Latest news with #Coombes
NZ Herald
a day ago
- Entertainment
- NZ Herald
Waihī Beach Surf Shack's winning Taniwha Toastie
For Surf Shack owner Pip Coombes, the win was not only a culinary achievement but a deeply personal celebration of place, people, and purpose. 'We're really stoked,' said Coombes. 'We've had people from all over the country come and try it over the six weeks.' Gerrard Ellmers from G's Cuisine enjoying a Taniwha Toastie. Photo / Supplied. She was surprised to find people arriving at 9am to eat the Taniwha Toastie for breakfast. 'It wouldn't be my 'go-to',' Coombes said. 'Even though we knew it wouldn't be everyone's cup of tea, seeing the absolute delight on people's faces when lifting the smoking cloche to reveal the toastie has been pure magic.' The Taniwha Toastie was more than a dish; it was a cultural and culinary homage. Inspired by Tūhua Island (also known as Mayor Island), just off the coast of Waihī Beach, Coombes created Parāoa Tūhua to reflect the island's obsidian origins. The striking dark bread, developed over 16 trial batches, was enriched with McClure's spicy pickle juice and influenced by both rēwena bread — a traditional Māori potato bread similar to sourdough — and focaccia techniques. 'For us, it's about more than flavour; it's about local ingredients and storytelling. We wanted to honour the whenua, celebrate our local kai, and bring people together over something delicious.' Kararaina Sydney, Horiana Wimutu, Maringirangi Pohatu, and Missy Wimutu who contributed to the Taniwha Toastie design. Photo / Supplied. Coombes worked closely with local hapū Te Whānau a Tauwhao, in collaboration with Whaea Kararaina Sydney, to forage for native herbs like kawakawa and horopito. Despite her early doubts — 'I said to the staff, 'It's eel. Who's going to eat that?'' — The Taniwha became a viral hit. During six weeks, Surf Shack sold an average of 20 toasties a day, culminating in 796 votes — comfortably ahead of Napier's The Boardwalk, which came second with 514 votes. 'It was the staff that made the People's Choice win happen,' Coombes said. 'Our head chef Brad Major was dedicated to making every single one. It was full on. The staff even ran their own in-house competition to see who could get the most votes.' Surf Shack Eatery's Taniwha Toastie which has won the People's Choice in the 2025 Great NZ Toastie Takeover competition. Photo / Supplied And the pickle? It featured eight different ways in the final dish — from dehydrated pickle shards to pickle-infused bread, pickle mayo, pickle salsa, pickle salt and more. 'It was literally born from my love of pickles, our coastline in our community and working with our hāpu,' Coombes said. The Surf Shack Eatery, located at 123 Emerton Road, Waihī Beach, has been a local favourite since Pip and partner Jo Coombes took it over 10 years ago. Jo runs the premises and 'does the hard yards' while Jo's son Brad is head chef. This was their first time entering the toastie competition, as it had previously clashed with annual leave. 'It started on the day we got back from America, so has been full on.' Looking ahead, Coombes plans to enter again next year — perhaps with a more crowd-pleasing option. 'With everything that's going on and our relationship here at Waihī Beach Beach with hāpu, I think the sandwich should be a celebration of culture.' For now, the Taniwha Toastie remains on the menu — but only while supplies last. With sustainably sourced eel running low and the complex 48-hour bread-making process taking its toll, it won't be around forever. Kararaina Sydney and Pip Coombes. Kararaina helped Pip with sourcing the native herbs and advising on ingredients. Photo / Supplied. ''We have loved the competition; our staff have been amazing,' Coombes said. 'It's been a labour of love. A huge shout-out to the people we have met and have travelled huge distances to try the toastie – and ultimately all the 796 voters.' The Supreme Winner of the 2025 Great New Zealand Toastie Takeover will be announced on August 20, with all 13 finalists' toasties available on menus until then. Last year's People's Choice went to Rotorua's Capers Café for its Brotha 'Mmmm hoisin pork belly toastie. This year, they were back in the finals with a Braised Birria Brotha. But for 2025, it's the Taniwha that captured the nation's taste buds — and hearts.
