Kai Time on the Road, Maori Television’s longest running series, leaves no plate unturned in its milestone 10th season, which premieres on Sunday July 15 at 7.00pm.
The popular cooking show’s celebrity chef Peter Peeti checks out the food scene around the country over 26 mouth-watering episodes.
Kai Time on the Road premiered in 2004 when Maori Television started broadcasting, making it the channel’s longest running show.
Peeti says the variety of food featured and the different ways it is cooked in different parts of the country have helped make the show so successful and enduring.
“People and food make a great recipe for success,” he says.
This season sees Peeti, an accomplished hunter, diver and fisherman, traverse the breadth and width of the country in search of local dishes with an indigenous flavour.
From Bluff to Gisborne to Putaruru, he leaves no plate unturned.
Going out on an oyster boat in Bluff and “diving for the biggest paua ever” was a highlight, as was feeding stingray by hand in Gisborne, he says.
“But after feeding them by hand I didn’t want to eat them… They were off the menu. I thought I can’t do this, I can’t cook them up,’’ he laughs.
Peeti also pays former Masterchef contestant and cult hero Cameron Petley a visit in his hometown of Putaruru, where they cook up a belly of pork; and he takes a trip to Invercargill to harvest and cook Toheroa.
Kai Time on the Road is produced by Reuben Collier and Jo Santamaria from Maui Productions in Rotorua.
Production manager Tanya Morrison says reaching the 10th season is a huge achievement, which will be acknowledged in the final episode.
She says Kai Time on the Road has come a long way since its debut.
“When we go back to the start, there’s been a significant improvement… whether it’s the reo, the way it’s filmed, the way it’s edited, or its presentation.’’
Kai Time on the Road wouldn’t work without the hard work of all the people involved behind the scenes, says Morrison.
“That’s the secret of the show… everybody is so passionate about it.’’
Following demand for the recipes that have featured on the programme, Maui Productions published the Kai Time cookbook, which went on to win the 2009 Gourmand World Cookbook Award.
Tune in to Kai Time on the Road this season to discover many more recipes to cherish.
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