KaiFood

Once an activity for the lonely or stood-up, dining solo is picking up in popularity in New Zealand.

Economical and versatile tofu gets a spicy glow-up for a weeknight dinner.

A birthday dinner at Melbourne's fanciest restaurant at age nine was all it took for award-winning restaurant critic Besha Rodell to get hooked on fine dining.

Stuffing sourdough loaves with "funky inclusions" has made Auckland chef Hercules Noble a social media star.

The slow braise process is perfect for a winter afternoon at home with Te Whare Tīwekaweka and a glass of yummy grenache or two while cooking. Serve with white rice or load a baked potato or kumara.

The kind of comforting soup that feels essential during winter’s chill.

If you’re looking for the best café in New Zealand, you won’t find it on Auckland’s Karangahape Road nor Wellington’s Cuba Street, or even in the heart of Christchurch.

Nutmeg, sage, garlic and parmesan give these sausages bags of flavour.

The latest entries in New Zealand’s food composition database reflect the nation’s growing ethnic diversity and rising demand for plant-based options and allergen-friendly foods.

The diverse and comforting recipes in Familiar Foods: Treats of Aotearoa include Persian Chicken Stew and Sri Lankan Milk Toffee.

When the days are short and cold a comforting and cosy dinner is just the thing. Here are our picks from RNZ's recipe archive.

This is a special, time-honoured family recipe from Maria Kewene-Edwards (Ngaati Hikairo, Ngāt Hauā) of Dunedin.

Sanjana Hattotuwa (Dunedin/Sri Lanka) used to watch his Archchi (grandma) bake this fudgy sweet in the early '80s: "I remember never leaving the vicinity of the oven because the smell of hot toffee was so mouth-watering."

This sweet and sour Iranian dish combines the richness of walnuts with the tanginess of pomegranate molasses, says Kiana Jalali from Dunedin.

Would you eat a stew that has been cooking for days, weeks or even months?

Crank up the heat and a succulent roast chook can be on the table in no time, says food writer Gretchen Lowe.

The fifth annual 'Iconic Auckland Eats' list has whittled down 3109 submissions to a selection of 100 local restaurants.

These days, it’s hard to find a bottle of wine that hasn’t been given five stars by someone or placed in some sort of awards category. But could the winemaker’s choice of animal picture tell us anything about the wine’s quality, value, or both?

Hamish Sturgeon has been rearing quails for their eggs since the age of 11. They're healthy, delicious and it's a fun side-hustle keeping the cute little birds fed, watered and healthy, he says.

While New Zealanders debate the government's free school lunch scheme, Japan's embassy has demonstrated what goes into the country's 136-year-old school lunch programme. John Gerritsen put it to the taste test.

Thanks to a few shortcuts, this version of the Italian classic is fast enough to cook on a weeknight.

As the price of necessities soars in Aotearoa, food insecurity permeates daily life, exacerbating existing eating disorders and giving rise to new ones.

This easy, light and fresh salad features on the menu at Australian chef Sean Connolly's new Queenstown restaurant Pavilion Bar & Kitchens.

Going too far with a diet might have serious impacts on your mental health.

Tinned cherry tomatoes bring a hit of summer sweetness to this one-dish dinner.

The winter drizzle in downtown Auckland couldn't keep hungry fast-food fans from wrapping their chops around burgers by the beloved US chain.

Here's a rich and creamy dish that's perfect for cooler temperatures. Serve with thick slices of toasted sourdough.

Two French migrants – and one disappointing plate of tinned escargot - are the inspiration behind a new commercial snail farm in Queenstown.

Fankery founder Cathy Fan renovated an old ticket booth in a carpark on the back streets of Broadway to start selling her mochi burnt basque cheesecake.

Bread-and-margarine pudding just doesn't have the same ring to it, says food writer Denise Irvine.

Let nature have its way and you could have an abundant self-sown source of food, gardening expert Hannah Zwartz says.

