In 2019, Time magazine named Monique Fiso’s (Ngā Rauru, Ngāti Ruanui) Wellington restaurant Hiakai as one of the ‘100 Greatest Places’ in the world – a long way from an after-school job in Porirua as a sandwich hand. Fiso’s incomparable talent has led to work in Michelin-star restaurants, featuring on Netflix’s The Final Table, and receiving praise from publications including the Wall Street Journal, New York Times, Los Angeles Times, National Geographic and Forbes. A visionary modern-day food warrior, taking Māori cuisine to the world, Fiso has now produced the stunning Ockham NZ Book Awards winning book Hiakai. This story of kai Māori charts her personal journey, ranging across history, tradition and tikanga, and serves up foraging and usage notes, an illustrated ingredient directory, and over 30 recipes. In a session to savour she speaks with Kim Knight.