Coming from a typical Samoan family with large family gatherings and tons of food inspired Chef Wallace (Uelese) Mua to pursue his love and passion for cooking.
Although he did not have any professional learning experience, he got his first job at a pub due to his positive attitude and enthusiasm to work together to bring food to the table. He kick-started his career in the kitchens at the Hilton hotel almost twenty years ago, where he eventually became an executive chef thirteen years later.
Kingi, located in Hotel Britomart, is truly a work of sustainable art, with construction waste being repurposed into the walls and a grand chandelier made of recycled antipode bottles, making it the only five-star green hotel.
His commitment to sustainability is seen not only in the restaurant design, but also in its food supply chain, in which most of the seafood comes from local fishermen and "With Wild" venison that helps in land conservation with Fiordland Wapiti, and it does not stop there.
At Kingi, much attention has been given to waste reduction; their snapper fillets are used for the mains, frames for stocks, the head for the terrine, the belly to make croquette, and the fried wings. If there is anything left, it is dried to make an XO sauce.
Mua's latest addition to Kingi’s menu is the wapiti venison neck, making it the only restaurant in New Zealand to serve this.
Although there are challenges like inflation, Mua finds it rewarding to see the hungry young talent flourish. He believes that the country's cultural diversity benefits the ways of learning different cuisines.
Mua enjoys spending time with his son and is quite sportive. He is presently working on scripts for two television series. He would like to develop his love for cooking in ways that can help the community by helping with school lunches and more.
In the past, Mua has also been a head chef in France and has recently been signed to work with the upcoming Rugby World Cup while being involved in an interactive dining experience show.