This fruit-laced sweet treat is a classic in the making, says chef Sam Parish.

This isn’t a national call to quit caffeine. It’s just a story about a girl who stopped drinking tea and coffee to see how it would feel.

Satay sauce and chicken are a perfect match. Together, they make a great burger.

Here's how to add a tart pop of colour to your next meal, whether it's a sandwich, a salad or a stew.

Is the rest of the prawn pasta going to be OK for tomorrow's lunch? What about the fish curry from Sunday night? If you're nervous around leftover seafood, you may be overthinking it.

This laid-back yet sophisticated dish is perfect for special occasions or whenever the hankering hits for a flavour-packed meal.

It costs about the same price as 14 local bakery pies.

Cook Cartel beat barbecue bosses from around the world to become the first international team to win the title at Meatstock Sydney.

Handy household staples get a new lease of life in this flavour-packed soup.

It's what all the fitness folks are doing but what is proffee? How do you make it? And is it good for everyone?

Here's how to make a homemade version of the best pie Martin Bosley has ever eaten.

Keep the tradition alive with fluffy pancakes, crispy fritters or eggs mum's favourite way.

This simple tray bake takes no time to put together and delivers big on flavour.

Sticking to prime cuts of meat means missing out on a buffet of delicious flavour and texture say offal fans.

TikTok star and Southlander Terressa Kollat says her popular videos don't quite paint the full picture of what it takes to be on one of her trips.

Why order sub-par takeaways when you can get this rich curry on the table in an hour?

"Complex, waxy, balanced with a beautiful ivory paste. Delicious. Favourite of the day," judges said about Whitestone Cheese Co's sheep milk cheddar.

A clash between two food influencers over a caramel slice and a baklava recipe highlights the grey area of recipe ownership.

Brooke Bellamy rejects claims by popular Australian cook Nagi Maehashi that two recipes in the cookbook Bake with Brooki are copied.

Coffee influencer and author Celeste Wong says we're getting a good deal comparing the quality and cost to our UK counterparts.

Quinoa cooks like a grain and fries up just like rice - with very delicious results.

The high protein, low calorie dairy food is being snatched off supermarket shelves as social media spruiks its health benefits and feeds the craze with recipes.

The Mt Albert noodle house claimed the 20 white fillets pegged out the back did not belong to them, but a food safety officer said they aren't to dry any food outside.

Curried sausages are a delicious, nostalgic cool-weather dish. They’re economical, and hugely tasty.

Costing $25 at Forest restaurant in Auckland, the dessert is made up of layers of Kiwi nostalgia, feijoa queen Kate Evans says.

Culinary historian Allison Reynolds travelled Australia, New Zealand and England, delving into war files and family cookbooks to investigate the origins and stories behind this national icon.

If you’ve reached peak chocolate and hot cross buns at your place, here’s how to make sure they don’t go to waste.

Plastic, wood, bamboo, glass or ceramic? Experts weigh in on what's safest.

This time each year, Melbourne based Kiwis make a special mission to find their feijoa hit. Aussies don't seem to get what all the fuss is about.

One less prep step makes this dish land on the dinner table a little faster.

Scroll through social media and you'll likely find a reel promoting hot cross buns as a good pre-workout snack. Two sports dieticians share their thoughts, along with what and when to eat before exercising.

Seasonal plenty or cooking conundrum? This episode of RNZ podcast Thrift looks at getting creative with vegetables.

Chef Nathan Ward has worked in top restaurants around the world but says his humble fish and chips is right up there on the "bougie scale".

In 2012, a Cadbury egg with chocolate bars was $10.99. How does that compare to this week?

A panel of 27 judges assessed 405 products from 125 producers who entered this year’s Outstanding Food Producer Awards across seven categories.

Scientists have found how to make stronger coffee with the same amount of beans through the pour-over method. We put it to the test.

