NZICC unveils first ever menu

Auckland, New Zealand, 3 February 2026: The New Zealand International Convention Centre (NZICC) has launched its culinary menu, setting a new benchmark for thoughtfully produced dining at scale while showcasing the very best of Aotearoa New Zealand’s people, producers and landscapes.

Led by Michelin-star-trained Executive Chef Rob Cullen, grounded in seasonality, sustainability and provenance, the menu delivers world-class dining at scale, without ever losing its sense of place. 

A world-class menu, rooted in Aotearoa

With three decades of global experience, Rob brings a deep respect for simplicity and ethical sourcing to NZICC’s culinary approach. Guided by a farm-to-table philosophy, the menu prioritises locally sourced, fully traceable ingredients, from sustainably caught South Island Kingfish by OceanSpeared, to high country lamb from family-run Middlehurst Station, and wild Fiordland wapiti venison harvested by WithWild. Each dish tells a story of New Zealand, its land, waters, and people

“At NZICC, food plays a role in creating connection, memory and a strong sense of place,” says NZICC’s Executive Chef, Rob Cullen. “This menu sets the foundation for everything that follows a locally driven, seasonal, inclusive and carefully executed philosophy at any scale."

With highly configurable spaces across all levels, NZICC can accommodate a wide range of events, offering pre-function capacity for up to 2,700 people, convention capacity for 3,150 and one-off events for up to 4,000 guests. For Rob, every menu will continue to showcase the very best of Aotearoa while delivering a world-class experience rooted in care and manaakitanga and setting the standard against which all future culinary decisions will be measured.

Quality at scale, without compromise

Maintaining the integrity of each dish at scale was central to the menu’s development. Every dish had to look, taste and feel considered, while remaining achievable at scale and consistently delivered by our suppliers. With a strong international audience attending events at NZICC, the menu showcases New Zealand ingredients with clarity and confidence. Signature engagement stations form a core part of the experience, allowing guests to connect with the craftsmanship, provenance and stories behind each dish.

Pictured: 'NZICC Private Menu Tasting' event 03/02/2026

Seasonal, sustainable and purpose-led

Seasonality is central to the menu, ensuring exceptional flavor while reducing environmental impact and strengthening relationships with local growers and producers.

“Seasonality keeps food honest and connected to the land and water around us. It delivers greater flavour, supports local growers and producers, and ensures the menu reflects what is genuinely happening in Aotearoa in that moment, rather than relying on ingredients that could come from anywhere in the world. Our ethos is rooted in reducing food waste and minimising our environmental impact. He tāngata, he kai, he mana – it is the people, the food, and the spirit that creates”, adds Cullen.

NZICC will proudly partner with Rescued Kitchen to drive upcycled food initiatives and promote a circular economy as a sustainable, scalable solution to food loss.

The team will also partner with KiwiHarvest to distribute surplus food to those in need. By adopting these practices, NZICC ensures that no good food goes to waste, supports the community, and upholds the principle of Kaitiakitanga, reflecting our ongoing commitments to environmental stewardship and the responsible guardianship of resources for community and future generations.

Pictured: 'NZICC Private Menu Tasting' event 03/02/2026

An experience beyond the plate

Prue Daly, General Manager, NZICC, adds: “The launch of NZICC’s first culinary menu reflects our commitment to the experience we’re creating. Chef Rob and his team are setting a benchmark for food at a scale that reflects both who we are and the spirit of our country. We cannot wait for our guests to experience the very best of our local cuisine, in every thoughtfully crafted dish.”

At NZICC, food is part of a full sensory experience. From breakfast gatherings to gala dinners, each event is set to dispel care, inclusivity, and manaakitanga. To learn more about NZICC’s approach to food and events, click here.

ENDS

Pictured: 'NZICC Private Menu Tasting' event, edible centrepiece made from a variety of vegetables and fruits.

Georgia Grindle
Georgia.grindle@specialgroup.co.nz 
+64 21 164 2038

Notes to editor:

Media assets can be found here: https://www.dropbox.com/t/XrdXnhg0K7KMjrKL

About Robert Cullen:

Rob Cullen is NZICC’s Executive Chef, bringing over 30 years of international culinary experience to Aotearoa New Zealand. Trained in Michelin-starred kitchens around the world, Rob has honed his craft across diverse cuisines and cultures, developing a deep respect for seasonality, simplicity, and sustainability.

Recognised by Hospitality Business as one of New Zealand’s Top Chefs in 2021, Rob is passionate about celebrating the country’s freshest, highest-quality ingredients while supporting local producers, fishers, farmers, and artisans. His approach blends innovation with environmental responsibility, with menus designed to be inclusive, ethically sourced, and reflective of New Zealand’s unique landscapes and people.