The 42
02-07-2025
- Sport
- The 42
'He's learning and improving all the time, that's why he's back in this environment'
HE'S BEEN ONE of Munster's most important players for years, but when it comes to international rugby, Gavin Coombes has often found himself on the outside looking in. The 27-year-old has clocked up 120 appearances for his province but has been capped just twice at Test level, coming off the bench in a July 2021 meeting with Japan before starting against the USA a week later. Over the past 12 months he's kept his head in the door with Ireland, but has been left frustrated when it's come to selection. Coombes was named in the Ireland A squad ahead of their February meeting with an England A team, but missed the game after being called into Andy Farrell's senior squad ahead of the Six Nations meeting with Wales. He left that international window having played no minutes for either side. However the backrower looks set to get back into a green jersey over the coming fortnight, with Ireland hoping to give gametime to all of their 33-strong squad on the upcoming tour of Georgia and Portugal, which kicks-off in Tbilisi this Saturday [KO 6pm Irish time, Virgin Media]. 'Gavin, he's turned up, he's looking fit, he's looking hungry the last few days,' says Denis Leamy, Ireland's defence coach for the two-game tour. Coombes won his two Ireland caps in July 2021. Ryan Byrne / INPHO Ryan Byrne / INPHO / INPHO 'I think he's deployed himself really well, he's been really good in training. Gavin has been in and out of Irish squads over the last couple of years. The times he's been left out, he's understood the reasons why and (they) have been very fair. Gavin has gone away and worked hard on those parts of the games. 'He's back in now, he has that chance now on Saturday, hopefully, if selected, that he can go and apply that and put his best foot forward. He's a guy that over the last couple of years has been very good for Munster.' Leamy, who coaches Coombes at Munster, feels the Cork man has points of difference he can offer in the squad. 'I think he's hugely strong around opposition 22. His ability to make yards, score tries, he's one of the best around at that and his general play is improving all the time. Advertisement 'He's worked great between 22 and 22. His ability to make yards in open play, his ability to clock up big numbers in his tackles, his rucks and the fundamentals around his basic play, around number eight (working) at the base (of the scrum). He's learning and improving that all the time, that's why he's back in this environment.' With many of the Ireland coaches away on the Lions tour with Andy Farrell, Leamy is enjoying the opportunity to join O'Connell's set up as defence coach. 'It's brilliant to come in and just get different perspectives on how the different provinces are playing the game. Everyone's playing the game relatively similar, but there's little tweaks here and there and everyone sees the game slightly different. Ireland assistant coach Denis Leamy. Leah Scholes / INPHO Leah Scholes / INPHO / INPHO 'A lot of the boys I've worked with either at Leinster or at Irish U20s level, so I know the vast majority of them. It's lovely to see them develop as players, how they've grown into men and how they've developed their own perspective on the game, their own opinions. It's excellent to be back in around them. 'We just find when it's a national set-up, the unity straight away, they all mix. My generation, there was huge rivalry and I think there is still rivalry but it took us a few weeks for the frostiness to wear off. The boys just seem to get on so well. They're straight in, they're best mates, they're constantly over and back on WhatsApp and all the different platforms. It's better than when I was a player. They've grown up a little bit from when we were there.' Leamy expects to see this Irish group get tested in a variety of ways against Georgia. 'I think it's very clear that they're well put together off their launch players, their scrums, their lineouts. They have really good three phase, four phase plays and they run them really well. Their big threat is Davit Niniashvili [fullback/out-half]. 'He's obviously an excellent player, but they're very well put together at 10 by Tedo Abzhandadze. He runs the thing very well. They have the ability to play around you. They have the ability to take you on confrontationally, and they're a very, very well coached team. You can see that they're top level rugby players and they're well used to playing in a big league like France. 'You'd imagine that Georgia would have loads of reasons to be inspired to play a huge game against us on Saturday,' he added. 'We're expecting a really tough, tough game. We're expecting opponents that are really well put together by their coaches… Richard Cockerill, you have Conor McPhillips who's worked in the Irish system and who's been with Bristol as well. He's a really experienced attack coach, so you can see in their game that they're well put together. They're physical. They've got a great platform around their scrum, their maul, their lineout. It is a big test. We're out of our comfort zone and it's exactly the sort of test that we're looking forward to.'
