Orphans Kitchen is a partnership between two friends. Tom Hishon, Executive Chef, and Josh Helm, Manager.

Our restaurant can be found in Auckland on Ponsonby Road, inside a narrow Victorian villa that was built in 1912.

We are a small, friendly place with a 40-seat dining room, a long table upstairs and an outdoor courtyard where, weather permitting, you can catch the afternoon sun. Orphans Kitchen initially opened for dinner only, but is now an all day affair. We serve breakfast, lunch, dinner and drinks for nice people.

Manifesto:

1 — Practically express the qualities of purity, simplicity and sustainability that we would like to see associated with New Zealand’s food culture.

2 — Respect New Zealand’s erratic weather and remember that ever-changing conditions give us true variety in the produce we like to use.

3 — Work with regional produce that is cultivated with care, high in nutrients and holds the unique terroir of its area.

4 — Continue to invent, challenge convention and produce the best dining experiences.

5 — Promote the protection of native fish species in our seas, and openly champion more sustainable approaches to harvesting food in our forests, farmlands and rivers.

6 — Educate diners about Māori heritage through ways of food preparation and bringing forgotten flavours or ingredients to the table in a modern context.