Culinary professionals favourite New Zealand
grown vegetables

Lauraine Jacobs
President, New Zealand Guild of Food Writers

Lauraine was awarded an MNZM for services to the food industry in 2009, and is President of the NZ Guild of Food Writers for 2009-2011. She’s a former food editor of Cuisine magazine and Past President of the International Association of Culinary Professionals.

Lauraine’s top five winter vegetables:
Potatoes – it’s just not a meal without potatoes.
Parsnips and carrots – incomparable accompaniment to roast beef or lamb.
Brussels sprouts – either quartered or deconstructed.
Cauliflower – steamed, bathed in cheese sauce and gently grilled.
Silver beet – the most versatile of all veggies.

Annette Nistor
President, Dietitians New Zealand

Annette Nistor is President of Dietitians New Zealand. The organisation previously known as the New Zealand Dietetic Association represents over 550 registered Dietitians currently practising in New Zealand. Elected at the 2009 AGM, Annette leads an executive of regional officers, all voluntary. She is based in Wellington.

Annette's favourite winter vegetable dishes:
Stuffed butternut – hollow out butternut. Grate onion, carrots, dice celery and butternut and mix with beaten eggs, add crumbled feta and stuff into the butternut hollow. Bake until the top is golden and butternut soft.
Baked Kumara – cut a slice off the bottom of a kumara and then stand kumara on a baking tray. Cut a cross in the top and pour a little olive oil into the cross and sprinkle with Moroccan spices.
Steamed cauliflower and broccoli with toasted pumpkin seeds – toast the seeds in a hot pan stirring continuously. Cauliflower and broccoli are also great with toasted walnut pieces.

Joseph Clarke
Chef, 3rd Place World Junior Chef Competition, Chile, 2010

Chef Joseph Clarke was awarded third place in the Hans Brueschkens junior Chef Challenge at the World Association of Chefs Congress in Chile in January.

Joseph's favourite winter vegetables:
Jerusalem artichokes – Perfect made into a soup on a cold day, served with shredded duck confit and truffle oil or cut thinly and deep fried to produce crisp slices. Jerusalem artichokes have a unique flavour that livens up a red meat dish.
Parsnips – Great accompaniment to lamb or beef. Cut parsnip into desired shape and roast. Turn the off-cuts into a smooth purée by sweating down with onions and garlic and finish with a splash of cream. It’s a great creamy alternative to mashed potato and is a favourite with my friends.

Steve Mackenzie
CEO, Restaurant Association of New Zealand

Steve's favourite winter vegetable dishes:
Kumara roasted in honey – roasted kumara – yum. No roast can be without it especially when manuka honey is added for the last 15 minutes of roasting.
Tomatoes – I love tomatoes au naturelle. I eat them like apples, having a pinch of salt with each bite!
Choy sum – When Mum comes round, I like to show her I listened to the “eat your greens” message so I’ll break out the choi sum, sauté it in a little oil, then add soy sauce and a sprinkle of sugar.

Johann Wohlmuther
Head of School Catering and Hospitality. Manukau Institute of Technology, Auckland

Johann Wohlmuther has been Head of School, Catering and Hospitality at MIT for the past 20 years.

Johann's favourite winter vegetable dishes:
Like every Austrian I’m a big fan of red cabbage. In a large pan brown chopped onion and bacon, add chopped red cabbage, apples, potatoes, raisins and vegetable stock and cook until tender. Serve with plenty of chopped parsley.
Potatoes boulangere is a dish I eat all year round. Layer sliced onion and potatoes in a baking dish, cover with vegetable stock and cook until tender. Serve sprinkled with chopped chervil and Italian parsley.

Warren Goodsir
Post graduate Programme Leader, Auckland University of Technology

Chef Warren Goodsir recently graduated with a Masters of International Hospitality Management with Honours (First Class) awarded by AUT University, Auckland. Warren is currently senior lecturer of the School of Hospitality and Tourism at Auckland University of Technology.

Warren's top five winter vegetables:
Beetroot – love the flavour and colour – either boiled or roasted.
Capsicum – fresh or roasted, in salads or stuffed as a vegetable.
Onion – especially red onions.
Mesclun Salad – the variety of young, crisp leaves are spicy, nutty and flavoursome, adding an instant visual appeal.
Kumara – I actually love kumara - especially roasted with garlic, honey, paprika, pepper and olive oil.

Julie Stufkens
Dietitian and recipient NZ Order of Merit

Julie Stufkens became a member of the New Zealand Order of Merit (MNZM) in the 2009 New Year Honours. Julie is Executive Officer of The New Zealand Breastfeeding Authority and is based in Christchurch.

Julie's top five winter vegetables:
Carrot and parsnip – mashed together - this reminds me of something I often had as a child.
Tomatoes – enhance flavour and colour in a meal.
Kumara – I love them in the winter served hot or in salads for the summer. A real comfort food!
Brussels sprouts – lovely when they are lightly cooked with a small amount of grated cheese.
Potatoes – I am a true Southlander and love potatoes dished up in almost any form.

Yvonne Townsend
President, HETTANZ 2009-2011 [Home Economics, Technology Teachers Association of NZ]

Yvonne Townsend, from Lynfield College was the winner of HSI Excellence in Training Award.

Yvonne's five favourite summer vegetables:
New season’s asparagus with light hollandaise.
Roast beetroot and feta salad.
Mushrooms baked in olive oil with freshly milled pepper.
Cos lettuce – in a Caesar salad.
Baked kumara with bacon, cheese and spring onion filling.

Anita Sarginson
President New Zealand Chefs Association from 2008

Chef Anita Sarginson is currently Operations Manager at Flying Burrito Brothers. In this role she oversees three Flying Burrito Brothers’ restaurants throughout New Zealand. She also is instrumental in the training of staff at two Wellington restaurants – General Practitioner and The Tasting Room.

Anita’s favourite summer vegetables:
Asparagus, tomatoes, broccoli, yams, green beans.

Sam Timoko
Chef and Administration Director, New Zealand Chefs Association 2008-2010

Sam Timoko trained at ATI, where he was a member of the New Zealand Culinary Team who competed in ‘Taste of Canada' in 1989. He has been a tutor at The Culinary Institute of New Zealand and was instrumental in establishing the Northland branch of NZCA. Sam is now a Chef Tutor in the Cook Islands.

Sam’s favourite summer vegetables:
Asparagus, green beans, eggplant, microgreens.