Kai to Pie – Auckland on a Plate opens

Auckland’s extraordinary wealth of people and cultures, its fertile abundance of land, sun and sea will be unveiled, all through the lens of food, in a new exhibition called Kai to Pie: Auckland on a Plate. The exhibition opens Saturday, 12 June at Auckland Museum and is free to all visitors.

Auckland’s story is unique. It’s a story that can be told through the dining tables of the 181 ethnic groups that call New Zealand’s largest city home. Kai to Pie recognises the role food plays in family, belonging and culture.

The exhibition uses striking design elements and interactive technology to bring stories of Auckland to life. Kai to Pie invites visitors to travel through a ‘four course meal’ based around four elements - Fashion, Feast, Fuel and Future.

Enter Fashion to discover a specially built runway showcasing past and present stars of Auckland’s food culture: from the faithful Edmonds Cook Book to one of the city’s first espresso coffee machines.

In Feast visitors can explore fascinating stories of this city’s most extraordinary gatherings, including the 1844 Remuera feast, which boasted a menu of 9000 sharks and 11,000 baskets of potatoes as part of a display of Maori might. Meanwhile the Ball and Banquet of 1854 saw Auckland’s Albert Barracks converted into an elegant London ballroom by settlers celebrating Queen Victoria’s birthday and the first sitting of the New Zealand parliament.

Inside Fuel watch a film of Aucklanders through the ages putting in the hard graft to harvest and prepare our city’s food from its fertile soil and bountiful harbours.

The Future section of the exhibition uses interactive touch screens to ask questions about what we eat and why. Discover how New Zealand food facts compare to other countries, and peek inside a digital fridge of the future.

Kai to Pie is accompanied by a full programme of events. This includes the World on a Plate series, which showcases the incredible array of cuisine – from Maori to Mediterranean – available in Auckland. Every Saturday visit the Museum for cooking demonstrations, food tastings and cultural performances from the 181 ethnic groups that call New Zealand’s largest city home.

Keep an eye out for the Trolley Dolly with incredible food to sample and a Family Food Fiesta during the school holidays. There’s also a Coffee Festival, online photo-share and so much more to satisfy your appetite.

What: Kai to Pie: Auckland on a Plate
When: Opens Saturday 12 June
Where: Auckland Museum, Special Exhibitions Hall
Cost: Free admission