Simon Gault: Fame, Failure, and the Moment Everything Changed (Part 2)

In Part 2 of Daniel’s conversation with Simon Gault, the pace accelerates as Simon moves from ambitious young restaurateur to one of the most recognisable names in New Zealand food and then begins to question what that success is really costing him.

Simon tells the story of buying Bell House at just 22, grinding for years to turn it into a destination restaurant, and using competitions, awards, and sheer stubbornness to force attention his way. From there, he takes the leap into Auckland’s Viaduct, riding the chaos of the Whitbread Round the World Race, surviving brutal reviews, financial pressure, and near collapse before bouncing back again through instinct, timing, and a refusal to quit.

The episode moves into an extraordinary run of global experiences: selling his restaurant at the right moment, cooking on superyachts, being flown to San Francisco to cook a private audition dinner that landed him working for Oracle founder Larry Ellison, and finding himself cooking for the Spice Girls before being offered the chance to open restaurants in London and New York. Simon reflects openly on the opportunities he took, the ones he walked away from, and the two decisions he still regrets.

Back in New Zealand, the story turns to scale, television, and visibility building multiple restaurants across the country, becoming a judge on MasterChef, fronting major TV series, and slowly drifting further away from the kitchen and closer to boardrooms, crisis management, and people problems. He speaks candidly about the pressure, ego, burnout, and the moment health forced a reckoning: a diagnosis of type 2 diabetes, major weight loss, and a shift in priorities after becoming a father.

The episode closes with Simon stepping away from restaurants entirely, choosing presence over prestige, and finding renewed purpose at Gault’s Deli by teaching, cooking, sharing knowledge, and embracing failure as part of the craft. It’s a rare, unfiltered look at what success really looks like once the lights go down.

Want to see Simon’s bacon butty creation? Head to www.ripplmedia.co.nz for photos.

Special thanks to our sponsors:
Upstock – Get your first month free at upstock.app/bacon
Hospitality New Zealand – The voice of Aotearoa’s hospitality industry. Find out more at hospitality.org.nz
Woodys Free Range – Get 15% off at woodysfarm.co.nz with the code BACONBUTTY

Bacon Butty is made by Rippl Media — Daniel Todd, Karli Mitchell (Get Content.nz), Helen Lea Wall (Get Content.nz), Sofia Wenborn, and edited by Ricardo Ramirez.

Simon Gault: Apprenticeships, Mentors, and Learning the Hard Way (Part 1)

In this episode of Bacon Butty, Daniel sits down with one of New Zealand’s most recognisable chefs, Simon Gault, in his Auckland deli kitchen. Over a bacon butty built on sourdough pizza dough and crisp Woodys bacon, Simon reflects on a lifetime in hospitality and the moments that set him on his path.

Simon takes us right back to his childhood food memories, growing up in Papakura, and the early spark that came from peeking inside professional kitchens. He talks openly about starting his apprenticeship at just 16 under the formidable Tony Astle at Antoine’s, learning discipline, precision, and resilience the hard way. From being tested, terrified, and pushed to perfection, Simon explains why those early years shaped everything that came after.

The conversation moves through his formal training, block courses, and the leap to London — landing roles at Prue Leith’s restaurant, surviving on baked beans, learning pastry, sauce work, and kitchen culture, and eventually working in some of the most extraordinary settings imaginable, including a Michelin-starred castle kitchen. This is a deep dive into craft, mentorship, and what it really takes to earn your stripes as a chef.

Want to see Simon’s bacon butty creation? Head to www.ripplmedia.co.nz for photos.

Special thanks to our sponsors:
Upstock – Get your first month free at upstock.app/bacon
Hospitality New Zealand – The voice of Aotearoa’s hospitality industry. Find out more at hospitality.org.nz
Woodys Free Range – Get 15% off at woodysfarm.co.nz with the code BACONBUTTY

Bacon Butty is made by Rippl Media — Daniel Todd, Karli Mitchell (Get Content.nz), Helen Lea Wall (Get Content.nz), Sofia Wenborn, and edited by Ricardo Ramirez.

Kieran Haslett-Moore: Making Things Properly, One Batch at a Time

In this episode of Bacon Butty, Daniel sits down with brewer, writer, and lifelong maker Kieran Haslett-Moore. From growing up in Newtown surrounded by the smell of bacon smoke to washing dishes, studying sociology, selling cheese, and eventually brewing beer, Kieran’s path has never been linear but it has always been grounded in craft.

They talk about the joy of making things from scratch, the deep connection between food, beer, and culture, and why tradition still matters in an industry obsessed with novelty. Kieran reflects on his time as a cheesemonger at Moore Wilson’s, his years building North End Brewing, the realities of burnout and stepping away from something you’ve created, and what it means to start again but this time smaller, slower, and on his own terms. This is a thoughtful, honest conversation about sustainability, creativity, and finding freedom by stripping things back.

Want to see Kieran’s bacon butty creation? Head to www.ripplmedia.co.nz for photos.

Special thanks to our sponsors:
Upstock – Get your first month free at upstock.app/bacon
Hospitality New Zealand – The voice of Aotearoa’s hospitality industry. Find out more at hospitality.org.nz
Woodys Free Range – Get 15% off at woodysfarm.co.nz with the code BACONBUTTY

Bacon Butty is made by Rippl Media — Daniel Todd, Karli Mitchell (Get Content.nz), Helen Lea Wall (Get Content.nz), Sofia Wenborn, and edited by Ricardo Ramirez.