Steph Peirce’s arms-wide-open approach has already inspired hundreds of home cooks from all across the country to spice things up in the kitchen.

Raised on an orchard in Roxburgh, Steph Peirce grew up inspired by the way food brought her community together. Empowered with the knowledge that cooking can be fun and inclusive, she spent her twenties studying culinary arts, cheffing across New Zealand and Australia, and tasting her way through Europe.

In 2020 Steph brought her skills back to Central Otago, where she launched her Friday Food shop - Local and Friday (2022-2022). A real destination in the Otago food scene, you may already be familiar with her recipes in the Otago Daily Times or her feature in Mindfood magazine, where she shares her down-to-earth advice and tips, and what is in season. Steph peirce is bringing connection, well-being, and her community together through her love of food.

“I created what I wanted to see in our community. I want to be the guide to enable people to bring out their inner confident foodie, to think about health differently. 

I want people to feel confident to try new things, play, explore, listen to their bodies, and have fun in the kitchen. If I can bring any of these things into people’s lives a bit more then I’m hoping that will flow into the rest of their lives.”

Her touring and online cooking demonstrations are yet another way she connects with people, attracting sell-out audiences where she deep dives into the techniques and flavours that have made her food so popular. It’s not just her cooking that draws a crowd, but her holistic approach to food, putting her heart into everything she creates. Her driver is to empower home cooks (and even those totally new to the oven) to use seasonal ingredients alongside what they have in their pantry to get the best out of a meal.