The Sauce NZ

This week Vicki insists on a performance review which is timely, given the very public performance review in the media right now, of controversial chefs. We discuss the implications for NZ but even as the story unfolds there is more to come and much more to discuss.

Vicki and Tash recently made it to Tasmania — and naturally, they ate and drank their way through it with absolutely no restraint. From cellar doors to oyster sheds, fine dining to roadside finds, this episode is the highlights reel you need before you book your own trip. Vicki's got the food, Tash has the drinks, and between them, nothing delicious escaped scrutiny. Ready to add a few hundred things to your travel list? Find out more about touring Tasmania with Taste of Tours at tasteoftours.com.

Vicki and Tash sit down with Miel Meyer, GM of one of New Zealand's most award-winning cheesemakers, Meyer Cheese. It's a compelling story of a Dutch family moving to NZ and creating a multi-generational family business. They have become a Cheese Awards icon, renown through the Waikato and a family favourite at the supermarket. However thanks to free trade agreements, the EU is coming for the cheese. Or is it a chance for NZ to create our own compelling cheese identity?

From the Garden of Eden to the App Store, the apple has a lot to answer for. Vicki and Tash are tracing the fruit that tempted humanity, inspired scientists, and is yet another of New Zealand's world famous ingredients - in just 30min you'll know more about apples than a techbar specialist. Folklore, innovation, and more than a few crunchy opinions — this one's got layers. Consider yourself warned.

Rhi Baldock's More Than Toast is flying off the shelves in one of the year's hottest cookbooks so far. So Vicki and Tash invited her to the group chat to get saucy on giving cooks confidence in the kitchen. She's such an inspiring and practical teacher who can get anyone into the kitchen!Plus Tash is cracking open the good stuff with a 2023 Black Estate Pet Nat, and a brand new tonic offering from Veranda Drinks, from the Woodward St Distilling team. It's all fizzy fizz deliciousness!

Groceries eating your paycheck? Same. 🥦Vicki and Tash put their collective kitchen skills together and did the maths — and if you just do these six things, you could save $50 a week on your food bill. Actual, practical, works-in-a-real-kitchen tips that don't require you to buy any new equipment or change anything drastic. Share it with all your friends. #thesaucenz #nzfood #grocerytips #savemoney #mealplanning #nzpodcast #foodtips #kitchenhacks #nzfoodie #budgetcooking

Vicki and Tash chew the cookies on the state of food criticism in New Zealand from giving feedback in a restaurant or dealing with a bad review. Of course we went to the source of all things sass when it comes to dealing with online bullies, talking with Erin Clarkson AKA @cloudykitchen who has perfected the art of dealing with criticism.

21 years producing landmark dining experiences in Hamilton is no small feat, so Vicki and Tash go behind the scenes with one of New Zealand's most down to earth but high achieving chefs, from beloved Waikato institution, Palate. Along the way, get ready for endearing love letters to Waikato growers and why the open pass was designed to rid the kitchen of bad behaviour.

Tash and Vicki dive deep into the crisis facing wine across Australia, Europe and the innovation happening in China. And who's to blame? Not who you think! Join us for this ride through wine, wine politics and changing consumer desire.

Join Vicki and Tash as we investigate what New Zealand's best cooks are willing to shortcut in the kitchen versus making from scratch. Not to mention our own pantry habits to make cooking easy.

Welcome back to The Sauce - because Tash and Vicki simply couldn't stay away from the group chat. This season we dive into hot food issues and plenty of straight talkin' about what makes New Zealand delicious. This week, we tackle all manner of protein heavy recipes in Vicki's quest for perfect macros. Tash just chews her way through the black bean brownies.

Tash and Vicki finally catch up on some travel adventures and dive into the winter goodies getting us through - like beef cheeks and warm cocktails. We put Wonderland Chocolate to the taste test before catching up with Kate Necklen ahead of Chocstock this weekend! Dive in - and visit https://www.wonderlandchocolate.co.nz/

To celebrate 21 episodes of The Sauce and our first negative review - Tash and Vicki welcome David Wrigley, the Editor of The Feed Weekly to the show to talk about what makes a good story, what makes us tick and some of what is coming next as we continue to love telling New Zealand food and beverage stories. Please show your support by rating and reviewing this podcast, sharing it with your friends via social media AND telling us all about what snacks you just had to buy after listening to the episode! Plus - big news! Not only is a new edition of Nourish about to hit the streets but More Good Drinks is now New Zealand's only 100% dedicated drinks magazine and it's coming out June 6th.

The cold blast has arrived so Vicki talks us through her slow-cooked lamb ragu and homemade pasta for just $15 to feed the family! Then Tash leads through a tasting of New Zealand made vermouths before we chat to the New Zealand winners of The Perfect Blend NZ - a cocktail competition that will see NZ go head to head with Australia in the grand final next month in Queenstown. Go behind the scenes with what it takes to win a cocktail competition in the modern age of cocktails!

Vicki and Tash dive deep into flattened croissants and all things tea, not to mention the commercial challenges posed by DoorDash's expansion into Hamilton. Then we explore a food forest like no other.

