REAL PASIFIK: A Pacific Food Revolution!

Media Release – August 2013

REAL PASIFIK: TV ONE, Saturday, 7 September – 19 October, 4pm.

A Pacific Food Revolution!

Hot on the heels of the success of their World Kitchen television series, production studio Zoomslide and Robert Oliver are finally bringing New Zealand a food show with a conscience.

Real Pasifik doesn't just pay lip-service. This series on TV One is set to bring about real change.

Real Pasifik forms part of a movement aiming to drastically reduce the amount of imported food used within the tourism industry throughout the Pacific. At present, 70% of food for tourists is imported. Real Pasifik aims to turn this on its head so that within five years 70% of food is grown locally instead. This might be viewed as a fairly lofty ambition, but it's one that suddenly seems a whole lot more achievable when you learn a bit more about the credentials of the man who is to become the face of Real Pasifik.

New Zealand's very own celebrated chef, Robert Oliver is back home to present the series. Oliver is working hard to ensure that Real Pasfik's ambitions are met while at the same time, proving to New Zealand and the rest of the world that there is much more to Pacific food than just corned beef and taro.

If you ask most New Zealanders outside of the food industry if they've heard of Oliver, they'll say no. Yet, his credentials are hugely impressive and are not just limited to his brilliant culinary prowess either.

It was Oliver's work within the Caribbean during the mid 2000s which first highlighted to him the unique power that chefs can yield. When asked to design 21 restaurants for a Caribbean hotel chain, Oliver was horrified to discover that 85% of their fruit and vegetables were being brought in from overseas. Oliver resolved to change this and set about establishing supply chains between the hotels and local farmers . Oliver introduced a prosperity model which resulted in reducing imports down to 37% and helping to inject millions into the economy.

During the course of his career, Oliver has also been involved with several high profile restaurants across the United States. In fact, Oliver was responsible for opening the biggest restaurant in the US, Rumjungle in Las Vegas, and was also Executive Chef/Co-owner of SUVA restaurant in Miami with Hollywood actress Marisa Tomei.

And it just gets better. Oliver's first cookbook – Me'a Kai: The Food and Flavours of the Pacific – was named 'Best Cookbook in the World' at the prestigious Gourmand World Cookbook Awards in Paris in 2010.

Not only will Robert Oliver and Real Pasifik kick-start much needed change across the Pacific, the show is also set to entertain its audience with some seriously amazing food, people and locations.

Each episode of Real Pasifik showcases a different country and its cuisine with series one visiting Samoa, Fiji, Tonga, The Cook Islands, Vanuatu and New Zealand.

“I was utterly blown away with the stories that emerged during our travels for Real Pasifik. It's been a fabulous and eyeopening journey. I simply can't wait to share it with New Zealand and the rest of the world” states Oliver proudly.

Oliver's book Me'a Kai was lauded as introducing the last undiscovered cuisine to the world and the food featured on Real Pasifik will demonstrate exactly what had the culinary world all in a whirl.

Oliver and the local chefs' unique approaches and amazing skills help elevate common place, traditional or indigenous foods from the Pacific, like good old corned beef and taro, right up into the realm of fine dining.

It's easy to see why this series has the clout to make a real impact on both its viewers as well as the countries it's shot in. Tune in to TV One at 4pm Saturdays from 7 September to be a part of the new Pacific food revolution.

Episodes
7 Sep: The Cook Islands
14 Sep: Samoa
21 Sep: Vanuatu
28 Sep: Fiji
5 Oct: New Zealand
12 Oct: Tonga
19 Oct: Pasifik Provenance (a deep dive into ingredients, recipes and techniques)

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About Zoomslide

Real Pasifik is the brainchild and passion piece of Grey Lynn based production studio, Zoomslide and Robert Oliver. Zoomslide is a value based company and was matched to Oliver when he launched his book Me’a Kai in 2010. Zoomslide has invested in the project over the last two years with Managing Director, Heather Lee, bringing in Anna Marbrook as the series director. Lee and Marbrook have collaborated for years, having established pioneering theatre company, Theatre at Large, in the 1990’s. Zoomslide produce film, television, video and transmedia content for a vast array of clients both within New Zealand and abroad. The team are excited to see their efforts coming to fruition with the imminent screening of Real Pasifik on TV One.

For the Real Pasifik series, NZ On Air is a major funding partner and TVNZ is a broadcast partner.

Visit Real Pasifik's blog site at www.realpasifik.com

ENDS

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