Aotearoa New Zealand – known for its breathtaking landscapes and vibrant culture has taken a bold step in promoting its culinary scene, crafting a unique, star-studded dining experience that transcends traditional boundaries. Chef Ben Bayly, one of New Zealand’s top culinary talents, hosted an extraordinary event for 50 international tastemakers at Kura Tawhiti (Castle Hill) in the foothills of the Southern Alps on New Zealand’s South Island.
Against a backdrop of the Southern Lights and billions of stars twinkling in the crisp winter sky, Bayly posed a tantalizing question: “Why be satisfied with a Michelin Star, when you can cook under 2.5 billion of them?” His rhetorical flourish set the tone for a one-of-a-kind gastronomic journey under New Zealand’s famed dark skies.
Guests from around the world, including Indian chef Saransh Goila and adventure travel content creator Aakash Malhotra, as well as tastemakers from Australia, China, Japan, North America, the United Kingdom, Germany, Singapore, and South Korea, were treated to a bespoke six-course degustation menu. Bayly meticulously crafted each dish using the finest local produce and native ingredients, creating a culinary experience that showcased New Zealand’s rich agricultural diversity and gastronomic potential.
Timed to align with New Zealand’s winter season, the event highlighted the nation’s crystal-clear skies, renowned for their celestial phenomena such as the Milky Way and the Southern Lights (Aurora Australis). René de Monchy, Chief Executive of Tourism New Zealand, humorously referenced New Zealand’s geographical exclusion from maps and The Michelin Guide: “We’re used to New Zealand being left off the list. First, it was world maps and now it’s the Michelin Guide, so we’re happy to take matters into our own hands. Our night skies are world-famous, rightly so—but our cuisine is also worthy of a star or three.”
The restaurant, named Pou-o-Kai, was gifted its title by Ngāi Tuāhuriri, the local tangata whenua (people of the land). The name, loosely translating to “a place of kai (food)” or “a post/table of kai,” symbolizes the connection between food, people, and place, honoring the eagle that once soared the pristine skies of the Kura Tawhiti region. The event underscored New Zealand’s commitment to kaitiakitanga (guardianship) and manaakitanga (hospitality), core principles deeply rooted in the nation’s food identity.
Ben Bayly believes New Zealand’s cuisine deserves its own category on the world stage. “The Michelin Guide defines a three-star restaurant as offering ‘exceptional cuisine, worthy of a special journey.’ We believe New Zealand cuisine goes beyond that—we call it superior cuisine, worth a journey to the edge of the earth,” Bayly explained.
Pou-o-Kai isn’t a fleeting concept either. Select dishes from the event’s menu will be available across Bayly’s restaurants—including Ahi, Aosta, Origine, Little Aosta, and The Bathhouse—located in Auckland, Queenstown, and Arrowtown, through to August 2025, further extending the unique flavors of New Zealand to a wider audience.
