Nadia’s farm

Nadia on farming,

her biggest lessons so far and what’s next...

Nadia Lim has never been someone to shy away from a challenge, and this is no more clearly demonstrated than in her latest and biggest project yet. The chef, author, former winner and judge of MasterChef NZ, and co-founder of My Food Bag, took over the running of Royalburn Station with her husband Carlos Bagrie more than three years ago. Located on the Crown Range between Arrowtown and Cardrona, it is one of the largest working farms in the Wakatipu Basin. Recently, the couple opened up their property and lives on the TV series, Nadia’s Farm, which documented the realities of farming as they build their lives in Otago. With filming complete, Lim managed to find time to sit down and talk to henry about her passion for sustainable and ethical farming practices, what she’s learned and the exciting reason she’ll be slowing down this summer.

What prompted you to do the TV show?

“We feel like a generation ago most Kiwis had a direct connection to farming – whether that was through an uncle or aunty having a farm or grandparents or close friends. But today of course that’s more rare than it is common so now most Kiwis haven't even set foot on a real working farm and therefore

there is quite a disconnect with how

food is produced on scale and gets to people’s plates. So we saw this as an opportunity to open up our farm and show people what actually goes on on a working farm.”

What have been some of the highs and lows of farm life?

“You do have to become quite comfortable with not having predictability, consistency and control over a lot of things because every season is so different. You could have a really good season one year and the next can be a terrible season and that’s all generally, down to the weather. Our farm is unique in that we’re very diversified, and we also supply direct to market. We do everything from lamb to wool products to free range eggs, honey, hundreds of tonnes of different grains and seeds, sunflowers for oil, barley for malting beer, and 1.6 hectares of organic market gardens that supply around 50 cafes, restaurants, and businesses, including our own farm shop in Arrowtown. We wanted to have a true farm-to-plate farm.”

Next goals?

“We have spent the last few years building a team, building infrastructure, experimenting and getting systems and processes in place. Some parts of the farm are profitable, whilst others are not yet. The goal would be to make all

the areas of the farm profitable of course!”

Do you find time to cook at home?

“I don’t get much time to cook in a leisurely sense anymore and that’s purely because there’s always something else that needs to be done. I don’t have spare time to experiment in the kitchen and cook at leisure unfortunately and I do really miss that. I think my cooking has changed a lot as well because we’re creatures who very much eat according to our environment. So when we were in the city we had a lot more exotic, different ingredients at our fingertips.

Now we are 80% self-sufficient with our food, which is great but also means that sometimes our diet isn’t as varied or interesting. We’re lucky that we have the highest quality ingredients - organic vegetables from the garden, our own meat and eggs, honey; we even cook with our own sunflower oil but you don’t get all of the fancy things that you could get when you’re in the city. I could go out and get them but I feel I should use what we have and eat according to our environment.”

Why do you and Carlos make a great team on the farm?

“We’ve been together for half of our lives now. I met him when I was a teenager at university and we were instantly very compatible professionally because of our interests. He’s very much a man of the land. On our second date he said to me: “If we end up staying together I need to let you know that one day I’m going to go back farming” and he said it to me in a

way to see what my reaction was and I guess he was very pleased when I was very enthusiastic about the idea. I think from that moment on he was like ‘OK, we can move forward together’. And then of course with my obsession and love of food, it’s just

like the perfect partnership. A man of the land who’s obsessed with growing and planting and producing, coupled up with someone who loves food and loves being able to share that with consumers.”

Biggest learnings from farming so far?

“There’s ideology and then there’s practical application, and that’s again where Carlos and I have been very compatible. I’m often the book reader, who will read the books on soil and everything and I understand it because I have a science (nutrition and dietetics) background. He’s grown up on a farm so he has gone through the real world applications of these things. Generally speaking there’s got to be a balance of ideology and practical application. The key is how do you curate the perfect balance between the two. I have also learnt that all farming systems, whether conventional, organic, regenerative etc… all have their pros and cons. I don’t know if there is really any one right answer. Like many things, there are more shades of grey than black or white.”

What food do you enjoy eating in the warmer months?

