As the world’s leading manufacturer of premium appliances for the home, we have set the standards for durability, performance, ease of use, energy efficiency, design and service.

As we celebrate an incredible 120-year milestone, we spoke with our New Zealand cooking ambassador, Michael Meredith, and his two daughters Tahlia and Ella, to get a sneak peek into what cooking as a family looks like for them and more.

As one of New Zealand’s most creative chefs, Michael Meredith is no stranger to the home kitchen. With a slew of awards under his belt for the sophisticated and intimate Mt Eden restaurant, Michael’s career includes a scholarship to the Culinary Institute of America, experience in restaurants across New York, Melbourne, Sydney and Auckland and the opening of his own restaurant, Meredith’s, in 2007.

With so much professional kitchen experience gained throughout Michael’s career, we wanted to learn first-hand what cooking was like for Michael at home, while learning about his iconic fish pie recipe.

Miele: Hi Michael, tell us a bit about your background and what inspires your cooking

Michael: I grew up in the Pacific Islands. Cooking was a very family-oriented scenario for us and you learned to cook at an early age. My menu is often inspired and driven by the produce available within the season, but there are always family favourites and signature dishes that keep reappearing which I always try to improve year after year. Much like our secret family fish pie recipe which was created given we used to go fishing quite a bit in New Zealand.

Miele: How do you bring some of the cooking lessons you learn to life with Tahlia and Ella and what was it like making your fish pie recipe with them?

Michael: When I cook with the girls, I want to share as many lessons I have learnt along the way with them as possible. I wanted to start them early so that they shared a genuine interest in cooking. Doing something together in the kitchen always brings us together, so it’s nice to share those moments and there were many funny and cute moments working with them on camera. They are both quite different – Ella was her usual self, questioning everything I asked her to do while Tahlia is more organised, and she showed how confident she is around food and really got into it.

When I’m cooking with them I always try not to boss them around too much – but it’s hard when you are trying to get something done and we need a little structure! Cooking with them is a lot of fun and a little chaotic at times, but it creates a lot of memories and is a great way for me to share my love of cooking through father and daughter time.

The more they cook with you, the easier it becomes, and you never know – in the years to come maybe I will be able to just sit back and let them cook for me…although at the end there are always dishes that need to be washed!

Miele: What is your go-to spring dish to whip up as the weather starts to get warmer?

Michael: Personally, I love spring, especially with the availability of such a variety of fresh vegetables like asparagus, peas, globe artichokes, broad beans, and more. They give you plenty of options to cook with! This could mean a steamed fish, asparagus and fresh peas with lemon raita for a quick meal, or a spring lamb pot-au-feu with globe artichokes and broad beans for some heartier flavours.

Miele: How has your cooking style evolved over the years? And where do you see it going in the future?

Michael: I now focus on more seasonal and locally soured and grown produce than ever before. The basic principles and techniques of cooking won’t really change much into the future, but the evolution of technology will simplify and improve our recipes by tenfold.

Miele: We are currently celebrating our 120-year anniversary – we know you regularly use your Miele appliances when cooking at home, but what do you think of when you think of Miele?

Michael: When I think of Miele and ‘Immer Besser’, words like authentic, quality, efficient, innovative, modern, sleek and smart all pop into my head. Behind it all is 120 years of research, testing, technology innovation and pure hard work which has provided us with better and more consistent results in modern home kitchen and cooking. The innovation without compromising the quality that serves a global market is truly remarkable.

To learn how to cook Michael Meredith’s family fish pie recipe, visit https://www.mieleexperience.co.nz/recipes/fish-pie/