Food is the thread that weaves it all together. Expect open-fire cooking, hands-on classes, market tastings, progressive city dining and long, generous lunches in beautiful settings. You’ll cook, forage and feast — from sourdough and Serbian charcuterie to Māori hāngi, fresh oysters with fizz, vineyard platters and island fare. Every meal tells a story of provenance, seasonality and shared pleasure, capturing Auckland’s love of bold flavour, relaxed dining and good company.

This journey is guided by two deeply connected food storytellers — Elle Armon-Jones of The Big Foody Food Tours and Tracey Cotterell of Matters of Taste. Together, they open doors to Auckland’s most generous cooks, growers, bakers, distillers and makers, many of whom welcome us as friends rather than visitors. From third-generation charcutiers and sourdough bakers to oyster farmers, vineyard hosts and Māori elders, you’ll meet people proud to share their craft, culture and tables — with warmth, humour and genuine hospitality.

Auckland is a city defined by water, land and light. Over five flavour-filled nights, you’ll move from vineyard country to wild west-coast beaches, from fertile hills and forest to buzzing inner-city streets and sun-soaked Waiheke Island. Black sands, rolling vines, laneways, markets, estuaries and ferry rides frame each day, offering a rich sense of place where nature and city life sit side by side — always with the sea close and the scenery changing.