The aroma of Chinese home cooking filled the wharekai at Kutarere Marae on Tuesday evening as cooking enthusiasts gathered for the first Food for Thought session, a unique initiative combining cooking, culture and community discussion.

The event was the first of a four-week series being held as part of the Ōpōtiki Rising: Your Voice, Our Future engagement campaign, which aims to gather community ideas and aspirations to help shape the district’s long-term economic future.

Leading the inaugural cooking class was visiting volunteer Xiang Li, known to many as Shae, who is spending time in Ōpōtiki after travelling from China.

Generously donating her time and culinary knowledge, Shae guided participants through the preparation of two traditional Chinese dishes – Coca-Cola chicken wings and egg and tomato stir-fry – while also sharing simple tips for cooking rice at home using nothing more than a pot.

The relaxed atmosphere quickly transformed the cooking lesson into a cultural exchange, with participants learning not only new recipes but also gaining insight into everyday Chinese cuisine and traditions.

After preparing the dishes together, attendees sat down to enjoy the shared meal before turning their attention to discussion and kōrero about the future of the district.

The evening reflected the central idea behind Food for Thought – bringing people together through food while creating an informal and welcoming environment for conversations that matter.

Hosted at Kutarere Marae each Tuesday evening throughout June, the programme blends practical cooking lessons with community discussions focused on key areas of economic development including education, language, culture, tourism and training pathways.

Future sessions are expected to feature homemade dumplings, noodles and the increasingly popular bubble tea, giving participants further opportunities to learn new skills while building connections with others in the community.

The programme is also an important part of the wider Ōpōtiki Rising initiative being led by Ōpōtiki District Council.

Running throughout June and July, Ōpōtiki Rising is a community-led engagement campaign designed to give residents, businesses, community groups and hapū an opportunity to help shape the district’s economic development strategy.

The initiative recognises that local people are often best placed to identify both the opportunities and challenges facing their communities.

Through workshops, public forums, networking events and informal gatherings such as Food for Thought, organisers hope to capture a wide range of perspectives that can help guide future planning and investment.

Topics being explored through the engagement process include business development, innovation, tourism, cultural opportunities, education, workforce development and pathways that create sustainable employment for local people.

The conversations are not simply theoretical. Insights gathered throughout the engagement series will be used to help inform the council’s future economic development planning and priorities.