For decades, the Cuisine Good Food Awards have celebrated and showcased the restaurants, chefs and hospitality leaders shaping New Zealand’s dining culture. Now, in a landmark new partnership with Auckland’s cultural, events and destination agency, Tātaki Auckland Unlimited, Auckland’s food story is set to be shared more boldly than ever before. When the Cuisine Good Food Awards are announced for 2026, the prestigious Chef of the Year Award will be presented by Tātaki Auckland Unlimited.

For Annie Dundas, the agency’s Director Destination, the alignment felt immediate. “Anyone who is a foodie has loved Cuisine forever,” she says. “It’s part of the fabric of the food community in New Zealand, so it felt like the right time for Auckland to be part of a more permanent relationship with Cuisine.” The city is evolving rapidly, with major infrastructure projects, international tourism growth and a flourishing hospitality scene helping to position Auckland as a genuine global dining destination. “Auckland has been telling a great food story for a while,” says Annie, “but we need to share that story a little wider. We have incredible restaurants, food trucks, cooking schools, exceptional produce and kitchens that are quietly redefining the boundaries of modern Pacific dining. It’s time we started shouting about that a bit louder.”

And she feels the city is ready for the international stage. “I absolutely believe Auckland is where it’s at from a global food point of view.”

Central to that story are the chefs and their teams, the creative force behind the city’s growing culinary reputation. For Annie, celebrating them through initiatives such as the Cuisine Good Food Awards is about far more than awards alone. “We have hugely respected chefs mentoring the next generation coming through, and that’s incredibly exciting for New Zealand hospitality,” she says.

The broader partnership also reflects a growing recognition that food tourism plays an increasingly influential role in how Auckland is experienced and remembered by visitors.

“We’ve seen markets such as Australia and the United States absolutely wowed by Auckland’s food offering,” Annie explains. “Visitors are spending more on food experiences and locals continue to support and elevate the scene. We want to share that story with the world.”

Importantly, Annie says the focus must remain on the people behind the pass. “They’re the heroes. Guests increasingly want that connection; they want to meet the chefs, see into the kitchens and understand the creativity behind the dishes.”

With Tātaki Auckland Unlimited presenting New Zealand’s Chef of the Year for 2026 at the Cuisine Good Food Awards, the message is clear: Auckland’s culinary confidence has never been stronger and the city will welcome and celebrate talent across the country by being firmly behind Aotearoa’s next delicious chapter. aucklandnz.com