New Direction At Euro
Welcoming a new head chef and local artist into the fold, Pacific, Māori and European traditions are unified in a dynamic and delicious food experience at Euro.
Kiwi born Samoan chef Uelese (Wallace) Mua, 32, leads the kitchen through a seasonal transition, forging synergy with the work being showcased by queer indigenous artist Hōhua Ropate Kurene, 22.
Celebrating the restaurant’s proximity to the ocean and wider Pacific Rim, the latest campaign is Euro’s second since rebranding and transforming its menu and interior last year. It’s a full circle fairy-tale for Uelese, who has been under the mentorship of Nourish Group’s executive chef Gareth Stewart since they first worked together at Soul Bar & Bistro a decade ago. “Gareth has always been one of my key role models,” says Uelese. “He came across me when I was working in the kitchen but struggling for opportunities to grow. Ever since then, he’s taken me under his wing and my career has flourished with his guidance.”
Following his stint at Soul, Uelese moved to France to hone his craft before returning to New Zealand, most recently in the role of executive chef at Hilton Auckland’s FISH. Working alongside Gareth, Uelese deliver’s Euro’s newest menu – with dishes sitting under seasonal sections of moana (seafood), māra (garden) and whenua (land). Standouts include snapper ‘on the bone’ with XO butter and lime, fermented heirloom tomatoes with flat-bread, whipped goat’s curd and basil and grass-fed beef tartare with horseradish, warm truffle potato rosti and raw egg yolk.
Complementing the food are five works from multi-media artist Hōhua which reflect the breadth of his practice including fashion photography, artistic collaborations and landscape photography. The specific works selected for Euro’s campaign represent travel with Hōhua’s whānau, experiences which have brought him into deep connection with places, and have also inspired the soft lavender colour palette that is currently utilised throughout the restaurant.
