Some are just part-time cooks, another just picked up the skill of cooking not too long ago - but six Chow Luck Club Foodie Market vendors have made their way into the Iconic Auckland Eats Top 100 list.
Agak Agak Food (nasi lemak campur), Ailimteh (nasi lemak bungkus), Bari’s Pizza (deluxe pepperoni pizza), Ipoh Malaysian Cuisine (lorbak), Jiaqi Sweets (dragon’s beard candy) and Shelley’s Kitchen (Malaysian spiral curry puffs) were selected by the judges from among 3109 submissions.
“It’s just unbelievably crazy,” said Cynthia Sim of Agak Agak Food, a single mum who started her food business as a way to support raising her daughter.
“We’re just a simple market stall operator, and to be on the list among greats like Josh Emmett’s Onslow, Michael Meredith’s Metita and Nic Watt’s Masu is something beyond belief.”
Sim said the first thing she did when she found out her Agak Agak Food was on the list was to call her mother back in Malaysia.
“I told her, Mum we made it,” said Cynthia, who trades exclusively at the Chow Luck Club Foodie Markets.
“Tears of joy were rolling down my face, and I’m guessing Mum would have been feeling so proud too.”
After receiving their certificates at the QT Hotel on Monday evening, the market partners said they cannot wait to be back together again with their award-winning creations at the market.
The next Chow Luck Club Foodie Market will take place on Saturday, 28 June 2025, with an “Ube Festival” theme at ParkCity, 261 Morrin Road, St John’s, from 10am to 3pm.
“We are like one big family at the market, and I believe there are so many others who are also deserving to be on the list,” said Wang Peng, of Jiaqi Sweets.
Wang Peng is a dragon beard candy master, and comes from a family line that has been doing this ancient Chinese delicacy for over 200 years.
Ellen Teh of Ailimteh said she only learned to make her nasi lemak bungkus five years ago.
“I am not a chef, but I am passionate about what I do,” Ellen said.
“We don’t usually get recognised for what we do, so you can’t imagine how happy my husband AC Heong and I are to be on this top 100 list.”
Daphne Chai of Ipoh Malaysian said making the list came as a “total surprise” for her.
Shelley Loh of Shelley’s Kitchen said she went into the food business after losing her job during the second Covid-19 lockdown.
“I decided on specialising in curry puffs because it was one of my favourite snacks during my childhood growing up in Malaysia,” she said.
Zeshan Bari has been running Bari’s Pizza out of his home kitchen for the past year, and joined the Chow Luck Club Foodie Market last year.
His halal beef pepperoni pizza made the Iconic Auckland Eats list.
Bari said doing the market stall was a great way to get his pizza creations out there to test if they resonate with people.
“Making the list clearly shows that they do,” he said.
Head of tourism Karen Thompson-Smith said the list included eateries from all corners of the city, from sweet treats to fine dining.
"We often say we're a melting pot of cultures here in Auckland and I think you're seeing that across the dining spectrum," she said.
Iconic Auckland Eats was first launched by Tātaki Auckland Unlimited in 2020.
“Iconic Auckland Eats continues to grow as a celebration of Auckland’s culinary scene,” says Tātaki Auckland Unlimited Director Destination, Annie Dundas.
“Food fans active on social media love to share content about dishes they love and learn about new ones to try.
“Our friends in hospitality have really embraced Iconic Auckland Eats and encourage their customers to nominate dishes,” Dundas says.
This year, there are 77 dishes new to the Iconic Auckland Eats Top 100 list, with 39 businesses debuting on the list.
“It’s wonderful to see how Auckland’s dining options offer such variety – this is reflected with the new additions to this year’s list,” Dundas says.
Nominations are assessed by judges on a range of criteria: a dish that’s well-loved, representative of local culture and people, a timeless classic, and/or a ‘signature dish’.
Dishes to also make the list included ikan bakar jimbaran by Bali Nights, XO chicken by Bunga Raya, dumplings in spicy sauce by Eden Noodles, Padella Isabella by Farina, adobo del diablo by Hapunan, kumara spring rolls by Khu Khu and lechon by Nanam.
LINCOLN TAN is a co-founder of Chow Luck Club and a former senior journalist for the New Zealand Herald. He won “Best General Reporter” in the 2016 Canon Media Awards and has covered some of the biggest global events over his 30 years in journalism, both here and in Singapore.
