Chef Michael Meredith’s Metita Is An Ode To His Mother, With A Modern Spin On Polynesian Favourites

The restaurant is set to showcase the true potential of Pacifica cuisine.

Growing up in Samoa, chef Michael Meredith’s mother, Metita, had a pancake stall at the local market in Apia, and it’s comfort food like this, along with Polynesian staples including coconut cream and taro, that Michael remembers most fondly from his childhood. With these memories at the forefront of his mind, the award-winning chef is opening the doors to his Polynesian-inspired restaurant at The Grand by SkyCity this October, lovingly named Metita.

“I’ve worked overseas, I’ve travelled and obviously been inspired by a lot of different countries and different influences in cuisine,” says Michael, who also owns Mr Morris in Britomart, which won the supreme award in Viva’s Top 50 Auckland Restaurants for 2021. “But I’ve always wanted to highlight a little bit of where I’m from.”

Despite the prevalence of Polynesian culture in New Zealand, in particular, Auckland, there has never been a restaurant in Tāmaki Makaurau that truly speaks to the rich, collective culture in the way Michael is set to do with the opening of Metita. His aim is to pay homage to the traditional fare of the Pacific nations, while giving his dishes a modern spin by incorporating new flavours, spices and acids to offer a “shift in perspective” and showcase the true potential of Pacifica cuisine.

“If you look at the Fijian culture and the influence of Indian cooking, I’ve applied a lot of that, using spices as a way of bringing aromatic [flavours] into sauces,” he explains. “But you can’t take it too far from what people know Polynesian food is.”

The menu will consist of traditional raw seafood dishes and staple proteins including corned beef, which Michael says is a huge part of the Polynesian food story. The traditional Samoan umu style and smoky flavour of cooking, where volcanic stones are heated in an above ground oven and food is wrapped in banana leaves or coconut fronds, will be evident throughout Metita’s dishes, but modern culinary techniques will also be employed as a way to explore time-honoured foods in more innovative ways.

With sharing in mind, Michael says snacks will make up a large part of the menu, an area where he’ll be able to experiment with quirkier dishes, along with big plates boasting larger cuts of meat and small plates to enable a family-style dining experience.

The focus of the drinks menu will be on New Zealand wines, with a list that Michael insists will pair well with the Polynesian flavour profile of his dishes, along with French champagne and rum from Fiji. “The cocktails or mocktails are always going to be highlighted a little bit more on the Polynesian side of things,” he says, with Pacific twists on the classics and names that tell their own story, such as the ‘Silisili Sunset’, named after Samoa’s highest peak.

Metita occupies the space once held by Gusto at the Grand and has been refitted by interior design studio CTRL Space. The brief was to capture the essence of Pacific culture, and Michael says as you walk through the restaurant, it feels like you’re in the ocean, like you’re on holiday. “We’re trying to create a warm, inviting sort of Polynesian concept to make sure that when you’re here, it reflects that.”.

“We’ve moved the kitchen back a little bit to make it a bit more open, energy-wise. Its visibility is very open from the outside inward, but you also have your own privacy when you’re there,” Michael explains. “We have spaces that can create a nice intimate setting and we also cater for the sharing concept with bigger tables.”

An element of traditional Polynesian craft is also woven through the fit-out, with lighting that subtly resembles fishing baskets and tropical flowers, and a palette of deep blues, greys, cool neutrals and soft whites which reflect the ever-changing colours of the ocean and sky. It’s modern, but tranquil and speaks to the Pacific’s deep connection with nature, which is prevalent throughout the menu too.

Metita has been designed as a place of discovery and connection, where ingredients remain true to their Pacific roots while being rediscovered in a modern, innovative context. Many of the menu’s ingredients will be sourced locally from New Zealand growers and farmers, which will help to weave Aotearoa’s own Pacific roots through the dishes too. As a result, Metita’s meals speak to our shared, melting-pot culture and are designed to bring people from all walks of life together.

With doors opening at the end of October, much of Metita still remains under wraps to ensure there is plenty for guests to discover on opening night and the days that follow. Metita is poised to become one of Auckland’s cornerstone restaurants, and thanks to the SkyCity precinct’s unique vantage point and close proximity to international visitors, the restaurant will provide the opportunity for Polynesian food and all its wonderful flavours to truly shine.

Metita’s menu is available to view from today and bookings are now open, so make a reservation to be one of the first to try this restaurant. Visit Skycity.co.nz/metita

­Global Gastronomy

Travel the world without leaving Auckland at one of SkyCity’s award-winning premium dining destinations

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Discover the world of international dining at SkyCity and book now at Skycity.co.nz/restaurants