Meet: Rhett Goodley-Hornblow

Wellington is a city buzzing with culinary offerings. From street eats to high-brow fine dining, it's little wonder that the contemporary-cool capital is where we found our newest Dish contributor – Rhett Goodley-Hornblow.

On his background...

My father has been working in hospitality all my life, the restaurant was my after-school adventure. My favourite part of the experience was helping prep the food for service that night – and tasting it too.

On his inspiration...

"My family and friends inspire me most of all, everyone has something amazing in them that you can draw inspiration from. Surround yourself with good people and you'll inherently become a good person."

On what he loves most about the hospitality industry...

"Having the opportunity to be creative through food, and design an experience for someone else to enjoy. Also meeting a lot of different, cool new people."

On his last meal...

"For breakfast, I'd start with yum cha with my family and friends, I love the concept of sharing food around a table and taking your time to try all the different options on offer. Wellington has some great yum cha restaurants to choose from. The rule is, make sure you finish off your meal with a warm coconut bun and drink lots of green tea, especially on a Sunday.
 

"For lunch, I'd take a detour from the hustle and bustle of the city and head up north to the Mahia Peninsula. The local fish and chip shop there makes the best fish burger. They keep it simple, one fish fillet is big enough to make two burgers, soft white buns, homemade coleslaw and lots of tartare sauce.

"For dinner, I would have to go to my favourite restaurant in Wellington, Ortega Fish Shack and Bar. This is the second successful restaurant that the Limacher family has run together, and they always make you feel special. I love a good fish dish and they do it best."

On what most Kiwi's don't know about the capital...

"Wellington has more cafes and bars per capita than New York City. True story."

On his favourite new opening...

"The Cuba Dupa Festival was on during March of this year, the whole length of Cuba Street was cleared of traffic and replaced with the best street food you can imagine. It's fair to say that I was more than satisfied after doing a lap on Saturday night and again for Sunday lunch."

On what food means...

"A celebration of good produce, appreciation of where it comes from and the process involved in creating it. It's also about enjoying food with others and expanding your culinary vocabulary."

On his dream dinner party guest list...

"Anderson Pakk, Kelly Slater, Scarlett Johansson."

On his favourite food social media accounts...

"My favourite snapchat account is @HERESBARNEY. He's a friend of mine who is passionate about food and always knows what's good. Check him out. My favourite Instagram account is Unna Burch's @the_forest_cantina – not only does she come up with some great recipes but her food styling is on point, every time."

On the best piece of advice he's ever received...

"Always look after your customer – never underestimate them."

Rhett is the newest Dish food writer, tasting his way around the city of Wellington, from street eats to artisan producer profiles – keep an eye out for his fortnightly reviews and interviews.