Overview
In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic local hospitality operators have been coming up with creative ways to offer their services. You don't need to look far to find pre-batched cocktail delivery subscriptions, heat and eat hot dog kits and gourmet food boxes. After a soft launch during Alert Level 3, acclaimed Auckland chefs Nic Watt and Darren Johnson have now officially lifted the lid on Cookalong — a meal kit delivery service offering pre-prepared restaurant-quality dishes.
Watt is best known as the name behind Auckland restaurants Masu, Akarana Eatery and Inca, while Johnson is a long-time colleague and co-owner and culinary director at Peruvian-Japanese eatery, Inca. Together, the pair have 50 years of combined experience in kitchens spanning New Zealand, Japan, Peru, the USA and UK.
The Cookalong service features three menu options that change weekly and fortnightly. Most of the hard work has been done prior to delivery, with meals only requiring 30 minutes or less of preparation or cooking time. Provided recipe cards include step-by-step instructions, as well as full 'Cookalong from Scratch' directions so diners can recreate their favourite dishes at home.
The service starts at $99 for a three-course date night menu for two, and can be expanded into a three-night heat and eat subscription for four people ($150), or a four-night gourmet dinner subscription for two or more people (from $180).
In its first week, the service includes dishes like beef and pumpkin ragu with orecchiette and lemon gremolata, South Indian fish curry, master stock braised pork belly, spinach and ricotta cannelloni, and vanilla bean rice pudding.
From there you can add batched virgin cocktail mixers for $10 per person, while the 'Pantry Shop' sells some of Johnson's most popular sauces from Inca, including habanero, smoky barbecue, and pickled red onion.
The weekly cut-off time for Cookalong orders is 3pm on the Friday preceding each Tuesday delivery. Delivery is free within a five-kilometre radius of Auckland's CBD.
For more information about Cookalong, visit cookalong.co.nz.
Top image: Babiche Martens.