Irish Examiner
02-07-2025
- Sport
- Irish Examiner
Denis Leamy: 'It's a great opportunity for the boys coming in to show what they can do'
Paul O'Connell's Ireland squad take off for Tbilisi on Wednesday ahead of the first of two summer Tests which could prove to be pivotal to many of the 33 squad members international rugby aspirations. This Saturday's meeting with Georgia and the following week's Lisbon Test against Portugal represents perhaps the biggest window of opportunity in a generation for the 13 uncapped players in the touring party and the dozen with less than 10 Ireland caps thanks to the absence of 16 frontliners on British & Irish Lions duty, an injury to captain Caelan Doris and the international retirements post-Six Nations of Cian Healy, Conor Murray and Peter O'Mahony. 'It's a great opportunity for the boys coming in to show what they can do and just build on some of the things that have (been) done to date,' Denis Leamy said on the eve of departure as Ireland's interim coaching staff wrapped up preparations at the IRFU High Performance Centre in Abbottstown. Gavin Coombes has perhaps more reason than most to take advantage of that opportunity. The No.8 from West Cork has been a consistently shining light for Munster but Test recognition has eluded the 27-year-old since a Test debut off the bench against Japan in 2021 and the 80-minute start the following week against the USA, both on home soil four summers ago. Coombes was not jettisoned by head coach Andy Farrell, indeed the back-rower toured New Zealand the 12 months later and started both midweek games in the drawn series with the Maori All Blacks, alongside Cian Prendergast and Nick Timoney, both of whom will board the team plane with the hope of adding to their four and three cap tallies respectively. It was a trio that also started the November 2022 A international against an All Blacks XV at the RDS on a night when many observers feel Coombes became one of the fall guys for a 19-47 defeat that left Farrell seething in a manner not seen since his post-match media conference following the Lions' pre-tour defeat to Argentina. Tellingly Prendergast and Timoney have earned Test caps since that dark night in Dublin, though not since before the 2023 World Cup, when the former and Coombes were cut from the pre-tournament training squad. So does the door remain open? Ireland interim defence coach Leamy was asked just that of Coombes, with whom he also works at Munster, on Tuesday. Is the door open for Gavin Coombes? Picture: Leah Scholes/Inpho 'Gavin has turned up, he's looking fit, he's looking hungry the last few days. I think he's deployed himself really well, he's been really good in training. 'Gavin has been in and out of Irish squads over the last couple of years. The times he's been left out, he's understood the reasons why and (they) have been very fair. Gavin has gone away and worked hard on those parts of the games. 'He's back in now, he has that chance now on Saturday, hopefully, if selected, that he can go and apply that and put his best foot forward. He's a guy that over the last couple of years has been very good for Munster.' It will chiefly be O'Connell's feedback to a returning Farrell that counts most, of course, but Leamy believes Coombes has learned his lessons and deserves this latest shot at an Ireland return. 'I think he's hugely strong around opposition 22. His ability to make yards, score tries, he's one of the best around at that and his general play is improving all the time. He's worked great between 22 and 22. "His ability to make yards in open play, his ability to clock up big numbers in his tackles, his rucks and the fundamentals around his basic play, around number eight (working) at the base (of the scrum). He's learning and improving that all the time. That's why he's back in this environment.' O'Connell will name his matchday squad to face the Georgians from Tbilisi on Thursday with Craig Casey set to captain from scrum-half with the interim boss set for a big decision at fly-half where the duel between Sam Prendergast and Jack Crowley continues. For some Irishmen there remains the possibility of a call up to the Lions if injuries should crop up Down Under but Leamy spoke about the importance of staying focused on the task at hand in a green jersey. 'I lean on my own experience a little bit with that, being on tours in 2009 when you're on standby for the Lions. 'And it is a challenge, but you have to keep your mind on the job that's in front of you and you have to be very conscious of being as good as you can be in that space. Obviously, you're watching what's going on in Australia if there's an injury or an opportunity coming. 'But the boys will be very good around that. Their focus will be Ireland and whatever happens after that will happen.'
