Aotearoa New Zealand Hospitality Podcast & Events | Kitchen Day
Founded by Dominique Fourie McMillan and Chris Thompson, Kitchen Day is a storytelling platform built for hospitality. Through monthly events and a dedicated podcast, we create space for the industry to share its stories — honest reflections on the highs, the lows, and everything in between.
Each month, a different chef takes the pass to tell their journey before we sit down together for a shared meal.
Beyond the kitchen, our podcast shines a light on front-of-house voices, ideas, and philosophies — capturing the creativity, resilience, and spirit of an industry that deserves to be seen and celebrated.
Upcoming Event: Kitchen Day - Rodney Scott
Monday, 3 August 2026
Location: Loretta, 181 Cuba Street, Wellington
Hosted by Rodney Scott
Latest Episodes
- S2 E10: Eric Kong of Dragons on living up to a family legacy in service. with Eric Kong — Eric Kong is 24 years old and runs Dragons, Wellington's most beloved yum cha institution on Tory Street. Watch this epi
- S2 E9: Melissa Lind of Charley Noble on walking the line between control and chaos in a busy service with Melissa Lind — Melissa Lind didn’t plan to become the General Manager of one of Wellington’s busiest restaurants. She walked into [Char
- S2 E8: Natalia Schamroth of The Engine Room on 20 years of restaurant excellence with Natalia Schamroth — 20 years of The Engine Room. Natalia Schamroth joins the Kitchen Day Podcast to talk genuine hospitality, hiring for war
- S2 E7: Stephen Wong MW on passing the hardest wine exam in the world with Stephen Wong — There are roughly 420 Masters of Wine in the world, and Wellington has one of them. This week on The Kitchen Day Podcast
- S2 E6: Ismo Koski of Apéro - the restaurant every restaurateur adores with Ismo Koski — Ismo Koski - or Mo, as he’s known in hospo circles - is one of Aotearoa’s most respected front-of-house operators.
- S2 E5: Hannah Wells of Puffin on building Wellington’s most beloved hidden wine bar with Hannah Wells — I’m delighted to bring you this conversation with none other than Hannah Wells, the charming owner of Wellington’s belov
About Kitchen Day
Kitchen Day is a storytelling platform and community for Aotearoa New Zealand's hospitality industry. We host free monthly gatherings in Wellington and produce a podcast celebrating the people who make hospo what it is.
Proudly supported by: Coffee Supreme, Droppah, Craggy Range, BCE Catering Equipment, Antipodes Water, Almighty, Loretta, Wellington City Council, and Small But Mighty.