Peter Gordon
Peter Gordon was born in Whanganui, New Zealand. Aged eighteen he moved to Melbourne, completed a cookery apprenticeship and worked as a chef. His spirit of adventure and culinary curiosity then led him to travel through Asia for a year from Indonesia through to India. This experience became a major influence on his culinary style. In 1986, he moved back to Wellington, New Zealand to set up the kitchen at the original The Sugar Club. The restaurant was an unprecedented success and the role cemented Peter’s career as a chef. In 1989 Peter moved to London where he gradually introduced his eclectic cooking style, known as Fusion Cuisine, winning wide acclaim for his food at the two London branches of The Sugar Club, in Notting Hill and West Soho.
In 2001 he and friends opened The Providores and Tapa Room on Marylebone High Street, introducing Londoners to the Antipodean breakfast, the Flat White coffee, Turkish Eggs and all day small plate dining. In 2010 he and friends opened Kōpapa Cafe in Covent Garden. He has opened three restaurants in Auckland, NZ, travelling frequently between the UK and NZ. And he has consulted on PUBLIC restaurant (New York) and two restaurants in Istanbul – Changa and Muzedechanga. Peter is also a co-founder of artisan doughnut company Crosstown Doughnuts, which launched in London in April 2014. He has written eight books and contributed to a dozen others. His latest books, SAVOUR, SALADS FOR ALL SEASONS (2016) and EATING WELL EVERY DAY (2018) were both published by Jacqui Small.
Peter now lives full time in Auckland and operates just one business ‘Homeland’, which he and his partner set up in November 2020. It’s known as the ‘Food Embassy for Aotearoa New Zealand and the Pacific’. It is a Cooking School, a Dining Room and a Retail Space, often working with communities in need, alongside producers from the Pacific region. Peter was co-judge of Season 4 of The Great Kiwi Bake Off (2022).