The Advertiser
24-06-2025
- Health
- The Advertiser
New approach needed to fulfil closing the gap promise
Governments are being urged to rethink their approach to working with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people if they are serious about closing the gap. While the Closing the Gap framework is sound, its implementation has been inhibited by inaction, an independent, Indigenous-led review found. The framework has been agreed to all Australian governments and is designed to address First Nations inequity. The report authors engaged with more than 500 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and organisations across Australia for the review, said University of Technology Sydney's Jumbunna Institute director Lindon Coombes. "The feedback we got overwhelmingly through the process from Indigenous people was that we all shook hands, all levels of government agreed to this framework and we're not stepping away from it," Professor Coombes told AAP. "However, if it's going to fulfil its promise, the government needs to work differently with us." The review found imbalance of responsibilities and resourcing was impeding implementation, with Aboriginal community-controlled organisations doing the "heavy lifting" while being under-resourced. But the absence of appropriate communication and education about Closing the Gap efforts had led to community negativity about progress on the targets, the report said. Queensland Aboriginal and Islander Health Council deputy chief executive David Harmer said too often there was "lip service" paid to the targets. "We spend a lot of time dutifully reporting to government about the work that we've been doing ... but that's not translating to practical action on the ground that people recognise as the benefit of the Closing the Gap agreement" he said. Mr Harmer urged the government in his state to work more closely with Indigenous organisations, saying there's a need for renewed commitment to getting the relationship right. "Governments arrive with an idea of what they want to deliver, 'consult' about it and then deliver the thing they'd already thought they were going to do," he said. "That can't continue if we're going to change things dramatically." Closing the Gap data, released by the Productivity Commission in March, showed just four of the 19 national targets are on track to be met, while another six have shown improvement. The review was commissioned by the Coalition of Peaks, which represents more than 80 Indigenous peak bodies across Australia. Acting lead convener Scott Wilson said when governments and community organisations worked in genuine partnership, there were tangible outcomes. "When we all come together and when everyone's on the same page and we're driving change, whether it's with community organisations or with a state or federal government you do have good outcomes and you do have change," he said. Prof Coombes said governments should "take heart" in the review, despite its criticisms, as it was an opportunity for change. "If the government read this report, considers the recommendations and starts self-reflecting on how they work and how they engage with Indigenous people, there's a really good opportunity to do things differently and better," he said. Governments are being urged to rethink their approach to working with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people if they are serious about closing the gap. While the Closing the Gap framework is sound, its implementation has been inhibited by inaction, an independent, Indigenous-led review found. The framework has been agreed to all Australian governments and is designed to address First Nations inequity. The report authors engaged with more than 500 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and organisations across Australia for the review, said University of Technology Sydney's Jumbunna Institute director Lindon Coombes. "The feedback we got overwhelmingly through the process from Indigenous people was that we all shook hands, all levels of government agreed to this framework and we're not stepping away from it," Professor Coombes told AAP. "However, if it's going to fulfil its promise, the government needs to work differently with us." The review found imbalance of responsibilities and resourcing was impeding implementation, with Aboriginal community-controlled organisations doing the "heavy lifting" while being under-resourced. But the absence of appropriate communication and education about Closing the Gap efforts had led to community negativity about progress on the targets, the report said. Queensland Aboriginal and Islander Health Council deputy chief executive David Harmer said too often there was "lip service" paid to the targets. "We spend a lot of time dutifully reporting to government about the work that we've been doing ... but that's not translating to practical action on the ground that people recognise as the benefit of the Closing the Gap agreement" he said. Mr Harmer urged the government in his state to work more closely with Indigenous organisations, saying there's a need for renewed commitment to getting the relationship right. "Governments arrive with an idea of what they want to deliver, 'consult' about it and then deliver the thing they'd already thought they were going to do," he said. "That can't