Shef Genni Shares Her Secret to Flaky, More Flavorful Meat Pies
I was born in California but grew up in New Zealand, and I felt the distinct Kiwi influence in our family’s kitchen from an early age. As a kid, I loved connecting with people by feeding them family recipes, and I quickly hopped from working in the kitchens of a golf course to graduating from culinary school at 19. Shortly after that I moved to California and began fervently working at Michelin-star restaurants, gaining any experience I could. My life’s greatest joy has been to share experiences through the culinary skills I’ve acquired.
Now with Shef, I’m thrilled to bring a taste of Kiwiana and Pacific Rim cuisine to my neighbors and customers, so that people can experience the delights of classic Kiwi comfort food.
What is Kiwiana Food?
Pacific Rim cuisine centers around Oceania and Southeast Asia, incorporating the area’s vast coastline and diverse cultural landscape. New Zealand cuisine in particular has a unique blend of British and Maori influences. You’ll find variations on English classics like bangers and mash, fish and chips, and pavlova, along with earth oven bakes (called Hāngī) and stews that incorporate chicken, pork, taro, and kumara (sweet potato). And don’t forget fresh local fruits, like feijoa, passionfruit, and of course, kiwifruit!
Kiwiana Meat Pies
When I began working as a Shef, I wanted to emphasize the region I grew up in. Meat pies are found at every corner shop (known as Dairies) in New Zealand, and I knew these flaky, fresh pies would be the perfect meal to share with my neighborhood.
A classic meat pie has a thick short pastry to hold its structure, a decadent savory filling of steak, cheese, or mushrooms, and an airy puff pastry topping. I’ve refined my recipes after over 20 years of professional cooking, and I can tell you that my secret ingredient is simplicity: I keep my ingredients fresh, basic, and high quality. The pies are perfect to eat steaming hot out of the oven, or to bulk order and keep in the freezer — simply bake for 10 minutes and quickly fill up on hearty flavor.
Sharing through Shef
Working with Shef has been completely liberating! I spent years being burnt out on the fine dining industry, working crazy hours, and having little work-life balance. Through Shef, I have created a fulfilling business of my own, realized a lifelong dream, and continue to share my biggest passion with the community around me.