“We eat what we grow so our diet is extremely seasonal - to the point we’re overloaded with a particular ingredient at one point and you can get sick of it. In summer I’m a big fan of really simple food, like lamb cooked on the barbecue with a really good salsa verde, a simple salad, driven by whatever is in the garden at the time - a handful of grains like bulgur wheat or quinoa or barley, mixed with some fresh seasonal greens and some other colourful vegetables like roasted beetroot, pumpkin or cherry tomatoes. Then add some salty flavour punches like chopped up bacon or a little bit of feta and an amazing dressing. You can’t beat a really good homemade dressing.”

What’s something people would be surprised to know about you?

“That actually I’m an introvert. I’m one of those introverts that’s in a very extroverted role. I love people and I love talking to people, especially when the topic is food and farming, but I’m one of those people who could happily potter away by themselves for months and be fine

with it. I’m very comfortable just being by myself.”

What are your plans for summer?

“I’m expecting baby number three in summer, so I’ll be trying to refrain from taking on any new projects and hopefully taking some rest time over summer before the little one arrives.”

You can watch the full season of Nadia's Farm on ThreeNow

Brantry Eatery turns 20

Celebrating two decades of memorable dining experiences  Advertorial

Amazing food, attentive service, lovely atmosphere: these are the phrases repeated in the hundreds of glowing reviews left by Brantry Eatery’s diners. This stylish restaurant has become famous for its immaculately presented cuisine, served with passion in a beautifully converted 1950s house. This year, co-owners and sisters Prue and Felicity Campbell celebrate 20 years at the helm of the Taupō fine dining institution.

When the Brantry Restaurant came up for sale back in 2002, the two sisters were struck by the potential of both the restaurant and the building and made a family decision to purchase the business. Having honed their hospitality craft in New Zealand and overseas, Prue and Felicity were thrilled by the opportunity to put their stamp on the Taupō hospitality

scene. Prue’s creativity and passion for cuisine has seen them win several excellence awards, while Felicity’s dedication to creating memorable experiences has become a trademark for the restaurant. “Food for us is the opportunity to gather together with family and friends, to chat, connect, and, best of all, leave with your cheeks sore from laughter,” says Prue. One of the things the sisters love most about running the restaurant from Taupō is that it’s home – it’s where they grew up and made fond memories. “A highlight for us is being able to reconnect with people from our childhood when they come in to dine. We are a family owned and operated business and as soon as you walk in the door, you become part of our family,” they add. The restaurant’s ethos is to support as many local suppliers as possible, using fresh local produce, including from their own garden. The kitchen champions seasonal New Zealand ingredients, combined in modern and tantalising ways. Recently the team also began running cooking schools, a fun and interactive way to hone your own skills, alongside their immensely popular themed degustation dinners. The Brantry team say they are excited for what the future holds for them and look forward to celebrating their anniversary with friends and family, old and new alike.

The rise of food intolerances

- fact or fiction?  Abby Beswick

From dairy to gluten, wheat and caffeine, intolerance to common foods seems to be all around us. And increasingly so. Only 20 years ago, the concept of food intolerance was almost unheard of. Nowadays it’s part of every social setting, as hosts, caterers and chefs clamber to accommodate an ever-growing list of diners’ requirements. Are people becoming increasingly intolerant to certain foods, is it simply a health craze or is there something else going on?

Part of the confusion seems to stem from a muddling of the difference between food intolerance and food allergy. There’s a very clear and critical distinction between the two conditions - one which can mean the difference between life and death.

What is a food intolerance?

Food intolerance is when the body has difficulty digesting certain foods, causing a reaction in the digestive system such as bloating, nausea, stomach pain, vomiting or diarrhea. These reactions tend to set in slowly - in some cases up to one or two days after consuming a problematic food. Unfortunately, food intolerances are not easy to diagnose. As it can take some time to develop a reaction, it can be difficult to determine which food was problematic. There’s also no testing available that can confirm whether someone has a food intolerance.

Further complicating the issue is there can be a range of other factors that could be causing digestive problems, rather than an intolerance. If someone has been ill, stressed or run-down, this will often trigger a stomach or bowel problem. Cancer patients, for example, can develop problems with certain foods. Then there’s coeliac disease, an autoimmune condition that can cause sufferers serious harm if they eat foods containing gluten.

What is a food allergy?