continue if we're going to change things dramatically." Closing the Gap data, released by the Productivity Commission in March, showed just four of the 19 national targets are on track to be met, while another six have shown improvement. The review was commissioned by the Coalition of Peaks, which represents more than 80 Indigenous peak bodies across Australia. Acting lead convener Scott Wilson said when governments and community organisations worked in genuine partnership, there were tangible outcomes. "When we all come together and when everyone's on the same page and we're driving change, whether it's with community organisations or with a state or federal government you do have good outcomes and you do have change," he said. Prof Coombes said governments should "take heart" in the review, despite its criticisms, as it was an opportunity for change. "If the government read this report, considers the recommendations and starts self-reflecting on how they work and how they engage with Indigenous people, there's a really good opportunity to do things differently and better," he said. Governments are being urged to rethink their approach to working with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people if they are serious about closing the gap. While the Closing the Gap framework is sound, its implementation has been inhibited by inaction, an independent, Indigenous-led review found. The framework has been agreed to all Australian governments and is designed to address First Nations inequity. The report authors engaged with more than 500 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and organisations across Australia for the review, said University of Technology Sydney's Jumbunna Institute director Lindon Coombes. "The feedback we got overwhelmingly through the process from Indigenous people was that we all shook hands, all levels of government agreed to this framework and we're not stepping away from it," Professor Coombes told AAP. "However, if it's going to fulfil its promise, the government needs to work differently with us." The review found imbalance of responsibilities and resourcing was impeding implementation, with Aboriginal community-controlled organisations doing the "heavy lifting" while being under-resourced. But the absence of appropriate communication and education about Closing the Gap efforts had led to community negativity about progress on the targets, the report said. Queensland Aboriginal and Islander Health Council deputy chief executive David Harmer said too often there was "lip service" paid to the targets. "We spend a lot of time dutifully reporting to government about the work that we've been doing ... but that's not translating to practical action on the ground that people recognise as the benefit of the Closing the Gap agreement" he said. Mr Harmer urged the government in his state to work more closely with Indigenous organisations, saying there's a need for renewed commitment to getting the relationship right. "Governments arrive with an idea of what they want to deliver, 'consult' about it and then deliver the thing they'd already thought they were going to do," he said. "That can't continue if we're going to change things dramatically." Closing the Gap data, released by the Productivity Commission in March, showed just four of the 19 national targets are on track to be met, while another six have shown improvement. The review was commissioned by the Coalition of Peaks, which represents more than 80 Indigenous peak bodies across Australia. Acting lead convener Scott Wilson said when governments and community organisations worked in genuine partnership, there were tangible outcomes. "When we all come together and when everyone's on the same page and we're driving change, whether it's with community organisations or with a state or federal government you do have good outcomes and you do have change," he said. Prof Coombes said governments should "take heart" in the review, despite its criticisms, as it was an opportunity for change. "If the government read this report, considers the recommendations and starts self-reflecting on how they work and how they engage with Indigenous people, there's a really good opportunity to do things differently and better," he said. Governments are being urged to rethink their approach to working with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people if they are serious about closing the gap. While the Closing the Gap framework is sound, its implementation has been inhibited by inaction, an independent, Indigenous-led review found. The framework has been agreed to all Australian governments and is designed to address First Nations inequity. The report authors engaged with more than 500 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and organisations across Australia for the review, said University of Technology Sydney's Jumbunna Institute director Lindon Coombes. "The feedback we got overwhelmingly through the process from Indigenous people was that we all shook hands, all levels of government agreed to this framework and we're not stepping away from it," Professor Coombes told AAP. "However, if it's going to fulfil its promise, the government needs to work differently with us." The review found imbalance of responsibilities and resourcing was impeding implementation, with Aboriginal