Kelly Gibney serves up this versatile and nutritious dish most weeks in the colder half of the year.

Prestigious US culinary magazine Food & Wine has praised the restaurant's "otherworldly, refined tasting menu that showcases the region's seasonal, hyperlocal ingredients".

Making traditional Māori kai available to people around the Wellington region is about more than feeding people says founder CJ Collier.

After closing her iconic Wellington restaurant Hiakai, the Māori-Samoan chef and occasional TV star has become an advocate for kai motuhake (food sovereignty).

Hamilton food writer Amber Bremner shares a got-to-be good for you recipe from her new book, Simply Veg.

Owners Sid and Chand Sahrawat will serve their last meals on Mother's Day before turning the tandoor-inspired spot into an "incubation" space.

Tonight's tasty and nutritious dinner is ready to roll.

Gabrielle Kervella, now in her 80s, fell in love with cheese making on annual visits to South West France to visit her husband’s parents.

It may share a name with Heston Blumenthal’s famous pub in the UK, but The Fat Duck in Te Anau is making culinary waves of its own.

Spinach and fragrant basil make this vibrant béchamel sauce bright green and delicious.

There's a whole head of broccoli hidden in these fritters. Don't tell the kids!

Here's a Kiwi take on the famous Oklahoma burgers that feature beef patties piled high with soft and sticky onions.

With social media, apps and online newsletters serving piles of delicious recipes, is there still a place for the dirty, dog-eared pages of a cookbook on the kitchen bench?

The price of butter has skyrocketed, forcing home cooks and chefs alike to clarify what you can substitute to keep cooking costs down.

Gochujang's bold, savoury, spicy flavours turn a simple piece of salmon into mid-week dinner magic.

When you think about a New Zealand delicacy, it's hard to go past a plump Bluff oyster.

Nathan Lewis likes to make preserves and jams the old-fashioned way.

Is this a salad that thinks it's a burger, or a burger that thinks it's a salad? Either way, it's delicious.

Mince and cheese pies and sausage rolls are somewhat of a novelty for Heaps Pies' American customers.

An easy, mostly hands-off meal that creates minimal dishes and lets us enjoy those flavours of summer a little longer.

A year ago Kate Evans became the "mad feijoa lady of Raglan".

Unlike its celebrated southern cousin, this ball of meaty goodness has remained a local treat.

With garlic setting you back $4 a bulb, this spice can be found at your Indian grocer for a fraction of the price.

Chef Chris Waghorn is up at 2am at Auckland's Māngere Refugee Centre, and he'll likely still be in the kitchen for another 12 hours or so every day during March.

"I know it's pricey," acknowledges Allison Kirkman. "But I would sooner go to Logan Brown 12 times in a year than 24 times to somewhere else."

Prime Minister Christopher Luxon's suggestion of a Marmite sandwich and an apple for lunch wouldn't keep a child full or feed their brain sufficiently, according to local health and education experts.

The 'hot sauce couple' of Paekākāriki explain how saintly influences have helped make their name.

Sore wrists and broken whisks abound as baristas make hundreds of the potent green tea drink that's overtaking coffee sales.

Two coffee companies with numerous locations are keeping the price of a quality barista-style flat white at or below $4.

"I base [the pie] on the season and the vibe and the mood of people," explains pie professional Joe Player, who has come up with over 1500 varieties.

RNZ TAHI's So'omalo Iteni Schwalger set out to find what does the perfect boiled egg taste like? And is it worth the hassle?

These are non-traditional taco flavours but it all works together brilliantly.

Popular and delicious dishes like Tomato Egg prove Chinese cuisine isn't always meat-centric, says Auckland chef Sam Low.

A glass of iced coffee routinely costs $1 or $2 more than a cup of hot coffee. Serena Solomon investigates why.

Korean Gochujang pork belly is popular and people go bonkers for the Big Mac in a pie. But the pie de jour is their beef brisket with jalapeno bacon relish.

