Helen Turnbull is the force behind 50–50, the award-winning Paraparaumu Beach restaurant recently crowned Outstanding Regional Venue at the Wellington Hospitality Awards.

In this episode, Helen shares her journey from running a gastro pub in Devon, to cooking in Japan, and eventually landing in Queenstown where she worked under Josh Emett at Rātā. It was there her talent and drive really began to shine.

After building a loyal following in Queenstown, Helen moved north to the Kāpiti Coast, where she’s redefined regional dining with a menu that’s proudly local, deeply seasonal, and designed to surprise. She’s known for her ability to celebrate New Zealand ingredients while challenging expectations—think pāua char siu buns, reimagined hokey pokey, or her iconic 9-course degustation that evolves with every visit.

This is a conversation about self-belief, the pace of fine dining, and what it takes to stand out without being flashy.

Presented by ⁠Hospitality New Zealand⁠ — the national voice of Aotearoa’s hospo and accommodation sectors, supporting operators with tools, training, and advocacy.

Founding sponsor: ⁠Upstock⁠ — the all-in-one order management platform for hospo businesses. Get your first month free by signing up with the code BACONBUTTY.

Special thanks to our bacon producer:

Woodys Free Range – Get 15% off at ⁠woodysfarm.co.nz⁠ with the code BACONBUTTY

Learn more about Helen Turnbull and 50-50: ⁠https://www.50-50.nz

Photos of the Bacon Butty and more at: ⁠ripplmedia.co.nz

In this episode of Bacon Butty, Daniel sits down with Kalliana Kong — better known as Wellingnoms, one of Wellington’s most trusted food voices.

Kalliana shares her story growing up in a Cambodian refugee family in Wellington, where food was central to daily life, and how that shaped her love of flavour, colour, and community. From her early days experimenting with Instagram to building Wellingnoms into a must-follow account, she talks candidly about the responsibility of reviewing, dealing with online criticism, and why she’s never monetised her passion.

We also dive into the role of influencers versus traditional critics, how social media has transformed the food landscape, and her hopes for Wellington’s dining scene — including her dream for a restaurant perched high above the city with harbour views.

Want to see Kalliana’s naan-based bacon butty creation? Head to www.ripplmedia.co.nz for photos.

Special thanks to our sponsors:

Hospitality New Zealand – representing our industry for over 120 years. Learn more at www.hospitality.org.nz.

Upstock – Get your first month free at upstock.app/bacon.

Woodys Free Range – Get 15% off at woodysfarm.co.nz with the code BACONBUTTY.

Bacon Butty is made by Rippl Media – Daniel Todd, Karli Mitchell (Get Content.nz), Helen Lea Wall (Get Content.nz), and Sofia Wenborn.

In this episode of Bacon Butty, Daniel sits down with Chetan Pangam — executive chef at One80 Restaurant in Wellington, Beef + Lamb NZ ambassador, and one of the driving forces in shaping hotel dining into something uniquely Kiwi.

Chetan takes us from his childhood in southern India — growing up in a home where discipline came from his father and generosity came from his mother’s cooking — through his time at boarding school, where he first learned discipline, resilience, and how to secretly cook after lights out. He recalls his early hotel training in Bangalore and New Delhi, his meteoric rise through five-star kitchens, and the turning point that brought him to New Zealand.

We talk about his philosophy of flavour as emotion, his role in elevating Wellington’s food scene, and his back-to-back Burger Wellington wins with creations that tell his family’s story. Along the way, he shares how he balances tradition and innovation, why loyalty matters, and how food is always about people, memories, and love.

Want to see Chetan’s bacon butty creation? Head to www.ripplmedia.co.nz for photos.

Special thanks to our sponsors:
Upstock – Get your first month free at upstock.app/bacon
Woodys Free Range – Get 15% off at woodysfarm.co.nz with the code BACONBUTTY

Bacon Butty is made by Rippl Media — Daniel Todd, Karli Mitchell (Get Content.nz), Helen Lea Wall (Get Content.nz), and Sofia Wenborn.

In this episode of Bacon Butty, Daniel sits down with Max Gordy — the chef-owner of Graze Wine Bar in Kelburn, Wellington, and one of the city’s most exciting voices in low-impact, locally driven dining.

