From Kai Moana to Fire Cooking: A Private Chef Experience in Queenstown
A luxury seafood cooking class, exceptional New Zealand produce, and a second day inspired by Hungarian fire cooking.
A Bespoke Private Chef Experience in Queenstown
Some experiences come together in a way that reminds me exactly why I do what I do.
Recently, I had the pleasure of creating a very special Easter weekend experience for a family visiting from Australia at their beautiful property in Dalefield. They had visited Queenstown a number of times before and, after doing their research, reached out wanting something truly memorable.
They were not simply looking for dinner. They wanted something thoughtful, interactive, and elevated. After a few conversations and some careful planning, we decided on a Kai Moana cooking class in Queenstown, built around the very best seasonal seafood available from the surrounding regions.
As a private chef in Queenstown, these are the kinds of experiences I love most. They go beyond a meal. They create atmosphere, connection, and a genuine sense of occasion.
THE KAI MOANA STORY
A Kai Moana Cooking Class with the Best of New Zealand Seafood
Sourcing the ingredients was a huge part of what made this experience so special.
For this Queenstown cooking class, I brought together an exceptional selection of seafood from across New Zealand. Bluff oysters, Marlborough oysters, whole line-caught kingfish, pāua from Bluff, crayfish from Fiordland, and West Coast whitebait. I had also just returned from the Catlins, where I picked fresh beach spinach and ice plant to bring another local, seasonal layer to the menu.
It was one of those beautiful autumn days in Otago where everything seemed to align. The sun was shining, the setting was perfect, and we decided to create the experience outdoors around a large table for the four couples taking part.
In the centre of the table, I built a seafood display on ice, which became both the visual centrepiece and the starting point for the class. It immediately created that sense of abundance and excitement that makes people want to gather, ask questions, and get involved.
This is exactly what I aim to create through a private chef experience in Queenstown: food that feels beautiful, generous, and rooted in place.
Hands-On Cooking, Technique and Shared Experience
The cooking class was designed to feel engaging, balanced, and enjoyable for everyone at the table.
I carefully chose a mix of easier and more technical elements so that every guest could participate with confidence while still learning something new. We began by learning how to open oysters properly and made a classic mignonette to serve alongside them.
From there, we broke down a whole kingfish, talking through the different parts of the fish and how each cut can be used. We then prepared fresh sashimi with soy sauce, ginger, and wasabi, keeping the focus on clean flavour and careful handling.
We also worked with pāua, learning how to remove it from the shell, clean it, tenderise it properly, and cook it simply. The flash-fried pāua with garlic butter, lemon, and fresh parsley was one of the standout dishes of the day.
Another huge success was the classic Kiwi whitebait fritters, which added a distinctly local touch and brought a lot of fun to the cooking process.
Each guest received their own apron, recipe cards, and tools, which made the class feel polished, immersive, and beautifully organised from start to finish.
Oysters & Mignonette
Learning how to open oysters properly and serve them simply is one of those small skills that feels instantly rewarding.
Kingfish & Sashimi
Breaking down a whole line-caught kingfish and turning it into fresh sashimi brought technique and elegance into the class.
Pāua & Whitebait
From flash-fried pāua to classic whitebait fritters, these dishes added local character and made the experience feel unmistakably New Zealand.
From Crayfish to Ravioli: A More Refined Layer to the Experience
To take the class a step further, we created one of the more refined dishes of the experience: crayfish and blue cod ravioli with a coconut and lemongrass bisque.
This part of the class brought in another level of technique. We made fresh pasta from scratch, rolled it through the machine, and prepared the filling by learning how to make a classic fish mousseline. We also used the crayfish shells to build the bisque, showing how flavour can be developed with care and how every part of the ingredient has value.
I love adding moments like this into a luxury cooking class in Queenstown. It gives guests the chance to experience something that feels both approachable and elevated at the same time.
Champagne was flowing, beautiful Central Otago wines were being enjoyed, and the whole afternoon settled into that ideal rhythm where everyone is learning, eating, laughing, and fully present.
The Best Compliment: They Asked Me Back the Next Day
At the end of the class, the energy around the table said everything.
The family had such a great time that they asked if I could return the next day and cook for them again, this time creating something completely different.
For me, that is one of the strongest compliments possible. It means the experience connected in the way it should. Not just through the food, but through the atmosphere, the care, and how people felt being part of it.
And the second day gave me the chance to share something much more personal.
Hungarian Cooking Over Fire
The following day, I returned to create a Hungarian-inspired feast.
This experience carried a completely different mood to the seafood cooking class. Where the first day felt coastal, fresh, and light, the second day was built around fire, comfort, heritage, and deep flavour.
I cooked Hungarian goulash over open fire in a cast iron pot that my father gifted me from Hungary, which made the whole experience even more meaningful. There was something very special about cooking food from my own background in such a beautiful Queenstown setting and sharing that with guests who were genuinely excited to experience it.
Alongside the goulash, I prepared traditional Hungarian chicken paprikash, pickled cucumber salad with sour cream, fresh galuska, pork schnitzel, and lángos topped with garlic, sour cream, and grated cheese.
I also baked fresh sourdough in their Gozney oven, which added another layer of warmth and theatre to the day.
Being able to bring my Hungarian roots into the experience meant a lot to me. It reminded me that food is at its most powerful when it carries both story and feeling.
More Than Dinner: What a Private Chef Experience in Queenstown Can Be
This event captured exactly what I believe great hospitality should feel like.
One day was centred around Kai Moana, local seafood, and hands-on cooking. The next was built around fire, tradition, and my Hungarian heritage. Two very different experiences, both connected by the same intention: to make people feel looked after through food.
For guests searching for a private chef in Queenstown, a Queenstown cooking class, or a more personal luxury dining experience in Queenstown, this is what I aim to offer. Not something generic. Not just a meal. Something tailored, memorable, and genuinely special.
I feel incredibly grateful to call this my work. To cook for people, create atmosphere, and bring joy through food and hospitality is something I never take for granted.
Love & salt.
Planning a Private Dining or Cooking Experience in Queenstown?
If you’re visiting Queenstown and want something more personal than a restaurant booking, I offer bespoke private chef experiences, luxury shared dinners, weddings and event and hands-on cooking classes tailored to your group.