community-controlled organisations doing the "heavy lifting" while being under-resourced. But the absence of appropriate communication and education about Closing the Gap efforts had led to community negativity about progress on the targets, the report said. Queensland Aboriginal and Islander Health Council deputy chief executive David Harmer said too often there was "lip service" paid to the targets. "We spend a lot of time dutifully reporting to government about the work that we've been doing ... but that's not translating to practical action on the ground that people recognise as the benefit of the Closing the Gap agreement" he said. Mr Harmer urged the government in his state to work more closely with Indigenous organisations, saying there's a need for renewed commitment to getting the relationship right. "Governments arrive with an idea of what they want to deliver, 'consult' about it and then deliver the thing they'd already thought they were going to do," he said. "That can't continue if we're going to change things dramatically." Closing the Gap data, released by the Productivity Commission in March, showed just four of the 19 national targets are on track to be met, while another six have shown improvement. The review was commissioned by the Coalition of Peaks, which represents more than 80 Indigenous peak bodies across Australia. Acting lead convener Scott Wilson said when governments and community organisations worked in genuine partnership, there were tangible outcomes. "When we all come together and when everyone's on the same page and we're driving change, whether it's with community organisations or with a state or federal government you do have good outcomes and you do have change," he said. Prof Coombes said governments should "take heart" in the review, despite its criticisms, as it was an opportunity for change. "If the government read this report, considers the recommendations and starts self-reflecting on how they work and how they engage with Indigenous people, there's a really good opportunity to do things differently and better," he said.
Perth Now
24-06-2025
- Health
- Perth Now
New approach needed to fulfil closing the gap promise
Governments are being urged to rethink their approach to working with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people if they are serious about closing the gap. While the Closing the Gap framework is sound, its implementation has been inhibited by inaction, an independent, Indigenous-led review found. The framework has been agreed to all Australian governments and is designed to address First Nations inequity. The report authors engaged with more than 500 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and organisations across Australia for the review, said University of Technology Sydney's Jumbunna Institute director Lindon Coombes. "The feedback we got overwhelmingly through the process from Indigenous people was that we all shook hands, all levels of government agreed to this framework and we're not stepping away from it," Professor Coombes told AAP. "However, if it's going to fulfil its promise, the government needs to work differently with us." The review found imbalance of responsibilities and resourcing was impeding implementation, with Aboriginal community-controlled organisations doing the "heavy lifting" while being under-resourced. But the absence of appropriate communication and education about Closing the Gap efforts had led to community negativity about progress on the targets, the report said. Queensland Aboriginal and Islander Health Council deputy chief executive David Harmer said too often there was "lip service" paid to the targets. "We spend a lot of time dutifully reporting to government about the work that we've been doing ... but that's not translating to practical action on the ground that people recognise as the benefit of the Closing the Gap agreement" he said. Mr Harmer urged the government in his state to work more closely with Indigenous organisations, saying there's a need for renewed commitment to getting the relationship right. "Governments arrive with an idea of what they want to deliver, 'consult' about it and then deliver the thing they'd already thought they were going to do," he said. "That can't continue if we're going to change things dramatically." Closing the Gap data, released by the Productivity Commission in March, showed just four of the 19 national targets are on track to be met, while another six have shown improvement. The review was commissioned by the Coalition of Peaks, which represents more than 80 Indigenous peak bodies across Australia. Acting lead convener Scott Wilson said when governments and community organisations worked in genuine partnership, there were tangible outcomes. "When we all come together and when everyone's on the same page and we're driving change, whether it's with community organisations or with a state or federal government you do have good outcomes and you do have change," he said. Prof Coombes said governments should "take heart" in the review, despite its criticisms, as it was an opportunity for change. "If the government read this report, considers the recommendations and starts self-reflecting on how they work and how they engage with Indigenous people, there's a really good opportunity to do things differently and better," he said.
