India, August 2024:   Aotearoa New Zealand, which sits comfortably near the bottom of the world, often beyond the usual routes of The Michelin Guide, has decided to take matters into its own hands.

In a breathtaking culinary showcase, leading New Zealand chef Ben Bayly has produced a one-of-a-kind restaurant experience for 50 international tastemakers under the star-embellished skies of Kura Tawhiti (Castle Hill) at the foothills of the Southern Alps in New Zealand’s South Island. “Why be satisfied with a Michelin Star, when you can cook under 2.5 billion of them?” asks Bayly.

Invited guests from India like Chef Saransh Goila and adventure travel content creator Aakash Malhotra were in attendance alongside tastemakers from Australia, China, Japan, North America, United Kingdom, Germany Singapore and South Korea  to sample the destination's spectacular dark skies and bespoke, six-course degustation menu. Meticulously constructed using the finest winter produce and native ingredients, the bill of fare celebrated the breadth of ingredients available to manuhiri (visitors) throughout New Zealand.

The event was timed to take place in New Zealand’s winter to best showcase its unparalleled night skies, showcasing celestial wonders such as the Southern Lights (Aurora Australis) and The Milky Way. For keen stargazers, autumn and winter’s longer nights are often coined as the best time to witness the exceptionally clear night skies of New Zealand.

René de Monchy, Chief Executive of Tourism New Zealand, shared his view on the omission: “We’re used to New Zealand being left off the list. First, it was world maps and now it’s the Michelin Guide, so we’re happy to take matters into our own hands. Our night skies are world famous, rightly so - but our cuisine is also worthy of a star or three.”

The restaurant’s name, Pou-o-Kai was gifted to the restaurant by Ngāi Tuāhuriri, local tangata whenua (people of the land) in an ode to the eagle that used to soar the pristine skies of the Kura Tawhiti (Castle Hill, South Island) region. Spelt Pou-o-Kai, it loosely translates to a place of kai (food) or a post/table of kai.  Pou symbolises connection to place and people, o is of, and kai is food.

Deeply rooted in kaitiakitanga (guardianship) and manaakitanga (hospitality), Aotearoa New Zealand’s food identity honours both people and place, resulting in a distinct agricultural richness and vibrant, culinary culture. 

The definition of a three-star restaurant in the Michelin Guide means “exceptional cuisine, worthy of a special journey,” explains chef Ben Bayly.  “We think that New Zealand cuisine is in a category of its own – we call it superior cuisine, worth a journey to the edge of the earth.”

Ben Bayly will rotate select dishes from the menu across his New Zealand restaurants (Ahi, Aosta, Origine, Little Aosta, The Bathhouse) in Auckland, Queenstown and Arrowtown through to August 2025.