The Bay of Plenty’s own food guru, Cherie Metcalfe is a trained chef, founder of the hugely successful Pepper & Me, and author of two cookbooks. So who better to be our crusading culinary correspondent, sniffing out the hottest spots and tastiest morsels in town.

With shorter days upon us, Holly is finding comfort in crunchy, warm, fragrant dishes made to share.

Tamati Robens (Ngāti Kahungunu, Ngāi Tahu, Rangitāne) and Morgan Norris met through a common passion for fitness. Seeing whānau and friends go through challenging times with their mental and physical health inspired the young couple to develop a business that focused on helping others experience better health and wellbeing. In 2023, they launched ARO supplements, a plant-based protein business using Te Ao Māori wisdom to encourage better nutritional choices for overall hauora.

Mount-based photographer Jane Keam has spent time in the small coastal town of Mahia, capturing the connection between people and the land for her new book, The Land Remains; A Tribute to Mahia.

Bay of Plenty was originally named for the region’s bountiful abundance and, as each edition of Our Place has shown, there’s still plenty of important local stories to be told.