Get cooking for Rugby World Cup

Simon Gault says treating visiting tourists as cash cows is foolish and short-sighted and will only harm New Zealand's international reputation. Photo / Brett Phibbs

Simon Gault says businesses should waste no time in getting prepared for the influx of visitors set to arrive in New Zealand during the Rugby World Cup this year.

The MasterChef judge and restaurateur - whose firm, Nourish Group, operates several eateries and bars in Auckland, Taupo and Wellington - has first-hand experience of being caught off-guard by a major event. He was running the restaurant Gault's on Quay during the Whitbread Yacht Race stopover in Auckland in the 1990s.

Gault said that at that time there were only two restaurants in the Viaduct - his and Kermadec.

"We didn't cope with it very well," he said. "I wasn't used to doing 800 [customers] in a day."

Gault, who is one of Auckland's "First XV" of personalities championing the Rugby World Cup, said it was crucial businesses gave the estimated 85,000 fans that will visit during the tournament good service.

That way, he said, they will return home and tell their friends and family what a great place New Zealand is to visit.

Narrow-minded businesspeople would just view the World Cup visitors as temporary cash flow and hike their prices during the event, he added.

A Mt Eden motor lodge made the news this week for marking up rates by 1000 per cent - from $31.43 to $350 - for rooms rented during the tournament.

Gault said he would not be putting up prices in any of his restaurants while the event was under way.

"The smart way to think about it is that these people might move here ... they might come back for a holiday and they will go back and tell all their friends about [New Zealand]. It's what happens after the World Cup that's important."

Euro, Gault's restaurant on Princes Wharf, has been doubled in size.

Nourish Group is using social media and its website to put the feelers out to former staff, now based overseas, who might want to return to work in New Zealand during the World Cup on temporary contracts.

"There's a great shortage of chefs and there's a great shortage of quality wait staff in New Zealand," Gault said.

He said organising special deliveries during the World Cup was also vital for hospitality businesses.

"We don't want to be the restaurant where at 11:30 you can't get a Steinlager that's cold - that's not cool."

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