CHEF OF THE MONTH

Foraging For Success

James Wheeler - on a mission to remove stress.

There is something rather down to earth about Fantail & Turtle new Head Chef James Wheeler. Not only is he focused on creating a stress free kitchen, and rejigging the menu, he can also be found foraging for his own herbs!

James Wheeler joined the iconic Takapuna bar and eatery in June, and has been busy adding his fresh, creative touch to the winter menu.

He loves herbs, anything he can get his hands on, by foraging, or growing his own. He has started a herb garden at Auckland’s North Shore Smales Farm. “They are the base of every dish - the flavours develop from herbs,” he says.

“I have a big herb garden at home where I have foraged the herbs, then grown them, things like kawakawa, rosemary flowers, horopito. They are making their way into our Smales Farm garden.”

James Wheeler

James has joined Fantail & Turtle after building a reputation for his food craft at Crave and Kind, Odettes, Kazuya and others.

One of James’ favourite ways to use his wild herbs is to complement wild meats. He enjoys cooking wild goat, for example. “It’s gamier, harder to cook, takes more skill and patience. It’s a challenge and I like a challenge - I am trying to change people's perspective of it being gamey, and tough. ”

James has made some tasty tweaks to the menu for the winter months ahead that reflect his preference for local foods including a beetroot cured salmon with fennel & lime, mandarin and harakeke chip; a new spin on pork belly - the meat is cooked in a boil up and put back together served with pickle and kumara; and Hawkes Bay Lamb Ribs with carrot, horopito, harekeke and dukkah. James says the flavour encapsulates the best of New Zealand cuisine. Sweet treat offerings to end the evening include warm Churros with cinnamon sugar, and butterscotch. Fantail & Turtle has become something of a go-to amongst North Shore locals. With an independent wine list and fresh and local craft beer, - there are 30 taps on site - you could just as easily go there for a relaxing drink, or branch into the modern seasonal sharing menu.

It is known for its relaxed and welcoming vibe and that starts in the kitchen. James is on a mission to make things even more chill. He believes a happy team comes through in the food. “We are on a mission to remove all stress from hospitality and my kitchen, by living a work life balance and paying people more than they would get somewhere else. There’s no screaming in the kitchen, there’s an ethos of treating people like you would want to be treated.”

James likes to develop his recipe ideas organically, working together with team members. The free rein fits with Fantail & Turtle’s ethos of free spirit and independence, which comes through on the menu and beverage list.

Care is also taken sourcing at Fantail and Turtle, something that aligns with James’ own values - all meats are free range, and fish is sustainably line caught. Herbs & greens are foraged or picked from their own gardens. Food scraps are composted on site to return to the soil and small producers are proudly locally supported.

Besides the quality and ethics of its fare, James was drawn to Fantail and & Turtle when he recognised alignment between his personal values and those of the team behind the scenes. Fantail & Turtle regularly holds Cocktail for a Cause, something James is keen to get behind. The first will raise money for Autism NZ - James has a son with autism and so the cause is close to his heart.