From Mumbai, to London, to Auckland – Chef Tejas Nikam’s culinary journey has seen him plate up dishes to a vast audience and given him the opportunity to work alongside some of the industry’s greatest. Now, Nikam has been named one of four Beef + Lamb New Zealand Ambassador Chefs for 2020. Nikam is the executive chef at Vices & Virtues, a Christchurch restaurant which celebrates local and sustainably sourced produce as part of its menu, including the delectable sous vide Angus eye fillet and the sustainable line caught fish, alongside Wairiri Buffalo Burrata and artisan baked breads. It is located within the Sudima Laneway complex. His interest in food began as early as the age of ten when he started cooking with his father. Combining international flavours with New Zealand produce is something Tejas has learned from one of New Zealand’s top chefs, Peter Gordon. It would be safe to say that the pivotal moment in Tejas’ career was being part of the opening crew of The Sugar Club in Auckland in 2013.

-TIN Bureau

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New Zealand has been highlighting the wealth of talented chefs in New Zealand for close to quarter of a century. To date they have showcased the skills, craft and creativity of over 80 Ambassador Chefs. Lisa Moloney, Food Service Manager at Beef + Lamb New Zealand, has been overseeing the Ambassador Chef programme for over a decade and was quick to highlight the calibre of entries this year. “We were delighted with the high level of creativity and enthusiasm from chefs around the country who sent in applications. Not only were chefs putting together well thought out beef and lamb dishes with interesting flavour combinations, but the level of execution was very high,” says Moloney. “With such a high standard, it was a tough decision whittling it down to four chefs.”