Fertile soil, clean air and a temperate climate means that fresh meat and produce feature highly in New Zealand cuisine. Add seafood from the pristine waters and you’ve got a mouth-watering array of ingredients to whip into a culinary masterpiece. Cookery courses range from community classes to weekend workshops with celebrity chefs, some of whom run their own cooking schools. Look in the local paper or newsstand food magazines such as Dish, Cuisine and Taste.

The Food Show (www.foodshow.co.nz, 0800 727 469) is a popular annual culinary event held in Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch. Over three days, foodies can sip, sample, browse and buy from a huge number of exhibitors, as well glean tips from seminars and demonstrations run by food experts and celebrity chefs.