Mānawatia a Matariki!

Today (Monday 13th June) marks the beginning of our Feast Matariki season, a nationwide celebration of the rise of Matariki. We have Feast Matariki events taking place throughout the whenua (land) over the next ten days.

With Tāmaki Makaurau and Southland already sold out, there are still tickets for our Fiery Feast in Ōtautahi / Christchurch on the 25th June.

Take a look through our new Feast Matariki website (www.feastmatariki.nz) and make plans for how you’ll be celebrating this special time of year. There are a range of offerings from community gatherings, Matariki inspired dishes and menus, demonstrations from mahika kai experts and more. It's the perfect chance to come together around kai and celebrate this beautiful country and all it can provide.

Mānawatia a Matariki!

Angela Clifford, CE Eat New Zealand.

Follow us on social media at both @eat.newzealand and @feastmatariki to see these celebrations come to life.

Feast Matariki in Ōtautahi Sat 25th

A unique and incredibly special way to acknowledge Matariki with fire, food, tropical plants and leading chefs & presenters. It will be a night to remember in the heart of Ōtautahi / Christchurch.

Join us in the Botanic Gardens on Saturday 25th June for a fiery feast including canapés and waiata in the hot house, followed by four courses matched with organic Greystone wines and Brew Moon beer. With story-telling and kai presented by Māori chefs and presenters including Jonny Schwass, Josh Hunter and Mitch Teirney (Whakapapa of Your Kai) and Junior Tana from Pūmau Productions, supported by Mat Johns and Rod Thomson of Base Food By Fire.

Tickets are selling fast - secure your spot here.

Tāmaki Makaurau - SOLD OUT

Monday 13th June, Ima Cuisine, Auckland CBD. The Realness and Eat New Zealand are coming together tonight to celebrate the connection between food and Matariki.

There will be story-telling by Arataki, wānanga (learning) and enjoying the warmth of each other’s company. The menu will include 30+ realness artisans including Ima’s famous pork shoulder, Huntress wines, Brave brewery beer, mineral drinks, Cocos Cantina tiramisu, Little Lato gelato, Coffee Studio cakes, Kapu Ti teas, Mt Atkinson coffee, Tora Collective crayfish bisque, Top Hemp products, ao Tiakerete chocolates, Fort Greene, Midnight Baker and The Baked Dane bread, Matakana Smokehouse Fish and Tuck Shop pies to name a few.

At least ten of the businesses involved are tangata whenua listings from The Realness.

You can read all about it on Broadsheet here.

Awarua / Bluff - SOLD OUT

Eat New Zealand and Te Rūnaka o Awarua are excited to present this Murihiku / Southland Feast Matariki event on Friday 24th June.

This event will be hosted by Te Rau Aroha Marae, Ruapuke Uncut, Chef Hayz and Chef Ethan Flack. It will be a special moment for Southland.

Matariki Mackenzie - 24th & 25th June

Matariki Mackenzie is a celebration of whānau and whenua - taking place in Takapõ on Friday 24th & Saturday 25th June.

There are a host of different events happening over the two day festival which you can find out more about here.

Mahika Kai experts in Takapō

Feast Matariki with Joseph Hullen, Dr Mike Stephens and Giulio Sturla Saturday 25th June

11.15am & 12.45pm

Tekapo Community Hall,

8 Aorangi Crescent,

Takapō

FREE

Join Ngāi Tahu's Mahika Kai experts Joseph Hullen and Dr Mike Stephens as they reconnect you to where your kai comes from. They'll be supported by Giulio Sturla, founder of Eat New Zealand and owner of Mapu Test Kitchen. Get your tickets here.

This event is part of the Matariki Mackenzie Festival - a celebration of whānau and whenua - taking place in Takapõ on Friday 24th & Saturday 25th June.

Find out more about what's happening over the two day festival here.

Get tickets to the Feast Matariki Mahika Kai Demonstration

How to Feast Matariki in 2022

Are you celebrating Matariki with kai this year? If you’re creating an event we thought it might be helpful to share our learnings and understandings from the work we have been doing, supporting mana whenua and tangata whenua whānau;