Kyle Street is the executive chef of popular Auckland eatery Depot and its cousin and neighbour, the Federal Delicatessen - a homage to New York's old-school Jewish delis.
Having started his career under the direction of Al Brown at Logan Brown in Wellington, Kyle took time out to travel through Europe and America before Al lured him back to head up the Depot kitchen in 2011 and Federal Delicatessen two years later.
Kyle's style is all about working in season, sourcing fantastic products from across New Zealand and cooking them simply but with big flavours.
He'll be demonstrating at this year's Wellington Food Show, from September 4 to 6 at Westpac Stadium.
You'll find him at the Whirlpool Cooking Theatre, demonstrating three easy-to-achieve recipes for you at home, which you can use to wow friends and family.
I was a fussy child when it came to food, but an introduction to the rush and intensity of proper cooking while washing dishes in a small cafe in Wellington opened my mind to the endless possibilities chefing holds.
WHAT ARE FIVE INGREDIENTS YOU CANNOT LIVE WITHOUT?
Meyer lemons, vinegar, New Zealand sea salt, smoked paprika and butter - all of which in their own way can help bring balance to a dish.
ANY FOODS YOU JUST DO NOT LIKE?
I'm not a big sushi fan and I loathe the texture of avocado.
HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE YOUR STYLE OF COOKING?
Seasonal, relaxed, generous and honest.
WHAT ARE YOU MOST PROUD OF?
The crew of more than 35 chefs working with me here on Federal St, their dedication and passion for Depot and Federal Delicatessen is a constant source of pride for me.
IF YOU WERE A SUPERHERO WHAT WOULD YOUR POWERS BE?
Super speed. Running an especially busy pair of restaurants means I'm usually problem-solving at immense speed. Sometimes it feels like everything around me has slowed to a crawl as I analyse the situation on the fly.
WHAT IS YOUR GO-TO COMFORT MEAL?
I'm a sucker for real southern fried chicken, and recently waited in line for more than two hours for "the world's best" in New Orleans.
Cider-poached pears with blue cheese, pickled fennel and macadamia nuts.
RECIPE
CIDER-POACHED PEARS WITH BLUE CHEESE, PICKLED FENNEL AND MACADAMIA NUTS
Cider-poached pears: 1kg pears; 300g sugar; 1/2 tsp fennel seeds; 1 star anise; 1 bay leaf; 2 cups pear cider; 1 cup apple juice
Pickled fennel: 2 large fennel bulbs; 1/2 cup cider vinegar; 1/2 cup chardonnay vinegar; 2 tbsp sugar; 1 cup water; 1 tsp fennel seeds; 6 white peppercorns; 6 juniper berries; 1 bay leaf
Burned butter dressing: 100g salted butter, cut into large cubes; juice of 1 lemon; 2 tbsp vincotto; 2 tbsp macadamia oil
TO SERVE
Cider-poached pears, drained Cooking oil Flaky sea salt and freshly cracked black pepper Pickled fennel, drained 2 handfuls rocket 50g blue cheese, crumbled 1/2 cup macadamia nuts, toasted in a dry pan and chopped Burned butter dressing
Prepare the pears by peeling, halving and removing the cores and stalks.
Place the sugar in a large saucepan on medium heat. Cook without stirring until the sugar begins to turn golden. Now stir the sugar to even out the caramel colour.
Add the fennel seeds, star anise and bay leaf and cook until a rich amber colour. Pour in the cider and apple juice, being mindful that it will steam up when the liquid hits the sugar.
Place the prepared pears in the liquid. Cover with baking paper and submerge the pears, using a small plate to weigh them down.
Cook on a low simmer for 5 minutes, then remove from the heat and cool in the liquid. Refrigerate until required.
Prepare your fennel by cutting it in half, removing the cores and tops, then slice into thin strips. Place in a bowl with some of the green fennel fronds.
Place the vinegars, sugar, water, fennel seeds, white peppercorns, juniper berries and bay leaf in a small saucepan. Heat until simmering, then pour over the sliced fennel. Cover with cling wrap and cool on the bench. Refrigerate until required. Leave for 24 hours for best results.
BURNED BUTTER DRESSING:
Place the diced butter in a saucepan on medium heat. Swirl it around the saucepan until frothy and nutty. Once the butter is a rich brown colour, squeeze in the lemon juice to stop the cooking. Beware of steam. Pour the butter mix through a sieve into a measuring jug, and cool for 5 minutes. Using a wand blender, blitz in the vincotto and macadamia oil until emulsified.
Keep the dressing in an airtight container until required.
