2012

Kiwi Cooking Comes of Age: 25 Years of Cuisine Magazine

New Zealand’s top-selling food magazine Cuisine celebrates its 25th birthday with a silver anniversary edition, on sale today [Eds: Monday, 20 February 2012].

Editor Sarah Nicholson says since the first issue of the magazine was published in February 1987, Cuisine has charted New Zealand food’s coming of age as well as played a hand in defining the trends.

“The magazine has had a huge influence on the food industry, from spearheading campaigns around how food and beverage items are marketed and sold, to bringing once exotic ingredients into the mainstream by educating readers about them,” Nicholson says.

In the issue, Cuisine food editor and pioneering New Zealand chef Ray McVinnie celebrates some of these ingredients that have expanded our pantries, including haloumi cheese and Asian greens. The commemorative issue also announces the winners of the 2012 Cuisine Artisan Awards, highlighting the producers inspiring New Zealand chefs and home cooks alike.

McVinnie has contributed to the magazine for 20 years and says writing for Cuisine is the best job he has ever had. “It’s the greatest arena and so satisfying giving people recipes that we know they will use,” he adds.

The magazine also shares recipes from a number of other top chefs, including Fleur Sullivan and Simon Gault, who had already begun their careers when Cuisine launched and are now stalwarts in the country’s restaurant scene.

“While New Zealanders embrace new trends and ingredients, we also hold fast to our traditional, comforting dishes,” says Nicholson.

“The recipe line-up in this issue reflects that fact, with dishes as diverse as grilled lamb ribs with chimichurri sauce, and sugar-cured salmon with salted fennel and cucumber salad sitting alongside classics such as roast lamb, collapsed pavlova and raspberry lamingtons.

Senior writer David Burton has scrutinised his complete Cuisine collection for the birthday edition and uncovered some interesting recipes over the years. Tofu smoothies were suggested as a quick breakfast idea in one of the earliest issues, while a plaited fish fillet served with passionfruit pulp and Grand Marnier, and a lunch dish featuring smoked snapper mousse with deep-fried silver beet were other unusual stand-outs.

“Cuisine has helped to define New Zealand’s culture – here’s to another quarter century of amazing food,” says Nicholson.

Cuisine’s silver anniversary collector’s issue hits the stands on Monday, 20 February 2012. For further information visit www.cuisine.co.nz.

ENDS