The Wellington route
Where did you work before you arrived in New Zealand? Kuyilu "I joined the Peacock Hotel, Sheffield, as commis chef, having trained at Cranville College, Sheffield, from 1976 to 1978. After a move to the Maynard Arms, Grindleford, Derbyshire, I got my first job in London in 1980 as chef de partie at the Drury Lane Hotel.
"I remained in London for the next eight years, working at the Forum Hotel, the Kensington Close Hotel, the Cavalry & Guards Club and Café du Pont before going out to Australia to work as sous chef at the new Hyatt Regency Coolum Beach in Queensland. It was a wonderful opportunity to work in one of the most beautiful and unspoilt areas of Australia.
"I returned to the UK in 1990 and was appointed head chef at Alveston Manor, Stratford-upon-Avon, before spending two years as executive chef at the Westbury Hotel, London. I emigrated to New Zealand in January 1995."
What attracted you to New Zealand?
"I was looking for a better quality of life and to broaden my experience by working in a different culture with unusual products and ingredients. New Zealand was particularly attractive to me because there are so few people here and the lifestyle is laid back."
How did you find your present job?
"I arrived in New Zealand without a job, but I obtained permanent residency before leaving the UK - this was granted because of my length of experience as a chef. On arrival in New Zealand I contacted a number of recruitment agencies and hotel companies and eventually was offered my present position - as executive chef of the ParkRoyal Hotel in Wellington - through direct contact with the human resources department of the parent company, Southern Pacific Hotels."
Describe the establishment where you work.
"The ParkRoyal is a 232-bedroom hotel with three restaurants - the 122-seat Chameleon café and bar, the 80-seat Arizona bar and grill, and the 62-seat Kimble Bent's restaurant - banqueting for a total of 370 covers; and off-site catering for up to 1,000 covers. Recent outside catering events have included the New Zealand Ballet charity ball in a marquee for 650 covers and the TVNZ awards dinner for 450 covers at Wellington Town Hall."
What style of food do you serve?
"The Chameleon serves modern, robust food with a hint of the unusual; Arizona is Mexican-Cajun styled; and Kimble Bent's is the fine-dining restaurant serving quality, modern, international food. There are a lot of Oriental influences here, particularly from Thailand and Malaysia, so you often see classical dishes presented with an Oriental twist. Here we serve a soy-based sauce in place of the traditional Madeira glaze with tournedo Rossini."
How good is the supply and availability of local ingredients?
"New Zealand has a wonderful array of fresh ingredients, though there are not too many unusual items. The freshness and high quality of ingredients inspire me to try new and unusual combinations. For example, I use kumara, a type of sweet potato, in place of filo pastry to make a mille-feuille of pork. Fruit and vegetables are picked within one hour's travelling distance of the hotel, fish is landed daily at Wellington, and local beef and lamb are of an exceptionally high quality."
Describe the brigade who work with you.
"Half of the 36-strong brigade are employed locally in Wellington and a further 30% are from other regions of New Zealand. The rest come from abroad, with five at present from the UK. I've employed two of the British chefs myself since I've been here. They are both here on work permits and are now looking at the possibility of permanent residency. Apparently there is a shortage of some 1,400 chefs at various levels throughout the country."
What is your living accommodation like?
"On arrival in New Zealand my family and I arranged our own accommodation. Once appointed to my current position, we were provided with six weeks' accommodation in a motel by my employer. We then bought our own modern, architect-designed house with six bedrooms, three living rooms, play room, kitchen, laundry room, two bathrooms, triple garage, workshop, cellar and swimming pool.
"Unfortunately, my wife and I have recently split up. However, my family absolutely love New Zealand and want to stay here. My son (aged seven) plays rugby and cricket and swims two or three times per week, and my daughter (aged four) dances, goes to gym, swims and plays junior softball. The fact that I want to continue travelling and don't want to stay in one place forever has contributed to the split. When you have the wander-bug, you have to make sacrifices."
What are the main disadvantages of working in New Zealand?
"There are not many, but we do have problems getting a consistent supply of top-grade quality products from abroad. There are also no recognised accolades equivalent to Michelin stars or AA rosettes for restaurants here, and the general laid-back attitude among staff can sometimes cause problems when trying to get a job done to a high standard."
What is your salary?
"I earn NZ$72,000, which is equivalent to around £33,000 per year."
Will you return to the UK to work?
"No, not unless absolutely necessary. There is too much of the world I wish to see. Working abroad has enabled me to develop both my culinary and life knowledge. In one or two years, once I've finished what I've set out to achieve here, I think I will be ready to move on and I hope to go to South Africa."
