Peta Mathias
Peta Mathias is a respected and prolific New Zealand chef, author and broadcaster as well as a popular MC and presenter that describes herself as “The presenter with the mission to put sensuality back into food”. The flamboyant foodie says the best things about her job are “Eating, traveling and meeting adorable, interesting people”.
'Fête Accomplie', the first book about life in Paris with recipes, is also the first of her eight award winning gastronomic travel books written about North Africa, France, New Zealand, Ireland and Vietnam. 'Can We Help It If We're Fabulous?' a book about women, came out in August 2008. It was an instant bestseller, is still being reprinted and has now been published in Great Britain, the USA, Canada and Germany. Then came 'A Matter of Taste' – a book of photographs of women's accessories made of food taken by Italian photographer Fulvio Bonavia, with text by Peta. This was followed by 'Just In Time To Be Too Late – why men are like buses' in 2009 and 'Culinary Adventures in Marrakech' in 2010. Her latest book is "Beat Till Stiff – A Woman's Recipe for Living" (release date November 2011).
Peta has been presenting the Prime television travel/food shows ‘Taste New Zealand’ and ‘Taste Takes Off’ for ten years. During 2006 she presented the food segment of a TVNZ show ‘House & Garden’ and in 2007 she presented ‘A Taste of Home’ about immigrant families in New Zealand, their food and festivals.
Her segment in TVNZ’s 32-part traveling segment “Taste NZ”, was honored with an international award at the World Food Media Awards in Adelaide in 1997. The presentation of a silver ladle was for best segment in a food program.
Peta’s lived the food traditions of France, the Pacific, and South America and has taken part in the move to the liberating new style Pacific Rim Cuisine. She worked as a chef in France for ten years, three of them in her own restaurant in Paris, so she knows how tough life can get in the food trade. She now owns a cooking school in the heart of France.
When she came to TVNZ’s notice, she was back in NZ promoting her book about her days in France. She was cooking, teaching and singing for her living. Peta says her experience performing Piaf songs has helped with her TV work – so, has a former role as a counselor and says that “Because of my counseling work I tend to be able to read people I can find the trigger to put them at ease.”
She was voted Supreme Award winner at the New Zealand Guild of Food Writers Culinary Quill Awards in 2003.
Peta is a delightfully entertaining presenter with a zest for food and life that you can almost taste!
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