Latest / Early Edition with Ryan Bridge / Nicola Waldren: Restaurant Association CEO on the launch of the New Zealand Michelin Guide

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Nicola Waldren: Restaurant Association CEO on the launch of the New Zealand Michelin Guide · Early Edition with Ryan Bridge

• 0:00
  Speaker 1: So huge night for the hospitality scene last night. This
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  Speaker 1: is the other end of the food scale. First ever
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  Speaker 1: New Zealand Michelin Awards have been handed out. Fifteen restaurants
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  Speaker 1: picked up stars. Fourteen earned one star, including the world's
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  Speaker 1: only restaurant dedicated to salmonne cuisine. The big winner though
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  Speaker 1: Queenstown's Essence, the only New Zealand restaurant to take home
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  Speaker 1: that covered two star award.
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  Speaker 2: Essens Rieff Forgarts two stars. Speechless to be the only
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  Speaker 2: restaurant in New Zealand to have this flows my mind.
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  Speaker 1: Joining ours. Snickeler Warden Restaurant Association CEO was at the
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  Speaker 1: awards last night. Nicola, good morning, How was it?
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  Speaker 2: Good morning? It was stunning. It was just such a celebration,
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  Speaker 2: still buzzing. Actually, it was just to have that recognition
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  Speaker 2: of those people that we work with every day, that
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  Speaker 2: we know put their hand and souls into their businesses
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  Speaker 2: and then even recognized in such a world kind of
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  Speaker 2: renowned way. It was just amazing.
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  Speaker 1: And getting it on the first round because they don't
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  Speaker 1: have to give out any stars, right we've got fourteen stars,
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  Speaker 1: fourteen one stars, but to get a two star on
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  Speaker 1: the first round. Apparently it's quite a big deal.
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  Speaker 2: Yeah exactly. I mean, yeah, I think it succeeded our
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  Speaker 2: expectations for you know, the inaugural event, because you know,
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  Speaker 2: it was the first one. We're going to see this
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  Speaker 2: next year in the year after, so we're really going
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  Speaker 2: to build on things from here. But to see, yeah,
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  Speaker 2: fourteen one star restaurants and one two star, one hundred
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  Speaker 2: and ten restaurants were recognized overall last night. Yeah, stunning
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  Speaker 2: achievement for a little country like ours. Yeah, special hospitality industry.
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  Speaker 1: Very cool. Indeed, if you saw heads I imagined this morning.
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  Speaker 1: Also lots of crying. A lot of people are quite emotional,
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  Speaker 1: particularly chefs owners.
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  Speaker 2: Yeah, well I was one of them. I've got to
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  Speaker 2: admit it. Said, feel really really emotional being there, And yeah,
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  Speaker 2: I think that's just it shows just how much people
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  Speaker 2: put into their businesses. That's what you were seeing last night.
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  Speaker 2: And I just loved the so many of the chefs
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  Speaker 2: that got up on the stage. You know, they talked
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  Speaker 2: about their teams and how this was a team effort,
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  Speaker 2: and you know, I think this is recognition for our
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  Speaker 2: producers as well. They're so important to what we do
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  Speaker 2: in restaurants. Every day. It was a really emotional time.
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  Speaker 1: Good stuff. Nicola Waldron Restaurant Association CEO with for more.
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  Speaker 2: From Early Edition with Ryan Bridge. Listen live to News
• 3:04
  Speaker 2: Talks at B from five am weekdays, or follow the
• 3:07
  Speaker 2: podcast on iHeartRadio