Who needs sleep? As executive chef of top Auckland restaurants The Grove and Baduzzi, Ben Bayly's schedule doesn't stop for a Sunday lie-in. From sunrise surf to whiskey nightcap, the award-winning chef is on the go, wining and dining with friends and cooking up feasts for family. He documented a late summer Sunday for us on the new Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge.
Quite accustomed to waking in Raglan, this Sunday Ben caught a morning surf with his 6-year old daughter before racing back to Auckland's Shed 10. "I was able to get some great shots of X surfing – the GS7 is water resistant which means I can take it with me out on the water.!" The top chef donated his time to the Flavours of Fiji Cyclone Winston fundraiser alongside fellow Auckland food heroes Michael Meredith, Sid Sahrawat and Gareth Stewart (Ben's friend and co-judge on My Kitchen Rules NZ). Each chef focussed on a different Fijian subculture, with Gareth and Ben whipping up caramelised banana and coconut trifles for 2000 hungry supporters.
The hospo scene doesn't sleep either, so when he has time, Ben pops into his favourite spots to find his friends in the kitchen. Wine bar and eatery Apero on K Rd is his current pick, for its fuss-free atmosphere and former colleague Lesley Hottiaux's adventurous menu. The Toulousain chef and husband Ismo Koski are famous for their handmade sausages - and it's one of the most kid-friendly places in Auckland, says Ben.
“The kids go in the kitchen and help her cook, it's so awesome. Apero is a little undiscovered from a kid's point of view. It's really hard to find a place that they can go and spill a drink and it doesn't matter.”
After a glass of wine and Lesley's delicious wild mushroom tortellini, Ben headed to The Grove to check in with the chefs. “Even when I'm not working I'll always be in there,” he says - it's definitely a work-lifestyle thing.
"One of the things I loved about taking these pictures on the Galaxy S7 Edge was the lowlight camera. At night, especially in the restaurant where the lights are quite dim, it's so hard to get a decent shot, but the shots I took in The Grove kitchen came out beautifully clear."
Next stop was home to celebrate his birthday with family and give the barbecue a work out. It was the first time the kids and their cousins had all been in one room together, so it was a special evening for the young father.
Before calling it a night, Ben snuck away with his wife to Coley and Punch on Princes Wharf. Another chance to catch up with Gareth, the executive chef of Nourish group. After a whiskey and some rare downtime, it was home along the waterfront, after a stroll to take in the bright lights of the city.
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.For your chance to win a Samsung Galaxy S7 head to Win with VIVA Samsung.
