The daughter of broadcaster and bon vivant Mark Sainsbury no longer has to worry about what she's having for dinner.
From her inner-city bubble, Arabella Sainsbury has been busy ordering dishes online from award-winning chef Sid Sahrawat, who owns Sidart, Cassia, and Sid at The French Cafe.
The 31-year-old foodie is encouraging other Kiwis to support restaurants that have been forced to close down during the Covid-19 lockdown.
"Working from home I thought I'd do lots of home cooking but, after the first week, I got over it pretty quickly so I jumped online and joined the Lazy Susans. It's a group on Facebook that shares 'foodie stuff' in Auckland.
"I found these amazing restaurants and booked Cassia for next Tuesday. They are offering a three-course dinner so I thought 'Boom', it was a way to celebrate the first day of level 3 and a nice treat for myself."
After her post on social media, Arabella's inbox was bombarded with menus and recommendations from the group.
"I have booked to have something different every day and I will share my experiences on Facebook. I hope my posts will inspire others to support restaurants who have been struggling. I am looking forward to going out to Culprit, Paris Butter and Grove when they open again," she said.
She is a bit worried she's gone "overboard" and will be judged for being "excessive".
"I have saved money on petrol driving to work in West Auckland every day and I haven't been buying clothes. The meals are designed for two people - so 40 to 50 dollars every day is not that bad. I'd spend more than that going out with my mates.
Arabella and her father, Mark. Photo / Supplied
"I want to support small hospo businesses who haven't given up and said 'we're done'. I understand there's not much of a profit but they are trying to be innovative to stay afloat. I get why people crave junk food but McDonald's and KFC don't need my money right now - they are huge businesses," she said.
Arabella moved into her father's rooftop apartment in July last year. She had previously lived in a small mining town in the Northern Territories where she started as a waitress then ran a pub.
She loved the tight-knit community in Pine Creek but outgrew it after five years. Her dream was to work in the film industry and she is now the accounts assistant for Amazon Studios, based in West Auckland.
Arabella loves pasta and the "freshness" of southeast Asian food. Her father, Mark, is known as a talented cook and generous host.
"I got into cooking when I was in my teens. I love plant-based food, slow-cooked meat and risottos. I just love cooking and I enjoy thinking about food - I am always thinking of my next meal."
Her parents think it is "typical" that Arabella has latched onto click-to-collect fine dining.
"I'm not sure if they know to what extent," Arabella said, "but I just love going out and I love food. So if I can't do that I can still eat well at home. I'm going to try and work through all the restaurants and I'll keep going as far as my waistband will allow."
Even with her sophisticated palate, Arabella's "signature" dish is macaroni cheese.
"I cook it with three different types of cheeses and pancetta. I love it so much that I have tried every iteration of mac 'n' cheese - it's a little basic and it's a little fancy- like me."