Max takes us through a life less ordinary: growing up in Chicago, moving to New Zealand as a teenager, and finding his way from washing dishes at Hummingbird to cooking at Shed 5, Matterhorn, and top restaurants in the US and Argentina. Along the way, he broke bones skateboarding down Wellington hills, DJ’d late nights, and discovered a love of cooking that could take him anywhere in the world.

Now, with his partner Stina Persen, Max has created Graze — a 22-seat wine bar built on sustainability, zero-waste thinking, and deep ties to local farmers and fishers. We talk about the philosophy behind his food, the challenges of running a neighbourhood restaurant, and why butterfish and produce-on-yogurt might just change the way you look at a plate.

Want to see Max’s bacon butty creation? Head to www.ripplmedia.co.nz for photos.

Special thanks to our sponsors:

Upstock – Get your first month free at upstock.app/bacon

Woodys Free Range – Get 15% off at woodysfarm.co.nz with the code BACONBUTTY

Bacon Butty is made by Rippl Media – Daniel Todd, Karli Mitchell (Get Content.nz), Helen Lea Wall (Get Content.nz), and Sofia Wenborn.

In this episode of Bacon Butty, Daniel sits down with David Burton — celebrated journalist, chef, and author of the landmark book Two Hundred Years of New Zealand Food & Cookery.

David takes us on a journey through his early years in journalism, the influences that shaped his palate, and his time cooking in Paris. We explore the evolution of New Zealand’s food culture, from colonial beginnings through to today’s dynamic dining scene, and the people and places that defined it along the way.

We also discuss the shifting role of food writers, the challenges of documenting a nation’s cuisine, and David’s reflections on how New Zealand eats — and what that says about who we are.

Want to see David’s bacon butty creation? Head to www.ripplmedia.co.nz for photos.

Special thanks to our sponsors:
Upstock – Get your first month free at upstock.app/bacon
Woodys Free Range – Get 15% off at woodysfarm.co.nz with the code BACONBUTTY

Bacon Butty is made by Rippl Media – Daniel Todd, Karli Mitchell (Get Content.nz), Helen Lea Wall (Get Content.nz), and Sofia Wenborn.

In this episode of Bacon Butty, Daniel sits down with Sean Golding, the hospitality legend behind Wellington institutions Golding’s Free Dive, Shepherd restaurant, Concord and the Intrepid Hotel.

Sean takes us through his early life travelling the South Island, finding creative expression in signwriting and film, and his journey from miniature sets on blockbuster films like King Kong and Avatar, into creating iconic bars and restaurants. We talk candidly about Shepherd’s rise to critical acclaim—and the tough decision to close it—as well as the realities, responsibilities, and resilience needed in hospitality today.

Sean also shares his deep belief in hospitality as a community hub, the importance of accessible and unpretentious spaces, and his future ambitions to blend food, lodging, and community beyond the city.

💬 Want to see Sean’s bacon butty creation? Head to www.ripplmedia.co.nz for photos.

🎁 Special thanks to our sponsors:
Upstock – Get your first month free at upstock.app/bacon
Woodys Free Range – Get 15% off at woodysfarm.co.nz with the code BACONBUTTY

👨‍🍳 Bacon Butty is made by Rippl Media – Daniel Todd, Karli Mitchell (Get Content.nz), Helen Lea Wall (Get Content.nz), and Sofia Wenborn.

In this episode of Bacon Butty, Daniel sits down with Rose Lawson, the creator of Rose’s Chilli Crisp—a fiery little condiment that’s taken Aotearoa by storm.

Rose shares the deeply personal journey behind the brand: from making terrariums in Melbourne to hand-labelling chilli jars in Waikanae, and the leap from postpartum burnout to gold-medal success. We talk about food as connection, the business of flavour, and why her version of success isn’t about constant growth it’s about community, creativity, and keeping things real.

This is the first full episode of Season 2, focused on the people and flavours of Kāpiti and Horowhenua. (Season 1 continues with new interviews from Wellington. Want to know more about how we’re dividing seasons by place? Check out S02E00 for a quick explainer.)

💬 Want to see Rose’s bacon butty creation? Head to www.ripplmedia.co.nz for photos.

🎁 Special thanks to our sponsors:

Upstock – Get your first month free at upstock.app/bacon

Woodys Free Range – Get 15% off at www.woodysfarm.co.nz with the code BACONBUTTY

👨‍🍳 Bacon Butty is made by Rippl Media — Daniel Todd, Karli Mitchell (Get Content.nz), Helen Lea Wall (Get Content.nz), and Sofia Wenborn.