Food & Wine

Alister Brown - chef, TV presenter, writer and Wellington restaurant-owner - is one of the best known faces of New Zealand cuisine.

With his Wellington business partner restauranteur Steve Logan, Brown has been co-owner of the capital’s celebrated Logan Brown Restaurant & Bar since 1996.

Logan Brown received New Zealand’s highest restaurant honour - Cuisine Restaurant of the Year - in 2009.

Hunger for the Wild
Away from Wellington, Brown and Logan are best known as co-presenters of the award-winning television food series, Hunger for the Wild, which has them visiting regional New Zealand, introducing great Kiwi characters, chasing down some of New Zealand’s finest food, and preparing dishes of wild game and seasonal delicacies.

Brown grew up in the Wairarapa region, in the southern half of the North Island, on a sheep and cattle property.

His passion for the outdoors, especially hunting and fishing, developed early in life when he went on regular hunting holidays with his family to the coast.

After completing a culinary arts degree at the New England Culinary Institute, USA, then cooking in restaurants in North America, Europe and New Zealand, Brown returned to New Zealand and opened Logan Brown Restaurant.

Cuisine awards
Al Brown’s flair in the kitchen has earned the chef widespread recognition, including both runner-up (2006) and restaurant of the year (2009) in Cuisine magazine's annual awards.

As a New Zealand Trade & Enterprise ambassador chef, Al Brown has also represented New Zealand internationally since 2003.

In 2005, he cooked for more than 850 guests at the prestigious International Pinot Noir Celebration in Oregon, USA. In 2007, he was invited to present at the highly prestigious Melbourne Food and Wine Festival Master Class Series.

Simple food - cooked perfectly
Al Brown says he enjoys eating just about anything but most of all, simple food cooked perfectly.

There’s nothing better, Brown says, than trout fishing, snorkelling for paua and other seafood, then sharing a barbecue with friends and family.

He is writing a cook book based around his love of fishing and seafood that’s due out in November 2009.

When not fishing or cooking, Brown and Logan are likely to be found indulging in their passion for rugby.

Restauranteur: Steve Logan

Steve Logan, manager and co-owner of Wellington’s Logan Brown Restaurant & Bar, has 25 years experience in the hospitality industry.

After graduating with a hotel and catering administration diploma in 1981, Logan gained international experience in restaurants in England, USA and Sweden working as sous chef and restaurant manager.

In 1988, Steve Logan established two successful Wellington restaurants - Brer Fox café and Café Laffite.

In 1996 Logan got together with friend Al Brown to open the 80-seat Logan Brown Restaurant & Bar. With Brown’s prowess in the kitchen, Logan concentrated on using his management skills and business experience, and in 2003 won the Felix award for 'Best Restaurateur'.

Logan says he grew up in a family that, while eating breakfast, would enthusiastically discuss what they would be having for lunch and dinner.

He says he loves cooking and best of all, sitting down to a generous spread of wonderful food and wine with great company.

"Bliss is a delicious five-course dinner matched with red wines and great friends, followed by a rugby test match against the Aussies on the box!" he says.

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