According to travel writer Peter Janssen it must be built before 1967, have been continuously serving beer and have some architectural integrity.

Johnny Clark is the third-generation owner of Nins Bin - a roadside food truck 20 minutes north of Kaikōura.

Brining is the secret to incredibly tender and tasty barbecued chicken breasts. It locks moisture in, tenderises and seasons the chicken all the way through.

These delicate choux buns are filled with berry mousse and berry compote swirl, and topped with mascarpone cream and mini meringues.

How the butcher behind New Zealand's top sausage gets the most out of his meat.

Cooking can bring troubled communities together and sustain people through suffering, says celebrated chef Peter Gordon.

Figuring out the juiciest and best of the summer fruit bunch can be tricky - growers and produce sellers share their knowledge.

The aromas given off as this dish cooks propel me right into the heart of my late Italian mother-in-law Mamma Rosa's kitchen.

The hardest bit of making this vegan-friendly mousse is waiting for it to set in the fridge. But it's worth the wait.

Softening the onions in plenty of extra virgin olive oil gives this dish an intensely sweet and melting quality.

It beat more than 800 other entries and used a "classic combination" of flavours.

Offal, stolen recipes, celebrities and clandestine affairs - Auckland restaurateur Tony Astle shares nearly 50 years' worth of juicy morsels in his new memoir.

On a muggy New York evening spent on sticky stadium seats, you're going to want something refreshing.

The winner of the Great New Zealand Toastie Takeover winner says his 'Figgy in the Middle' creation was inspired by a recent trip to Italy.

While plenty of places have been forced to shutter, there are 'risk takers' in hospo giving it a crack. Nicky Park and Jogai Bhatt talk to some of them.

This dish combines ‘so hot right now’ gochujang paste with the richness of butter and an egg yolk to create a sticky, delicious sauce that coats each noodle perfectly.

This Italian-inspired recipe, with its perfect mix of comfort food flavours and wholesome ingredients, will give you a little bit of weeknight happiness.

This recipe makes use of simple pantry staples like pasta, canned tomatoes, and anchovies to create a rich, flavourful sauce that's satisfying and easy to prepare.

An aromatic, warming curry is always a winner. Try this modern, baked version for an easy mid-week meal.

Why get takeaways when you can probably whip this spicy, creamy chicken dish in less time?

This recipe might just be quicker than getting takeaways and makes use of my favourite mid-week ingredient: a barbecue chook!

I like to have a cooled chook for this, which is a regular occurrence as I often grab them when they’re on sale late at night while ducking out for essentials (chocolate) when the kids are asleep. It works with a fresh chook too— all chooks are welcome. Bones in or bones out, this is a delicious mid-week meal to satisfy your Indian cravings. The spice mix is a bulk situation and great to have on hand for slipping into curries or rice.

This delicious, warming recipe, with the earthiness of kūmara, walnuts and the sweetness of apple coming together in a golden syrup cake, is reminiscent of Nana’s steamed pudding.

This vegetarian pie is inexpensive to make and has heaps of flavour. The puffy cheese sauce is similar to a traditional Greek moussaka.

This hearty and healthy soup is perfect for a weekday work lunch.

Ready in under 30 minutes and at an affordable price, this recipe is a no-brainer!

A jelly sculpture stuffed with boiled eggs, peas, luncheon meat and gherkins popped up on the menu at a pizza joint. The owners never expected they'd have to make one.

These chicken drumsticks get the full treatment with halved apricots straight from the tin.

Here's a delicious and comforting bowl of pork and miso ramen - perfect for a quick, tasty meal on a cold, grey day.

Some like Anzacs crispy others chewy. Now you can please everyone!

These ribs, drenched in chilli-honey butter, are finger-lickin' good!

Trying to eat less meat for financial reasons, but missing the yum? Here's how to do it right, says food writer Alby Hailes.