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RNZ News
3 hours ago
- RNZ News
Queenstown restaurant among world top 100
New Zealand King Crab, as served at Amisfield Restaurant. Photo: Amisfield A Queenstown restaurant is the first ever from New Zealand to make it onto a prestigious "World's Best Restaurants" list. Amisfield Restaurant is based at a winery in Queenstown and has been ranked 99th on The World's 50 Best Restaurants 51-100 list. Executive chef Vaughan Mabee said he's been working there for 15 years and this achievement is humbling because it's the "Oscar" of fine dining accolades. Amisfield chef Vaughan Mabee. Photo: Vaughan Mabee "It's our first time being on the list and that list is so hard to get onto because when you are in New Zealand you are kind of on the back foot because we don't have a lot of people who vote who travel through here," he said. A panel of 1200 voters of chefs, food writers and restauraneurs vote at the end of each year and the voting is done by Deloitte. Mabee said his whole career working overseas and bringing that training back to New Zealand, was always about showcasing Aotearoa's bountiful and amazing products as an island nation. "There are so many things we cook here that are common to us, but no one else in the world knows about. "Being on this list will open the eyes of the world and entice more people to come next season and it'll be like a snowball for food tourism," he said. Photo: Vaughan Mabee Mabee said New Zealand's food scene has been constantly improving and developing, and at Amisfield it's not just about the food, but also the very special team of people making it. "It's the relationships we've harnessed with the local fishermen, the guys that hunt local deer and game for us - they've all turned into such a family connection with us. "From the guy that grows most of our vegetables down the road to the paua diver that I'm best friends with, to the hunters and gatherers... it's the expertise and foraging we've been studying and gaining knowledge about," he said. Mabee said all of these elements capture the beautiful and unique essence of New Zealand, which attracts people from around the world who are always looking for new things to eat. Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero , a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.
RNZ News
6 hours ago
- RNZ News
Carrington Resort trial: Former manager defends actions in court
By Shannon Pitman, Open Justice reporter of Belle Mumby (inset) defended forgery charges related to her time working at Carrington Resort. Photo: Supplied / NZME / Open Justice A judge-alone trial against a former manager of a luxury resort accused of fraudulent behaviour has wrapped up but not before she had her say, painting a picture of mounting workloads and rightful entitlements. "I could foresee it would get worse," Belle Mumby said, defending the long hours she claims were justified, despite the resort's insistence otherwise. The former Carrington Resort operations manager has spent the past two weeks facing charges of theft, deception, and forgery in a judge-alone trial in the Whangārei District Court. The Crown alleges Mumby photocopied CEO Jing Ma's signature on an overtime form and claimed payments she wasn't entitled to. She is also accused of using the company account for personal purchases and selling resort-owned equipment - a trailer and post rammer - for $3000 and keeping the proceeds. Mumby maintains Ma approved the photocopied overtime document because she was often unavailable to sign off. She also claims the purchases were for the resort and argues the equipment was unusable, with Ma allegedly pocketing some of the funds. The prosecution's key witness, Ma, faced five days of cross-examination by defence lawyer Wayne McKean. She repeatedly asserted Mumby had stolen from the resort and that none of the overtime claims, purchases, or equipment sales were authorised. Before Mumby took the stand on Tuesday, the resort's payroll clerk, Wendy Weng, said all the overtime forms needed approval with a higher authority signature. Weng was presented an email from Mumby which stated Ma was happy for her to sign off her leave forms from now on. Weng also assumed this included overtime as well. "I saw Jing was included in this email so I assumed Jing was in agreement and she didn't reply otherwise," Weng said. Mumby, taking the stand on Tuesday, said she foresaw her overtime hours increasing as summer approached and waiting for the CEO to sign off was impossible as she was never there. Belle Mumby said she was authorised to do the overtime and purchase items. Photo: Supplied / NZME / Open Justice She claimed Ma suggested signing blank forms that she could later photocopy and complete based on hours worked. "She indicated to me she would come less and less in the future so I [asked] her 'So what happens to my overtime?' I need the verification'," Mumby said. "She suggest[ed] no need to worry about that, she would sign on the blank form and I would go to photocopy it and fill out whatever hours I did, then I can claim it." Mumby said she followed the procedure she was told to do. Regarding the alleged unlawful purchases such as AirPods, iPads, a phone, security cameras and Oral B electric toothbrushes, Mumby insisted they were for the resort or for her job productivity. Ma had previously given evidence that the post rammer and trailer that Mumby allegedly sold were valued at $100,000. But Mumby said both the items were sitting with a pile of rusted machinery, were of no use and sold for $3000. During cross-examination by Crown lawyer Danica Soich, it was suggested to her that clients would never use Oral B electric toothbrushes that may have been previously used by others. Soich pointed out that several items purchased on the resort's account were found at Mumby's house or in her car, including an unopened security system. "There was never a plan to return those items, was there?" Soich asked. "No, I was going to bring them back after sorting myself out from Hong Kong," Mumby replied. "You felt entitled to more than what you were receiving from Carrington?" Soich pressed. "No, I'm happy," Mumby responded. "You bought those items for yourself," Soich alleged. "No, that is wrong," Mumby countered. Mumby said that upon her return from her trip to Hong Kong, she was brought into Ma's office, fired and promised a discussion that never happened. The trial closed on Thursday and Judge Taryn Bayley has reserved her decision. * This story originally appeared in the New Zealand Herald.
