Get ready to spice up your culinary knowledge with insights from Professor Joanne Hort, the Fonterra-Riddet Chair in Consumer and Sensory Science at Massey University and HelloFresh’s very own ‘Kiwi Spice Girl’. With her expertise, Professor Hort unravels the delicious transformations shaping the modern Kiwi palate.
New Zealand’s culinary landscape has undergone a remarkable transformation over the past few decades, reflecting the country’s evolving taste preferences and growing cultural diversity.
“New Zealand is a melting pot of diversity, made up of so many different cultures and taste preferences,” says Professor Hort.
This diversity forms the bedrock of what we now consider the Kiwi palate. Unlike some countries with more homogeneous culinary traditions, New Zealand’s food preferences reflect its multicultural population.
Today’s favourite flavours
Professor Hort identifies sweet smoke and smokey barbecue as two of the top savoury flavours shaping the contemporary Kiwi palate according to recent trends over the past five years. This trend can be seen throughout the year with slow-cooked smokey meats and casseroles in winter and your classic Kiwi barbecue in the summer.
Recent research conducted by HelloFresh about the flavours Kiwis love found that when asked which flavours were their favourite, respondents answered smokey (53%), sweet (53%) and salty (45%). Despite embracing more complex flavours, New Zealanders maintain a notable preference for sweetness.
In contrast to our Australian friends across the ditch, who can’t seem to get enough of that deep, smokey flavour, Kiwis have a desire for sweetness in our food. This tendency extends through to savoury dishes, with the sweet-meets-smokey combination of flavours currently trending.
From bland beginnings to a flavourful future
Today’s tastes are vastly different from generations before us, as historically, New Zealand’s cuisine was heavily influenced by British culinary traditions. The typical Kiwi diet once centred around hearty meat-and-vegetables, with staples like roast lamb, beef and boiled vegetables dominating dinner tables around the country.
“Thirty years ago, the New Zealand palate was much more limited. The standard fare was often meat and two veg, reflecting our British heritage,” notes Professor Hort.
However, this culinary landscape has changed dramatically over the decades. The same generation that once knew little beyond these traditional dishes now enthusiastically embraces a wide array of international cuisines.
The influence of Asian flavours and cooking techniques is evident through the popularity of Thai and Chinese cuisines. New Zealand’s close ties with Pacific Island nations have also brought unique tropical flavours into the mainstream Kiwi diet. Moreover, as more New Zealanders travel abroad, they return with new taste experiences and a desire for international flavours at home.
HelloFresh’s Kiwi Spice Blend is a prime example of how food companies are adapting to and celebrating this evolving palate, offering us new ways to explore flavours from the comfort of their own kitchens – which wasn’t always an option for Kiwis.
As New Zealand continues to evolve over the next few decades, the Kiwi palate is likely to become even more diverse and adventurous. Professor Hort suggests that while traditional favourites will persist, the growing appetite for bold, global flavours and innovative culinary fusions will see new combinations and flavours introduced.
For meal inspiration check out HelloFresh.
Professor Hort is Director of the Food Experience and Sensory Testing (FEAST) Lab at Massey University.