White linen. Long lunches. Flowing wine. Ingredients and cuisines that had never been seen before. Grit, talent, and passion. Auckland Eats Volume 2: The Prequel takes you on a trip back in time. From the late 1970s Auckland’s food scene entered a period of unprecedented growth. People began to see dining out as something that could be enjoyed more than just on the odd special occasion and the city’s chefs, restaurateurs, and their dedicated teams built businesses that were about so much more than just food. We shine a spotlight on a couple of decades that blazed a trail for the way we dine out today.
Auckland Eats Vol.2 features classic photography from the time, and a stellar lineup of food writers who wined, dined, and in some cases cheffed their way through the period. Protagonists of the zeitgeist share memories – highs, lows, and intimate insights into a time gone by. And there’s a collection of signature recipes to get you organising a retro dinner party, stat. A three-course meal from Antoine’s, Vinnies' Lamb Shanks, Le Brie’s French Onion Soup, Ramses' Tiramisu, The French Cafė's Whitebait Omelette and many more classic recipes are peppered throughout the book, plus a hitlist of eight iconic cocktail recipes to quench the thirst.
Never before has the recent history of Auckland’s hospitality scene been celebrated in such a way – with voices from such a diverse range of establishments – from Cin Cin on Quay with its novel and snazzy open kitchen and woodfired oven, to Wellesley Street’s humble Middle Eastern Café which fed people from all walks of life night and day. Interviews with chefs who worked their way from school dropout to lauded restaurateur, and front of house legends who put their all into making every guest’s night a memorable one and wrote the book on how to do great service in Aotearoa.
A unique piece of history to own – a snapshot capturing a vibrant scene, including outlets that still truck on today, and others that only exist now in the form of memories. Beautifully designed by GAS Project’s Gary Stewart, the book conveys the dynamic energy of the time and will serve as a precious memory bank for future generations.