Kārena and Kasey Bird

Kārena and Kasey Bird Karena & Kasey Bird | Māori chefs, authors & storytellers from Aotearoa NZ.

Creating immersive food experiences inspired by culture, memory, identity & contemporary Māori cuisine.

21/08/2026

A huge mihi to our friend KIRI NATHAN and the Kāhui Collective whānau for bringing together such an incredible celebration of Indigenous design, whakapapa and creativity at New Zealand Fashion Week Kahuria 2026.

We were grateful to play a small part in the evening, and even more grateful for our Tohunga Tūmau whānau who came alongside us to tautoko the mahi.

A massive thank you to Hangimasternz , Nancye Tuisaula Pirini , Hera Te Kurapa and Peter Gordon for giving your time, your skills and your energy so generously to tautoko us and the kaupapa.

These are the moments we love most. Building community, supporting one another and creating memories together

Kāhui Collective was such a beautiful reminder of what can happen when people come together with a shared purpose. We also loved catching up with all of our other cool creative mates last night ✨

Nāu te rourou, nāku te rourou, ka ora ai te iwi. 🤎

16/08/2026

A little look back from July to January.

With Matariki not too far behind us, it feels like a good time to reflect on the season that’s been.

Singapore, Hawaiʻi, Sri Lanka and Vietnam, alongside food events around the motu, Matariki, kōhanga drop-offs, gym, premieres, whānau time and plenty of everyday life in between.

From cooking in some of the biggest hotels in the world to being back in Maketū with our people.

And really, the highlight through all of it is the people. Our whānau, our friends, the people we work alongside, cook for, travel with and meet along the way. He mihi nui ki a koutou katoa.

Looking forward to the next few months too. Keep your eyes peeled because we’ve got a few special dining experiences in the works for you to join us around our tēpū.✨

June

May

April

March

February

January

We are very honoured to be playing a small part in this years Cuisine Magazine Good Food Awards 2026! We are looking for...
14/08/2026

We are very honoured to be playing a small part in this years Cuisine Magazine Good Food Awards 2026! We are looking forward to celebrating all the hardworking people and teams behind Aotearoa’s hospitality scene ✨✨

We will see you all there!

11/08/2026

Dave really knows how to make us look cool in these clips he puts together 💁🏽‍♀️🔥

This was our intro video for Tohunga Tūmau in Whangārei this year, and we thought we’d share it for everyone who couldn’t be there on the night.

It was special taking Tohunga Tūmau hākari to Te Tai Tokerau this year and we had the best time with our TT whānau.

Next stop, Tauranga. Tohunga Tūmau 2027.

10/08/2026

Pho is Vietnams National dish. It even has it’s own celebration day on Dec 12th called “Day of Pho” symbolising cultural identity and resilience.
Originating in the 19th - early 20th century in northern Vietnam, blending French, Chinese, and local influences into a clear broth with rice noodles and herbs.
French colonial rule introduced beef, prompting vendors to use leftover bones to make a clear broth.
Chinese migrants brought a similar rice‑noodle soup, influencing the dish’s structure. The earliest written record appears in a 1915 poem, describing “nhục phở,” a beef‑rice‑noodle soup.
Northern pho (pho bac) keeps the broth light and simple, while southern pho (pho nam) adds more herbs, lime, and chili.
After the 1954 partition, many northerners moved south, spreading the dish and creating the distinct styles. Vietnamese refugees carried pho worldwide after the 1975 war, making it a global comfort food.
This is my 4th time visiting Vietnam and it never ceases to anmaze me just how good this dish really is.

08/08/2026

A little guide to a night out in Đà Nẵng, Vietnam 🇻🇳

Start at Bếp Cuốn Đà Nẵng , a Michelin Bib Gourmand spot serving Vietnamese food. Great food, relaxed setting and really reasonably priced.

Then head to Kalà Kalà Beach Club Beach Club for drinks and music right on the beachfront.

Finish the night at The Roof Da Nang for cocktails, DJs and views across the city.

Only problem with this guide? Kārena forgot to film most of the food 😂

One to save if Đà Nẵng is on your list.

07/08/2026

Dinner at Pink Salt Restaurant in Da Nang, Vietnam 🇻🇳

Seafood, a little bit of table-side theatre and, according to Dad, the best steak he’s ever eaten.

06/08/2026

Post-Matariki, no kids edition: straight overseas. 🤣🇻🇳

While Kasey is keeping the the ahi kā’d back home, I am having a little post Matariki Aunty getaway in Vietnam.

We got to our accom at 5am and woke up a few hours later to some delicious kai we ordered on Grab.

I love Vietnam, Vietnamese people and ofc Vietnamese kai so much. Here is to a great week of eating. Mauri ora

06/08/2026

Lunch at GILT Brasserie at Chancery Chambers today with my little mate to try their Heart of the City Auckland Auckland Restaurant Month menu.

I had the 2 course menu & ordered the grilled calamari followed by the bouillabaisse, while Koaretaia was happy with fries and bread.

Always delicious food, fresh ingredients done well, and excellent service. The team were also lovely with Koaretaia, which is always appreciated.

If you’re making the most of Restaurant Month, this one’s worth adding to the list.

04/08/2026

Coming from a town that’s known for its pies, attending the Bakels Bakels NZ Supreme Pie Awards has become a bit of a tradition

Every year, Bakels transforms the Pie awards into a full production, celebrating the incredible talent behind one of Aotearoa’s most iconic foods.

Congratulations to this year’s Gold Award winners:

Bacon & Egg – Levain Artisan Bakery, Auckland (Sean Vo)
Mince & Gravy – Richoux Patisserie, Auckland (Jason Hay)
Mince & Cheese – Eurobake Espresso, Kumeū (Cheth Bun)
Potato Top – Taste Bakery & Roast, Henderson (Sok Heang Nguon)
Steak & Gravy – Levain Artisan Bakery, Auckland (Sean Vo)
Steak & Cheese – High Bakery & Cafe, Hamilton (Songheng Sor)
Chicken & Vegetables – Pie2Go Mairangi Bay Bakery, Auckland (Vong Hean)
Gourmet Meat – The Village Bakery Cafe, Piopio (Tour Khin) – Creamy pāua & cheese
Vegetarian – Penny Lanes Bakery, Onehunga (Sophea Tang) – Vegetable, mushroom & spinach
Café Boutique – Traiteur of Merivale, Christchurch (Anthea Loeffen) – Oven roasted pear with vanilla, caramel & ginger
Commercial/Wholesale – Kaipai Bakery, Wānaka (Jason Danielson)

✨A special congratulations to Levain Artisan Bakery, whose bacon & egg pie was crowned the 2026 Bakels Supreme Pie Award.✨

Thank you to NZ Bakels Ltd New Zealand for another exceptional event, and congratulations to every baker recognised on the night. Here’s to another year celebrating one of New Zealand’s most iconic foods. And thanks to my cute date Nancye Tuisaula Pirini for joining me for the night

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