An immersive eating expertise that mixes scrumptious meals with unimaginable expertise has come to Auckland.
An immersive eating expertise that mixes scrumptious meals with unimaginable expertise has come to Auckland, able to entertain and educate foodies on kai and tradition from throughout the Pacific.
Takurua Ti’iti’i Sacred Data tells the story of Ti’i-Ti’i-Atalaga (a recent of Māui) a rebellious trickster and hero of the Pacific, alongside a five-course banquet created by Kingi’s govt chef Wallace Mua Frost.
Stuff chatted to chef Frost and Tausani Simei-Papali’i, Takurua’s inventive director, to seek out out why this occasion is so essential.
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Simei-Papali’i first skilled Takurua 5 years in the past, describing it as “a really previous type of celebrating meals by way of artwork”.
“We had a objective to introduce Prepare dinner Island meals to eating places, not solely within the Prepare dinner Islands for vacationers but in addition in Aotearoa and hopefully globally,” he mentioned.
“I spent numerous time researching what Prepare dinner Island meals is, what it symbolises, what’s the historical past and the story to inform by way of the meals.”
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Simei-Papali’i defined that the phrase “kai” doesn’t simply imply meals, however “taking life and power in each sense to soak up the meals”.
“It’s way more than simply the meals itself, it has a non secular objective and meals is simply the vessel,” he mentioned.
The person behind the meals, chef Frost, was launched to Takurua by Simei-Papali’i when the pair had been in Rarotonga in 2018.
“The truth that it was our tales being informed by our folks, however add to it the concept of melding our meals into the tales and having dishes that ran parallel to the storylines was the “hook” for me,” Frost mentioned.
Frost acknowledged that Takurua was “a problem”, however one he was prepared to decide to.
“A five-course dinner isn’t any straightforward process, a five-course dinner that coincides with the acts of a theatre present and it’s themes, over the course of 6 exhibits, with restricted assets was firstly an enormous problem,” he mentioned.
Provided The eating expertise will mix meals, tradition and theatre.
“Nevertheless it was the possibility to honour the previous and shine a path for the long run, particularly for the youthful technology of Polynesian cooks coming by way of.”
Frost described the meals and theatre expertise of Takurua as “two types of artwork combining”.
“Often when folks typically exit for dinner, they’re desirous to expertise a meal they typically wouldn’t get or make at dwelling,” he mentioned.
“Including the drama of the theatre elevates and awakens all senses.”
Frost mentioned deciding the menu for the occasion was the “best a part of the method”, as a result of it was guided by the story.
“Simei-Papali’i’d inform me the way in which the story was going, and I might take one thing from my mum’s or household’s cooking (conventional Samoan meals) and work in the direction of that,” Frost mentioned.
As a part of the expertise, diners will study Polynesia’s wealthy tradition surrounding their meals.
Provided Takurua has promised to be an expertise in contrast to something the viewers has skilled earlier than.
“Our meals has untapped potential, and is so adaptable that even after 18 years within the kitchen I’ve barely scratched the floor,” Frost mentioned.
Simei-Papali’I hopes that the occasion will change folks’s thoughts on Māori and Pacific Island meals.
“I actually need folks to take away the barrier and notion that Māori and Pacific Island meals is only for folks from the islands,” he mentioned.
To ebook your tickets to Takurua Ti’iti’i Sacred Data, head to the Elemental AKL web site.