Peta Mathias
Presenter of TASTE TAKES OFF
Peta Mathias is a respected and prolific New Zealand chef, author and broadcaster, with a wealth of culinary travel experience following her gastronomic adventures in the South of France and Marrakesh.
Having started off her culinary love affair in Paris with her restaurant 'Rose Blues' in the 5th Arrondissement, she returned to New Zealand ten years later to teach, cook and write. 'Fête Accomplie', the first book about life in Paris with recipes, is also the first of her eight gastronomic travel books written about North Africa, France, New Zealand, Ireland and Vietnam. In 2005 A Cook's Tour of NZ came out. Her most recent book is French Toast.
Since 1995 Peta has been presenting the prime time travel/food shows 'Taste New Zealand', 'Taste Takes off' and 'A Taste of Home'. In 2006 she presented the food segment on TV One's 'House & Garden' and this year is shooting a new series 'A Taste of Home' about immigrant families in NZ, their food and customs.
The NZ Guild of Writers voted Peta the Supreme Award winner at the New Zealand Guild of Food Writers Culinary Quill Awards held on Oct 17, 2003. The Supreme Award is a new category in the Culinary Quills biennial awards, which recognises the most outstanding entry of the fourteen category winners. Mavis Airey, President of the Guild said the judges found it difficult selecting an overall winner and it was Peta's passion for the craft of food communications that made the final decision.
Peta was born and bred in Auckland, a stunningly sparkling port city where she still lives but travels extensively researching books and filming her series.
She is a member and judge of Slow Food and is proud of the fact that she lives in one of the cleanest, most beautiful countries in the world.