Our Story
GEM (Green Eyed Māori) Cuisine
GEM (Green Eyed Māori) Cuisine is about creating fresh kai fusions. Drawing from our genealogical roots of Māori, Rarotongan and European, GEM Cuisine is about the connection of all of these ancestry lines into a fresh kai fusion that is affordable and will keep you coming back for more.
Like our name suggests we believe food or kai is a GEM in our society and something that can be used to connect people together. In our fast-paced “fast-food” orientated society, we often forget to stop, take a breath, be present and enjoy the company of our loved ones, workmates and whānau. So GEM cuisine wants to remind people of that connection by encouraging people to share kai with each other.
We pride ourselves on making our kai fresh with manaakitanga and aroha. Or what we like to call the GEM Cuisine ‘secret ingredients’.
But why take our word for it, jump over to our ‘Make a Booking Page’ and taste the kai for yourself!
Who are we?
Tihema Johnson (Head Chef)
Born and bred in Gisborne Tihema is our head chef of GEM cuisine and the “Green Eyed Māori” that has inspired our business name. He loves to make food for others and to use his extensive experience in our local chef/hospitality scene and his ancestry of Rarotongan, Māori and European descent to inspire the food he makes (Rongowhakaata, Ngāti Kahungungu).
Renee Wikaire (Head whānau-centric business strategist)
The other half of GEM Cuisine is Renee Wikaire, if Tihema is master behind all of the kai then Renee would be the master behind the “business side” of GEM Cuisine. Renee was born in Christchurch, New Zealand, on her mother’s side she’s Irish, Scottish and French and on her fathers side she hails from the Far North of Te Tai Tokerau (Ngāpuhi nui tonu, Ngāti Whātua, Te Uri a Hau).
Why we started GEM Cuisine?
Tihema and Renee were driven to start this professional catering service due to seeing a gap in the local market and a desire to provide our local community with high quality kai fusions
As we have grown we now run the catering contract at Te Wānanga o Aotearoa ki Whirikōka, providing nourishing kai for all of the tauira during their weekend classes. We also provide catering services, and a cafe service starting soon.
So, if you’re keen to order some delish kai, then head on over to the Make a booking page.
Meitaki Maata,
Tihema and Renee
