The Chef behind the restaurant:

There are thousands of restaurants, takeaways and chains selling burgers in New Zealand, so what makes The Blind Finch special?

A Q&A talk with the owner and brains behind the new Ohakune based business, Derek Allomes

How long have you been a Chef?

"I have been a chef for over 25 years managing successful restaurants around New Zealand and over seas.  I was born in Wanganui and it was there that my career began, as a baker at the age of 15.  I went on to train as a Chef at Wanganui Polytech before training with some of New Zealand's best known chefs."

Where has your career taken you so far?

"I think I have had a full and rewarding career so far.  I've been fortunate enough to have enjoyed roles as diverse as starting a small and successful cafe in Wanganui (Cracked Pepper Cafe) with my sister to being the head chef at a small luxury lodge in the southern alps of the South Island.

Has your career taken you out of little old NZ?

"In the past 5 years I have been a Head Chef on super yachts cooking for the rich and famous travelling a great part of the world.  I managed to tick off many places I was longing to visit while working and then spent my vacation time visiting the parts of the world I wanted to that we didn't travel to.  This was a great platform to boost my gastronomy. I was exposed to the vast styles of cuisine of almost every origin throughout the many countries visited.  I took every opportunity to experience the local food, to understand the real country I was a guest in.  Rather than dining in the flashy mass produced restaurants, I would look for the place that was packed with locals eating their traditional fare.

What was your favourite part of working on the boats?

"I would have to say it was the markets.  Do you know how good a tomato tastes from the markets in Italy?  The lingering memory of a small cheese taster the cheese vendor shoves at you at 6 am in the morning when picking up the supplies for the day. Have you ever tried the mozzarella when it is still warm from the most famous supplier in Naples? These are just a few memories that have changed forever my perception of what real food is."

So what made Ohakune the next step in your life?

"I always said to myself I was only going to work on super yachts for 5 years.  I knew I would miss it once I returned home, I miss the travel and I miss the friends I have made.  But I know I can always travel and I can do it to my own terms now.  I had dreams of something more for my life; I wanted to create from my experiences. Having grown up in Wanganui I have spent a lot of time in the Ruapehu region.  In fact my grandfather, Len Falk, was a market Gardner in Karioi and my father grew up there.  Coming back to the place where my family roots are seemed only logical. I believe in the future of this town and want to be a part of the community that my grandfather would be proud of.

What made you choose burgers after such an amazing career so far?

"I met a quite a few chefs throughout my travels and the ones that have stuck out the most are the ones that have a more back to the beginning approach to their cuisine. Upon meeting these particular chefs is their mastery of something so elemental to the evolution of cookery that it has been forgotten.  I met a chef who makes traditional paella over wood fire, his passion was inspiring and the paella... Muy Bueno!  It was then I knew I had to do something along these lines.  I researched extensively and came up with a few ideas and settled on my own custom design similar to that of an Asado, an argentinian style grill.  What I am so captivated by is the skill involved in cooking over open fire."

Says Derek as he loads another Log of Manuka (local Tea tree) to the custom grill to keep the fire producing embers ready for the next customer.

"I wanted to make my cuisine available to everyone, not just the rich and famous.  I know at the Blind Finch I am not creating dishes equal to any 3 star Michelin restaurant such as I did on the Yachts but this burger concept is more real than that world that I used to live in.  This is about the flavours of the countries, this is the smell and taste of wood grilled meat and vegetables that evokes a primal and nostalgic emotion in everyone.  We all know how good wood fired pizza is...and a burger… well this is just better"

Thank you for your time Derek.  So what burger are ya gunna make us for lunch? I'm dying to try one!

Jayde Lowe