From a Cold drop into DM to Primetime: Hapuku Kitchen's Journey to Huckberry's DIRT: New Zealand

Feb 24, 2025

Some collaborations happen by chance. Ours happened because Chris refused to take no for an answer.

When Chris came across Huckberry's DIRT series, it was pure inspiration; he saw a show that treats food and place with the same reverence passionate foodies and chefs do. Knowing that nothing happens with passion, grit and determination, he went straight to the source — contacting the show's host & producer Josh & Kate directly to make the case for New Zealand, and of course for Kaikōura, as a place worth telling on camera. What followed was eighteen months of conversations, pitching, follow-ups and coordination between Huckberry and Tourism New Zealand, threading together the logistics, permissions and creative vision it takes to get a production crew across the world.

That tenacity paid off. The DIRT crew touched down in NZ in October 2024 and made their way to Kaikōura, and the resulting episode that explores many lessor promoted areas is now live on YouTube — a groundbreaking addition to the DIRT catalogue, and one we're endlessly proud to have been part of.

Anchoring it all is Josh, DIRT's host, already being spoken of in the same breath as greats like Anthony Bourdain — someone who doesn't just show you food, but shows you why a place made that food, and who made it. We're admittedly biased, but this episode captures something real about New Zealand's food culture: the people, the coastline, the produce and the craft behind it.

So load it up, pour yourself a drink of whatever you fancy, and settle in for a genuine look at the food side of the real New Zealand.

[Watch the episode on YouTube →] https://youtu.be/JKO4n5vwNA8?si=RpaLVB9Hyo5y2YRH

Josh Rosen, Chris & Bryn - Filming DIRT