It’s always inspiring hearing chefs talk about food. Beyond the inspiration for their own unique dishes, you’ll often find an encompassing passion for ingredients and flavours that extends beyond their own endeavours and into an admiration for others also turning out delicious dishes.
With this in mind we regularly catch up with Aotearoa hospitality figures to find out what’s new in their world and the places they eat on their downtime.
Queens Rooftop has become a go-to in Auckland’s CBD, not only for its spectacular panoramic views but the fresh and flavourful dishes, zingy cocktails and perpetual good vibes.
Found on the 21st floor of the waterfront’s Commercial Bay shopping precinct, the restaurant and bar serves modern takes on classics created by executive chef Maia Atvars, elevating key flavours to starring roles without rendering the ingredients unrecognisable.
Atvars also oversees the kitchen at the other restaurant he co-owns, Takapuna Surf Club.
He has just updated Queens Rooftop’s menu for spring, with highlights including grilled scampi with shellfish aioli and prawn crackers, a playful take on a whitebait toastie and prawn lettuce cups with wasabi peas and cocktail dressing.
Beyond seafood, the perfectly cooked Lumina lamb rump is another standout, and on a sunny day it feels illegal to leave without downing the plum margarita.
We asked the top chef about what he’s loving and where he heads when he’s off the clock and out of his own kitchen.
Spring colour and ocean’s bounty
Atvars says at Queens Rooftop, spring is all about colour and energy.
“The food feels alive again — think bright green peas, purple radishes, scampi, asparagus, and those irresistible whitebait toasties, he says.
‘Feasting with the eyes becomes possible thanks to the abundance of beautiful produce.
“Ruby-red berries, golden beets, and delicate edible flowers bring so much vibrancy to the plate. After a long, dark winter – which was tough across the hospitality industry – spring feels like a collective sigh of relief. It’s the earth’s way of saying, we made it.”
He says the return of fresh seasonal ingredients sparks something in the kitchen.
“The colours, the freshness — it’s the kind of produce that inspires creativity in all of us.”
The restaurant’s raw bar and seafood offering enhances the waterfront location where you can watch boats arriving and leaving the harbour.
“We’re constantly breaking down whole fish – kingfish, salmon, and yellowfin tuna – which are then sliced to order for our sashimi plate says. “Each plate features all three fish, dressed in a bright, Southeast Asian–inspired nam jim made with fresh lime juice, fish sauce, and palm sugar. It hits every note: sweet, sour, spicy – a perfect balance.
Nostalgia was the driving force for the creation of the whitebait toasty.
“The muffin toast is lighter than a brioche bun, which works beautifully with the delicate flavour of the whitebait, and the melted burger cheese gives it that satisfying hit of comfort – a little bit naughty, a little bit nice,” he explains.
Where The Chef Eats
Atvars shares the spots he eats and enjoys around Tāmaki Makaurau in his downtime:
Hanoi Haven
Vie Kitchen
Pici
For dinner, I love Pici. It’s got that cool New York-loft feel – simple but atmospheric. The pasta’s always perfectly al dente, and when there’s red wine by the jug, what’s not to like?
The Lebanese Grocer
My man Elie at The Lebanese Grocer is seriously talented. He’s always experimenting, always hustling on new projects, and everything that comes out of his kitchen is packed with flavour.
International supermarkets
When it comes to cheap eats, I’m a big fan of Chinese supermarkets. Jadan Supermarket on Dominion Road is elite, and Tai Ping in New Lynn is another favourite. It’s nearly impossible to walk past the roast meats without giving in – BBQ pork, roast pork, or soy chicken on rice with that green scallion sauce is my go-to combo.
Ozone
A recent standout was the vegetarian breakfast at Ozone. You can tell the chefs give vegetables the same attention they’d give a house-smoked, 12-day cured bacon – proper technique, proper care. It really made me happy.
Sweet treat
I’m not a massive sweet tooth, but I’ll happily smash a banana thickshake from my local in Westmere on the regular.
Downtime faves
Downtime? What’s that? I’ve got two very energetic boys, five and nine, who keep me on my toes. Sundays are my time in the kitchen – I’ll usually do a roast, casserole, lasagne, or a brisket on the BBQ. It’s my way to unwind.
And during NRL season, the weekend revolves entirely around when the Warriors are playing -priorities, right?
