The Most Influential Women In Food & Drink In New Zealand Named Ahead of International Women’s Day

Meet the notable restaurateurs, researchers and food media faces honoured at this year’s Food & Drink Aotearoa New Zealand Awards.

The day before International Women’s Day on March 8, the most important women in New Zealand’s food and beverage industry have been recognised.

The third annual Women in Food & Drink (WIFD) Aotearoa New Zealand Awards took place with an event at the Park Hyatt Auckland today, celebrating the achievements and influence of New Zealand women working in fine dining, hospitality, the wine industry, food writing and research today.

Restaurateur Judith Tabron is the Supreme Woman 2025.

Tabron got her start in the industry as an apprentice chef at 16 and has since founded Auckland waterfront staple Soul Bar and Bistro and new Westhaven restaurant First Mates Last Laugh.

The longlist of 50 women included Viva’s own Johanna Thornton, deputy editor of the magazine and Lifestyle Premium at the New Zealand Herald and twice a co-judge of Viva’s Top 60 Auckland Restaurants feature. Joining her in the top 50 were Kasey and Kārena Bird, winners of MasterChef New Zealand in 2014, hosts of TV shows including Kārena and Kasey’s Kitchen Diplomacy; and chef and author of the cookbook Seriously Delicious, Polly Markus of Miss Polly’s Kitchen.

The WIFD Hall of Fame Award went to two women: Ruth Pretty of Wellington for her work of nearly four decades in the catering, wedding and cafe industry, and businesswoman Catherine Bell, founder of Dish magazine.

Bell, owner of delicatessen La Moutardiere, also founded the Epicurean Workshop and Cookschool and the charity Garden To Table, designed to equip young people to grow and cook their own food as part of their school curriculum.

The WIFD Global Ambassador is Melanie Brown for her work in bringing New Zealand wines to the world stage. Having also worked with renowned Kiwi chef Peter Gordon, Brown owns Brixton restaurant and cafe The Laundry in London, as well as the Specialist Cellars.

Kaitlin Dawson, executive director of the NZ Food Waste Champions 12.3 Trust, has been awarded the WIFD Evolving Woman prize for her work in sustainability and combating food waste.

The new Massey University Woman in Food Science and Technology award went to Dr Christina Coker, a senior research scientist who has headed up programmes and research organisations in New Zealand and worldwide with Fonterra.

Lauraine Jacobs, a member of the WIFD Advisory Board, said of this year’s nominees: “The number of nominations for the top 50 women 2025 pointed to several hundred talented and diverse women, often unsung heroes, working tirelessly in every region of New Zealand Aotearoa to make the world a better place.”

WIFD founder and director and Cuisine editor Kelli Brett said it was important to celebrate female success in the food and drink industry.

“We’ve achieved a great deal in our first two years, with so much more to come in 2025. The beauty of it all is that it is the talents of the magnificent women within our expanding network who will propel us forward,” she said.

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