Dragon Meets Taniwha: Māori and Japanese Culinary Traditions Unite in Wellington

A high-profile culinary collaboration is set to take place at Pipitea Marae in Wellington on 29 August, bringing together the shared food traditions of Japan and Aotearoa. As reported by RNZ Māori issues reporter Pokere Paewai, Michelin-starred Japanese chef Keiko Kuwakino will join Māori chef Joe McLeod to host a dinner that highlights the deep cultural connections between Japanese and Māori kai. Kuwakino, the head chef at Satoyama Jujo resort in Niigata, is known for her mastery of 'satoyama' cuisine, which focuses on ingredients foraged from the borderlands between mountains and farmland. Returning to New Zealand for the first time since her student days, Kuwakino noted the similarities between the two cultures, specifically citing traditional underground steaming techniques akin to the Māori hāngī. She emphasized that the interest in food lies in the culture, history, and the local people behind the ingredients. The event, titled "Where the Dragon Meets the Taniwha," is a partnership between Wellington iwi Te Āti Awa and the organization E Kai Māori, held as part of the Wellington on a Plate festival. Chef Joe McLeod, who is recognized for his work revitalizing classical Māori culinary heritage and foraging techniques, will lead the Aotearoa side of the menu. Te Rūnanganui o Te Āti Awa chair Kura Moeahu stated that the collaboration stems from a 30-year relationship between the iwi and Japanese fisheries. Moeahu described the dinner as a chance for people to find where the Japanese and Māori nations meet through a shared passion for kaimoana. The iwi intends to continue these indigenous exchanges, with plans already underway for future collaborations involving chefs from Hawaii and Korea.