Modern vegetarian cuisine in Northland

Meet Anna

Anna comes from a family of well-travelled foodies. She grew up trying cuisines that weren't typical of what kids ate. Undoubtedly, this upbringing has shaped her culinary world view. At the age of 10, a friend introduced Anna to vegetarian food, and by the age of 12 she had become a devoted vegetarian. A few years later Anna trained to become a chef. She went on to spend 10 years in the industry working for top restaurants and cafes in New Zealand, Australia and the UK before starting her own catering and market ventures in New Zealand. Anna now runs her own business called The Veggie Tree which specialises in plant-based family friendly food. Anna has also published multiple cookbooks. Anna and her family live in a 150 year old Kauri villa, where the kitchen is the hub of their home and they have opened it up to make the most of its beautiful, original character. Anna and her family live in the small township of Kaeo, the gateway to Whangaroa harbour. They enjoy the many beautiful beaches and amazing bush walks at their doorstep and are happy to pass on local knowledge to travellers who want something off the beaten track. Anna enjoys meeting new people and is looking forward to having fun sharing wholesome, delicious food together with travellers to the area.

What to expect

Please note menu might vary. If there are particular dishes you are interested in trying, please include your request in the booking form.

In-home meal (1 - 8 guests) Meet Anna and her husband Gareth at their historic villa. Sip on a refreshing drink as your host shares stories about life in New Zealand. Join the family at the dining table or vine covered deck in the summer time, to enjoy a modern, vegetarian, family-style plant-based meal. Your menu may comprise a vegetarian or vegan barbecue or a meal influenced by middle-eastern, Italian, Asian or Mexican flavors. Your meal will conclude with a dessert such as pudding, cake, tart or homemade ice cream.

Cooking experience (1 - 8 guests) Join your host Anna at her spacious kitchen to learn to cook a gourmet vegetarian meal from recipes that she has created herself. Your hands-on internationally inspired cooking class will last from 2 to 4 hours depending on the cuisine you choose. You will learn to cook all the dishes from scratch. Anna offers classes on various foods and cuisines including breads, seasonal salads, internationally inspired meals, probiotic health drinks and fermenting. Enjoy learning about the tips and techniques involved before you sit down at the table to share the meal you helped prepare with Anna.

Market visit (1 - 8 guests) Meet Anna at either the Saturday or Sunday market in Kerikeri. They are lively open outdoor markets. Walk through the market and explore with Anna regional produce sold by her favorite vendors at the market. You will also purchase a few ingredients that you will use during your cooking class after the market tour. Your market tour will last about one hour. Please note that Anna can offer a break between the morning market tour and an evening cooking class. Anna would like to leave a gap between 10:30am - 3pm available for traveller's to walk around and discover the town including its beaches, walks and small shops. She can even give recommendations for what to do. Please let Anna know when booking if you'd like a market tour with a cooking class and lunch right after or a market tour with a break before a cooking class and dinner.