Scoop
6 hours ago
- Scoop
The Kiribat Pilot Inspiring The Next Generation Of Pacific Aviators
Article – RNZ When Salote Mataitini first dreamed of becoming a pilot, she was a child reading newspaper articles about aviators, long before iPhones or social media. When Salote Mataitini first dreamed of becoming a pilot, she was a child reading newspaper articles about aviators, long before iPhones or social media. 'In primary school, I learned about pilots through newspaper interviews, pre-smartphone era,' she said. Today, Mataitini lives out her lifelong dream. She is a captain with Air Kiribati, flying across one of the world's largest ocean states and inspiring the next generation of Pacific aviators. The early days Originally from the Garden Island of Taveuni and raised in Somosomo, Fiji, Mataitini's journey began in Aotearoa, where she trained at Ardmore Flying School in South Auckland. 'That was a great experience as I got to see different parts of the country while studying,' she said. 'While doing… my NZ commercial pilot's licence, I was lucky to be able to pick wherever I wanted to fly to, so because of that exposure, I've been to most, if not all, the airports and aerodromes in the upper North Island and Great Barrier Island.' She joined Air Kiribati as a first officer a decade ago and has flown as a captain on the Harbin and twin otter aircrafts for the past eight years. 'In Kiribati, we provide air service to 20 airports – 17 in the Gilbert Group while we are based in our HQ in Tarawa, and three airports in the Line Islands Group based in Christmas Island. So every few weeks we rotate between these two bases,' she said. 'Kiribati is a massive ocean state with atolls spread across the central Pacific Ocean. I'm quite blessed to be flying in these parts of the world where I get to cross the equator multiple times a day.' Barriers Mataitini's pathway wasn't without challenges, however. Early in her career, female pilots in the Pacific were rare, and gender bias was common. 'During the early days of my career there weren't many female pilots in the Pacific. Gender bias was very prevalent in those days,' she said. 'When I look back now, it was God's way of redirecting me to my destiny to go and work in Kiribati. 'I have been able to fully immerse myself in the culture and language because of the way the people of Kiribati have embraced me as one of their own.' While Mataitini finds peace in the sky, she said that her job is just as rewarding on the ground. 'Watching families, friends and loved ones reunited after a flight is always a rewarding experience.' Inspiring the next generation Beyond the cockpit, Mataitini is passionate about inspiring young people to pursue careers in aviation. 'Once I started flying, I wanted to do the same to inspire not only girls but the next generation of aviators. So that's when I started sharing my journey and my story online,' she said. Through her social media posts, Mataitini has become a recognisable role model across the region. She frequently receives messages from parents of aspiring pilots, and takes time to guide them, offering advice on training, pathways, and nearby flight schools. 'In Kiribati, it's become… normal for them to see me fly to their island. Compared to when I first started, it was rare to see a female pilot. 'But now when I land, I'm surprised to hear kids calling out to me, calling out my name. So I normally just smile and wave or go shake their hands,' she said. She continues to be a sought-after speaker at graduations and school events across the country, where she encourages young people to dream boldly, and pursue their goals. Today, Mataitini is heartened by the growing number of young Pacific people, particularly women, entering aviation. 'A decade later I'm beginning to see the fruits of that influence. It's great to see a number of new Kiribati female graduate pilots and a few others who are currently in Nadi flying schools,' she said. 'It's only a matter of time before they'll start sharing the cockpit with me, so I look forward to that day.' However, Mataitini maintains that women in Kiribati are natural 'leaders, mothers, and highly educated role models'. 'I see my role as an extension to theirs,' she said. 'Together, we inspire the next generation to follow in our footsteps, empowering not only females – but the future leaders of Kiribati.'
