OUR STORY
Someplace Somewhere started as a simple idea in a tiny apartment
kitchen and a place to cook and experiment. I never set out to be
a chef, but I was always drawn to fire. Born and raised in South
Tāmaki with Ngāpuhi roots, it was in my early 20s, when I met Bora, that
my palate truly came alive. Her journey was very different — she
arrived in Aotearoa as a refugee when she was just a baby. She
introduced me to the bold, soulful flavours of Cambodian cuisine,
and from that moment, food became our shared love language.
Not long after, we moved to Melbourne, drawn to its vibrant food
and creative scene. We were lucky to have full-time jobs — mine in
logistics and Bora in graphic design, which allowed us to travel and eat
our way through different parts of the world. We eloped in Mexico,
explored Peru, drank plenty of cocktails in the States, and found
deep inspiration in Scandinavia and Japan. I was completely drawn to how
both cultures respect and preserve produce through fermentation. I dug
deeper, learning from others who honour these techniques, and over
time, they became second nature in my own cooking. From miso, garum,
and koji aging to kimchi, soy, cheongs, kombucha, and lacto-
fermentation. I was hooked and amazed by how these processes transformed
overlooked ingredients into something so intense in flavour.
During those years, I spent more time cooking at home, experimenting,
and playing with fire. I knew I had to find a way to make food a bigger
part of my life. So after a 12 year career far removed from the kitchen,
I took a leap in my mid 30s, enrolling in culinary school while
still working full-time in managing logistics. Juggling 200 hour weeks
wasn’t easy, the training was rooted in classic french techniques and it
gave me a strong grasp in the science, timing, and flow of a
kitchen.
Once I finished, I landed my first hospo gig at Northern Lights, a
modern japanese spot on Smith St, where I met the legend – Joel
Baylon, he took me under his wing and I fell more in love with
cooking over the hibachi. From there, I moved to Harley
House, a Peruvian restaurant where I learned a whole new approach in
treating ingredients and the beauty of working with all things raw!
I couldn’t wait any longer to build something of my own. We hired a tiny
space in Collingwood and set up our first pop-up, an intimate six-
course, wine-paired dinner. The space was small and ill-equipped,
but we poured our hearts into it. Bora shaped the brand and marketing
while jumping in wherever needed, from behind the scenes to the
kitchen. And with the help of our amazing whānau and friends to help
with FOH. We learned so much during that time, but more than anything,
it gave us the freedom to experiment.
Our pop-ups ran for a year at Co-Ground, The Moon Wine Bar, Terror
Twilight, Bowl Bowl, and Benchwarmer before COVID hit, pushing us to make
some big decisions. After 15 years in Australia, we came back to Tāmaki
Makaurau, returning to our whānau and the place that shaped us. Over
the last two and a half years, I’ve been working as sous chef at Ragtag,
helping build to its success since its opening. I’ve always been open
about growing my own venture, and Dan supported me every step of the
way — he knew the journey well, having started Ragtag as a pop-up
himself. That support made it possible to bring Someplace
Somewhere back to life again — this time on home ground.
The hospo community welcomed us with open arms, and we’ve had the
opportunity to host our pop-ups at some of our favourite spots —
Bar Beluga, Bare Wine, Garage Project, Bar Martin, Norma
Taps/Passa Passa, Tappo, Londo, OOH-FA, Lillius, and as one of the many
resident chefs at Roses Dining Room. We’ve also collaborated with some
incredible local winemakers leading the low-intervention wine scene in
Aotearoa, including Amoise, A Thousand Gods and Kunoh.
For us, it’s not just about the food and it’s about bringing people
together. Through pop-ups and collaborations with like-minded
chefs, growers, and makers, we stay true to what we love to eat,
sharing dishes that reflect our journey and how far we’ve come.
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