At NZICC, Rob leads the culinary vision, ensuring every dish tells a story of place, purpose, and connection. From large-scale events to intimate dining experiences, his philosophy centres on creating memorable food that delights the senses, honours the seasons, and showcases the best of Aotearoa New Zealand.

About NZICC:

The New Zealand International Convention Centre (NZICC) is located in the heart of Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland CBD, making it one of the most connected convention centres in the world.

Designed collaboratively alongside event industry experts, the NZICC is a vertically stacked, flexible and modern building, creating a hub of innovation and positive exchange integrated into the fabric of a vibrant city.

Uniquely positioned to make each event a memorable experience, the NZICC will offer:

• A venue that is designed around giving delegates fast and effortless transitions between meetings, exhibition, pre-function, banquet, and performance spaces.
• A glazed facade provides delegates with an inviting and transparent connection to the vibrancy of the city while allowing views of Auckland’s natural beauty, from the Waitākere Ranges to the Waitematā Harbour.
• In close proximity to Auckland’s innovation ecosystem – universities, business headquarters and innovation hubs – allowing event organisers to tap into New Zealand’s leading knowledge centres.
• An integrated atrium and public laneway encourage networking and enhances the delegate experience within a city full of excitement and sophistication, with over 8000 hotel rooms, dining precincts, shopping and entertainment all within 20 minutes walking distance.
• Configurable spaces presenting opportunities for a wide range of events with meeting spaces on all levels, pre-function capacity for 2,700 people, convention capacity for 3,150 and one-off events for 4,000.

Key Suppliers and Partnerships:

NZICC works closely with suppliers who share its commitment to quality, sustainability, and traceability:

• Mapari Meats: Hinuera, Waikato: Mapari Meats is a family-run butchery producing premium, ethically sourced beef, lamb, and venison, guided by a farm gate-to-plate philosophy that reflects the Hinuera Valley’s landscapes and farming traditions.
• Ocean Speared: Top of the South Island: Ocean Speared delivers premium, sashimi-grade seafood using artisanal, low-impact methods, ensuring full traceability from the pristine northern South Island waters to New Zealand’s top restaurants and lodges.
• WithWild: Fiordland National Park: WithWild produces wild wapiti venison of exceptional purity, sustainably harvested in Fiordland’s alpine forests, with every cut reflecting the environment, seasons, and careful conservation practices.
• Weave Cacao: Papua New Guinea / Aotearoa: Weave Cacao creates Pacific-made couverture chocolate in partnership with cacao-growing communities in Papua New Guinea, combining craftsmanship, ethical sourcing, and sustainable practices to deliver high-quality chocolate.
• Middlehurst Station Lamb: Awatere Valley, Marlborough: Middlehurst Station Lamb is high-country lamb raised in the Awatere Valley and finished on Canterbury pastures, delivering tender, flavourful meat that reflects New Zealand’s rugged landscapes and farming heritage.
• Clevedon Coast Oysters®: Clevedon, Auckland: Clevedon Coast Oysters® produces organic Pacific oysters in the clean waters of the Hauraki Gulf, renowned for their natural flavour and supplied fresh to domestic and international markets.
• Sawmill Brewery: is an independent, New Zealand–owned brewery built on resourcefulness, creativity, and real-world sustainability. Brewing fresh beer for over 20 years using New Zealand–grown hops and malt, we’re proud to be the country’s first B-Corp certified brewery. With ingredients from the South, beer brewed in the North, and a small but skilled team near Matakana, we focus on making beer in the best possible condition - good for our community, our environment, and exceptionally good to drink.
• FROMM Wines: Our philosophy puts terroir and grape quality first. We produce concentrated, textured, and highly drinkable wines by carefully managing crops and following organic, sustainable practices. FROMM has been 100% certified organic since 2011. Organic viticulture allows our wines to express a true sense of place. This commitment is driven by excellence, not marketing, and reflects our care for the land, people, and environment. We see our role as guiding wines into the bottle, beginning with organically grown grapes.

A menu that tells a story

The menu features dishes that tell the story of Aotearoa’s landscapes and communities:

• Starter: Ocean Speared Kingfish with pickled fennel, wasabi peas, and ponzu dressing, highlighting sustainably caught, sashimi-grade fish from pristine South Island waters.
• Second Course: Heirloom beetroot terrine with horseradish dressing, celebrating local growers and seasonal produce.
• Main Course: Mapari smoked brisket, WithWild venison chorizo, Middlehurst Merino lamb, rescue tomato kusundi, crispy potato terrine, and grilled broccolini, reflecting sustainable butchery and ethical sourcing.
• Dessert: Weave chocolate creation, inspired by Pacific cacao, paired with tropical fruits such as mango and banana, offering layers of flavour and texture that reflect the spirit and landscapes of the Pacific.