Forage & Feast has been a dream for over five years. A dream to showcase our local food culture, educate people on local and slow food systems and tell our stories.
Meet the creator of Forage & Feast
Naomi is a master of bringing people to the table
Whether in her roles in leadership, strategic business and marketing, or quite literally gathering people for a meal, connecting people is her gift. Naomi Lindsay is the founder of Forage & Feast. She is a passionate foodie focused on bringing people together and telling the stories of our food producers, makers and growers.
The whakapapa of Forage & Feast is apple pies. Picking apples to make pies with her grandmother sparked the joy of hunting and gathering for mealtimes. Self-sufficient from a young age, Naomi was encouraged to make family meals, and to get creative with limited ingredients. Through cooking Naomi saw that food brought her family together and that the magic of meals lies in congregation. A love of food had begun.
University honed her creative cooking skills but travelling cultivated a culinary passion. Naomi tasted all corners of the planet, from Tokyo to Thailand, Mexico to South East Asia; she took a gastronomic tour around the globe. She attended cooking classes along the way, expanding her repertoire to include a Baharat blend, a love of cilantro and lime, and the secret to making a Thai Green Chicken Curry from scratch.
Settling in Central Otago, Naomi found herself in a treasure trove of cuisine. Discovering where food came from and how it was grown or prepared revealed stories of people, place and passion. Fuelled by Naomi’s curiosity and vibrancy, the seed for Forage & Feast was planted.
Inspired by working with, and meeting people through, Lake Wānaka Tourism, The Food Hui and Eat New Zealand, Naomi knew she had all the ingredients she needed, and in late 2020 Forage & Feast was cooked to perfection and ready to launch.
So welcome and we hope you'll come along on the journey with us as we explore our local food systems, people and places that make Wanaka and Central Otago special.