A food allergy on the other hand, is a response by the immune system to a certain food. Sometimes even contact on the skin can cause a reaction. When a person comes into contact with that food, the body considers it a threat and triggers their immune system to send out antibodies, causing an allergic reaction. Unlike with a food

intolerance, allergic reactions usually happen quickly - within minutes of coming into contact with the food. Symptoms can range from swelling, to hives, vomiting, abdominal pain and in the most severe cases, anaphylaxis. “That’s very different to what people experience with a food intolerance, which affects the digestive system,” says Allergy NZ spokesperson, Penny Jorgensen. Food allergies start in early childhood (unlike food intolerances, which tend to show up later in life), and it’s “pretty clear” what food has caused the reaction, says Jorgensen. Globally, there are the ‘top eight’ foods which most commonly cause the allergic reactions: milk, eggs, peanuts/tree nuts, fish, shellfish, soy, wheat and sesame. However, people can develop an allergic reaction to almost any food. Coriander and cardamom are two recent examples Jorgensen has seen. Interestingly, there’s also regional variation around what foods people are typically allergic to, based on what people eat regularly. In France mustard allergy is common, and in Switzerland, celery.

Around one in 10 children have a food allergy by the age of 12 months, according to Allergy New Zealand. Some will outgrow their allergies, while up to 8% of school age children

and up to 4% of adults will continue to have it. The rate is higher among Asian and Pacific communities, according to research. Food allergies are on the rise - “not just New Zealand but globally,” says Jorgensen. Better awareness is likely to be a contributor. However, it’s difficult to get the whole picture due to a “frustrating” lack of local research, says Jorgensen.

Hurt, shame and pain

There’s no doubt having a reaction to certain foods is a significant burden for sufferers. One that can be stressful, time-consuming and costly. For some, their condition can be so hard to manage they don’t want to leave the house. Diane Stride is a registered dietitian in Hawke’s Bay and regularly works with clients who have a food intolerance. It’s a personal issue for Stride, who suffered from her own battle with irritable bowel syndrome and autoimmune disease. Through research and education her conditions have vastly improved, prompting her to want to help others struggling with their own health. When clients first come to see her, they often haven’t told their doctor about their symptoms because of embarrassment. “When someone tells me what they’re experiencing, I know what that feels like. I understand how that can impact your life”, she says. In many cases, clients are convinced they have an intolerance to a food - frequently gluten - but the reality turns out to be quite different. Stride has worked with more than 1000 clients experiencing stomach issues and gluten is seldom the issue, she says.

How to tell if you have a food intolerance

Diagnosing a food intolerance is done by food elimination but it’s important to not jump in and start randomly eliminating foods, says Stride. This can generate the wrong results, make people miserable because they’re missing their favourite foods and even trigger eating disorders through a fear of food. Done correctly

with professional support, a food elimination diet should only take three weeks. “My goal is to limit their diet as little as possible,” says Stride. One recent client had become fearful around food due to bowel symptoms after eating. As a result she’d started restricting several foods because she didn’t know which ones were problematic. “She’d lost her confidence for shopping and cooking, and she was tired from all of the stress it was placing on her life.” Under Stride’s supervision the client eliminated some foods using a tailormade menu and discovered she had an intolerance to lactose and onion. Now symptom free and back to normal life, the client feels confident to cook again, go to social events and enjoy all of the things she used to do. Another client whose life has been turned around, is a woman in her 80s. Usually active and social, she had become a virtual hermit as a result of her stomach issues that were causing her to have diarrhea up to 11 times a day. With Stride’s help, this is now down to once a day and she’s got her life back.

Why are food intolerances rising?

While some people who experience stomach issues, choose to eliminate the foods they believe are problematic, for others, the switch to gluten, wheat or dairy free foods, or plant-based milk is an attempt to lose weight and be healthier. Yet there’s no evidence to suggest these kinds of diets are better for us. In fact, plant-based milk is lower in protein than cow’s milk. Food allergies and food intolerances do seem to be on the rise but we don’t know why. The increase in rates could simply be because of a growing awareness, say the experts. “Overall it’s (growing intolerance) a fairly recent epidemic. It’s only in the last 20-30 years it’s become an issue,” says Jorgensen. Leaping on the food intolerance bandwagon by self-diagnosis can make it harder for people with genuine food-related illness. If

you do suspect you have a food intolerance, the first step is to visit your GP and work with them or another professional to carry out a food elimination diet. Once you have a proper diagnosis, you’ll be able to continue a normal life and hopefully those around you will be more tolerant of your intolerance.