Finlay Macdonald is a widely respected contributor to newspapers and publications throughout the country. He is the former editor of NZ Listener, commissioning editor for Penguin Books, and now writes columns, social commentary and edits the Sunday Star-Times books pages.
He has also worked for Metro Magazine, and as a writer for television, including documentary, serial drama and comedy.
At last year's Qantas Media Awards, Finlay was given the Best Overall Columnist Award for his weekly Sunday Star Times column. British-born Macdonald recently joined Radio Live, hosting a Sunday morning show with a focus on current events, politics and reviews.
Dr Karen Cronin
Dr Karen Cronin has a background in environmental management, social research and communications. She joined the Institute of Environmental Science and Research (ESR) in 2008 after a career in local and central government, and working for an international NGO. She leads the Science, Technology and Society (STS) research cluster in the Integrative Research for Sustainability Group at ESR, and has been involved in the development of the Asia Pacific STS Network. Her areas of interest include: public policy and social discourse around biotechnology, nanotechnology and future food technologies.
Ray McVinnie
Cuisine food editor and columnist Ray McVinnie has always had a passion for food. A professional chef for many years at some of Auckland's best restaurants, McVinnie has judged local and international food awards, as well as written numerous cook books. He is also a lecturer at the Auckland University of Technology, an experienced food stylist, consultant and guest chef for various restaurants and cook schools. Ray McVinnie has been a foodwriter and advisor at Cuisine magazine since 1992. Now Cuisine Magazine Food Editor, he also writes a weekly food column in the Sunday Star Times, Sunday magazine. In 2008 he was invited to present his paper on kumara at the prestigious Oxford Symposium on Food and Cookery at Oxford University UK. He has had four cookery books published The New Zealand Fish Cookery Book 1986 (revised and published as "Cooking the Catch" 1997), “The Chicken Cookbook for New Zealanders” (1994), "The Modern Cook" (New Holland 2001), and “Eat” ( New Holland 2003) Ray is also one of the judges in the the first series of Masterchef New Zealand screening on TVOne Apart from his food and travel writing.
Rob Whitbourne
Rob is from Te Whānau ā Apanui with a dash of Australian thrown in courtesy of his father. After working for one of New Zealand’s major corporate law firms and various Auckland DHB’s he decided to head to South America to find the origins of kūmara. Following the kūmara trail to Cusco Peru, which turned out to not be the home of kūmara, Rob began a PhD seeking to weave together the agricultural experiences of Andean farmers and kūmara growers on our own East Cape. Moving between the Sacred Valley of the Inca, the lands of Ngāti Porou and the University of Auckland’s Business School, Rob has spent the last four years examining the ways in which mātauranga Māori, indigenous Peruvian knowledge, western science and business practice are being woven together. With regard to the “Future of Food” and global issues of food security he holds the view that indigenous knowledge, practices and attitudes to crops offer huge potential for addressing those important issues.
At 21, Auckland-born Anika Moa was the first unknown New Zealand artist to ever be signed to a major label (Atlantic). Not a bad start for the Christchurch-raised singer/songwriter who had not long ago performed at the Smokefree Rockquest competition.
There isn’t a voice like hers anywhere. Honest and heart wrenching with an underlying soul and energy that complements the songs she writes. You may have seen the cheeky grin. It gives a small insight into the persona behind it, and the music she has made for the best part of the last decade.
‘Love in Motion’ is her latest offering where she reveals a self-assured proud voice not heard before - and channels a good dollop of 80s pop into her traditional singer-songwriter approach too. (New Zealand Herald). Those who know Anika will be further intrigued, those who have not yet come across this 27 year old singer songwriter, soon will.