This week Vicki sings the praises of crispy chicken skin and then Tash delivers the 7 cookie taste test challenge before we talk to co-founder Alistair Parker about Molly Woppy's launch into Woolworths stores.

Tash and Vicki chat all things soda and apple cider vinegar with Fiona and Rogie from Sidekick Soda! Plus the usual puns and taste trials!

Vicki puts a new halloumi trick to the test and it will revolutionise the way you eat your squeaky cheese! Plus we dive into Awards season chatting with Kathie Bartley from the Outstanding Food Producers awards, right after Tash finished judging over 166 samples of whisky.

This episode Tash catches up with the incredible Ben Bayly - who pushes innovation and the New Zealand food story across his tv shows, restaurants and in almost every breath. Plus Vicki talks school holiday tricks and why we all need to think again when complaining about vege prices - she's found a deep love of eggplant!

In this episode we dive into popping Methode Marlborough, have a giggle about who really eats more chocolate and get down and dirty with our metaphorical Redbands talking to Daniel Eb from Open Farms, about getting urban Kiwis back to the farm to understand what's really going on.

It's the week before Easter and Vicki's got a bee in her bonnet about Easter trading hours while Tash confesses - she's just not that into chocolate, unless it's dark, dark, dark. Vicki brings Thomas Capdevielle from Coromandel Chocolate onto the show to win her over. http://thefeed.co.nz http://instagram.com/thefeednz http://instagram.com/tashmcgill http://instagram.com/nourishmagazine http://instagram.com/thespiritswriter https://www.coromandelchocolate.co.nz/

This week Vicki talks roast chicken, Tash shares her Awildian gin collaboration and the spicy sauce: Vicki wonders why all those people who say they'd love to be in hospitality aren't working in it? So Tash brings Alice Taylor to the show - on the cusp of releasing her brand new cookbook and fresh off a rollercoaster of kitchens and working in hospitality since she appeared on Masterchef.

Tash and Vicki welcome Sarah Meikle in studio to talk about all things food tourism and her exciting new ventures. Tash cries foul for Turkish eggs featuring Polish sausage and we're trying Moksha X Cassia collaboration gin in celebration of all things India and spice.

Whoop whoop! Our audio is fixed and we've got a pep in our step as we launch into March with Kate Evans, a feijoa freak who's spent ten years creating her book 'Feijoa' that highlights connections between people, plants and culture. We love it - but Vicki didn't love the latest Zero alcohol options we tasted this week.

New audio is on the way! Thanks for your patience - the audio in this episode is still a bit off but we've sorted it for the next episode! Nothing a little good oil won't fix. So dive on it a bath of oily scandal and a drop in to chat with New Zealand's busiest chef, Sid Sahrawat as he takes to TikTok to discover if New Zealand's favourite treats will take to Cassia's take home curry sauces.

Celebrating the release of the 2024 Top 50 Influential Women in Food and Drink list, we speak with Kelli Brett. Kelli is editor of Cuisine magazine and launched the list in 2023. The 2024 list is full of compelling and remarkable women in the NZ food and drink sector. We talk to Kelli about what's ahead for New Zealand food and why she started the community. Plus we do talk about the other kind of influence - social media presence and rising hospitality personality Albert Cho.

Tash and Vicki get right on the Sauce - with Sidekick Soda and New Zealand's ultimate tomato sauce taste test. Then we speak to iconic chef and New Zealand food storyteller Peter Gordon about New Zealand cuisine and the future of our food story.

We ask the question - is New Zealand just too small for people to have big opinions when it comes to food, or ... anything? Speaking of big opinions - Al Brown doesn't consider himself a great chef! We might disagree especially after we get informal and into the nitty gritty of his love of nostalgic, simple food. http://thefeed.co.nz

This episode features Vicki Ravlich-Horan's iconic annual food trends predictions for 2024 as she puts Tash to the test. As far as the future goes - you can't get more transformative than Brianne West, entrepreneurial founder of Ethique and more recently, Incrediballs. You'll be so inspired you'll be reaching for camel milk.

This episode Tash and Vicki dive into the summer essentials - and we put a brand new Red Bull flavour to the test! We talk about Papa Salt and interview Luke, from Luke's Kitchen in the Coromandel about the challenges of road closures and gearing up for a truly seasonal restaurant.

Ham vs lamb? Maybe a side of salmon instead? We get piggy with it and chat to Hilary Pearson, GM of Freedom Farms to uncover the truth underneath your Christmas table. Plus we get spicy on diet culture. It's all saucy over here!

In this week's spicy Sauce, Vicki tackles the ice on frozen burnt butter, we compare the perfect coffee preparation and talk to Richard Wilson from Sandymount Distillery about his decision to go Carbon-Zero. Subscribe at The Feed , visit Sandymount Distillery and be sure to rate and review!

In this launch episode of The Sauce, Vicki shares tales from her recent Sicilian travels including tomato smothered bread and her disdain for tinned fish while Tash tries to convert Vicki to Big Mac Skillet Meatloaf. Then we dive into the latest round of cookbooks to hit the shelves to discuss what makes a cookbook great. Be sure to subscribe to The Feed, Nourish Magazine and More Good Drinks, rate and review this podcast and share with your friends.