His restaurant Mr Morris won the supreme award in Viva’s Top 50 Auckland Restaurants for 2021, and now acclaimed chef Michael Meredith has a new project on the horizon: his new Pacific Island-style restaurant Metita, due to open in the SkyCity precinct in October.
Named after Michael’s mother, Metita will
“Metita will be a representation of what Pacifica food can be,” says Michael, who is hoping “the restaurant will become a landmark celebrating that”.
“I grew up in Samoa, in my mother’s pancake stall at the market — I want to use those memories, those staples, but elevate them by using modern techniques, and adding in that hint of spice or acid that will add layers and bring these Pacifica dishes to a new level,” he says of the menu, which is still taking shape.
The restaurant will occupy the space once held by Gusto at the Grand, with interior design studio CTRL Space working on the fit-out.
Richard Seldon, SkyCity executive manager of food and beverage, says while Gusto was well-liked, it felt like the time was right to reinvigorate the space, and conversations about working with Michael on the project have come together naturally.
“We loved what Michael was doing, and when we shared our vision for re-invigorating the precinct, he wanted to be part of that journey,” says Richard.
Metita is “very much Michael’s vision, from developing the menu to the layout and design of the restaurant,” says Richard. “We hope that Metita will be regarded as a place where people feel both comfortable and at home with the fresh produce and seafood we love in the Pacific, but also challenged by a reimagining of these dishes into new experiences and contemporary tastes.”
“Michael’s style isn’t ostentatious, it’s considered, and ultimately, he is working towards changing the perception of Pacific food, showing that it is a cuisine that deserves to be recognised and celebrated.”
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.This is something we have no doubt Michael will excel at, with Viva’s dining-out editor Jesse Mulligan noting Michael’s skill with ingredients and his ability to turn something ordinary into the extraordinary. “Michael works with the same ingredients as everybody else but, like Russell Crowe in A Beautiful Mind, he just sees connections invisible to the rest of us,” Jesse wrote in Viva’s Top 50 Restaurant Awards.
Michael’s move to SkyCity comes soon after Cassia’s relocation from Fort Lane to the precinct, with SkyCity’s Richard noting it’s now a destination for some of the biggest names in hospitality.
But for anyone worried Mr Morris will take a back seat when Metita opens in October, Michael says he plans to be just as hands-on at his Britomart restaurant. “I don’t think you can really step back if you personally own a business.”
The interiors of Metita will nod to Pacific design and craft, with the CNTRL Space team incorporating a range of design features that “tell stories of Pacific culture”.
The concept drawings are a real departure from Gusto, with its cosy lounge seating in the lobby area of SkyCity Grand and big group tables designed for sharing. The Metita space will be contemporary and textural, rendered in a palette of deep blues, greys, cool neutrals and soft whites in homage to the ocean and sky.
Woven materials are set to be incorporated in wall coverings and banquette seating, with timber tables, stone surfaces and layers of texture in soft furnishings. The centrepiece will be a cluster of woven objects hanging from the ceiling inspired by traditional Pacific fishing baskets.
“Metita will be quite dynamic, exciting, new, I hope people walk away having had a memorable experience,” says Michael. “I always wanted to name a restaurant after my mum, heroing her, and the influence she had on my life, so it’s great to be partnering with SkyCity to bring that to life.”
Keep an eye on SkycityAuckland.co.nz for updates on Metita’s October opening.
