RESTAURANT
50-50 blends the best local produce, meat and seafood with culinary tweaks, techniques and flavours from all over the world to make delicious modern New Zealand dishes.
50-50 is all about Helen's vision of what makes
New Zealand a special place to be.
From an ever-changing menu that reflects not just the seasons, but the success of her gardening efforts; Helen's focus is on delivering a fresh and approachable dining experience.
Located on the Kapiti Coast, 50-50 sits comfortably in the shadow of the stunning Kapiti Island on Paraparaumu Beach’s main street.
Open for dinner from 5pm until late Wednesday to Saturday, make your reservation then relax and let Helen and the team take care of the rest.
HELEN TURNBULL
CHEF
No, it's not the coffee,* that's just her.
50-50 owner and chef Helen Turnbull talks, moves and chops faster than your average chef.
Then again, average doesn’t apply to her culinary past, present or future** in any way.
Today is never just another day for Helen; it also marks a day where she thinks about food,
where it comes from and how it can take you back in time or launch you into another world.
After a decade away, she returned home to Wellington to share her international culinary experience.
She quickly garnered a following for her ever-evolving cuisine.
Being awarded Best Emerging Chef at the Capital Awards in 2014 and hosting sell-out events during the
annual Wellington On A Plate festival have helped to put her on the map in recent years.
For Helen, it wasn't all that long ago that she was shedding blood, sweat, and tears as an apprentice at Te Papa’s icon restaurant.
Since then, she has toiled in Tokyo with Japanese chefs, beaten the best British talent, met the demanding standards of
Gordon Ramsay, been coaxed back home by Sir Michael Hill and opened Josh Emett’s Rata Restaurant in Queenstown.
Unsurprisingly, she puts her heart and soul into every plate and, just as importantly,
her voice into the songs she sings while making said plates.
Her connection to food starts with respect for the raw product and an understanding of the possibilities that arise from there.
This means that at 50-50, meeting Helen in her open kitchen is only part of the journey.
It’s when you have completed her 9 course menu that you’ll have truly arrived.
* Coffee is available at 50-50
** While the future is yet to arrive, fingers crossed we're right
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Kāpiti - A Portrait through Food
A photographic journey from Paekakariki to Otaki in Kāpiti, New Zealand, where we visit local foodies who tell their story and share a recipe. The book includes a selection of what is available on our Coast told through photography by Joanna Piatek and recipes shared by the locals.
Finders Eaters is the passion project of local Mike King. Mike supplies 50-50 with native and exotic ingredients that are all foraged locally. The beautifully shot day in the life of Mike was created by filmmaker Reece Baker and also features my musings on the importance of food and community.