Tejas Nikam is head chef at Vices & Virtues Restaurant and Bar at the Sudima Christchurch City.

How would you describe the cuisine you create? I always want my diners to experience the best meal. The cuisine here at Vices & Virtues is fresh, modern fusion. We try to create food that is flavourful, appealing to the eye and healthy, as well as considering various options for dietary requirements.

What are you striving to achieve with it? We want to be the best restaurant and well regarded, where people come with expectations and we make sure that we fulfil or better them.

How do you ensure your cuisine stays relevant? I am in regular touch with local producers and suppliers and love when we are able to find and offer something that’s unique, for example our Wairiri buffalo cheese that we use in our popular burrata dish.

What advice would you give to your younger self? Success in the culinary world is a slow and steady process. You learn something new every day. Be patient, learn the basics and skills well.

Who are your culinary heroes? I always admire chef Peter Gordon, with whom I have worked most of my culinary journey in New Zealand. I always follow Grant Achatz from Alinea in Chicago, René Redzepi from Noma in Copenhagen, and Daniel Humm from Eleven Madison Park in New York.

What do you see as the most important trends in food and dining? People are going more and more healthy, ethical and sustainable in their dining choices. That’s great as it’s good for people and the planet.

Food should always be … Flavourful. You can make flavourful food look good, but you can’t always make good-looking food flavourful.

vicesandvirtues.co.nz