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Jean Teng

@maybe.jean

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ISSUE Nº56 — FRO-NO INSIDE: Jean Teng takes on Big Frozen Yoghurt. + Openings, closings and other food news for local eaters + Auckland gets ranked and the Mayor gets on the tools + liquidation stuff and this week’s To-Do List! All this and more in our (free!) weekly newsletter for better living in Auckland at cringe.nz (link in bio). The new edition was delivered to the city’s finest email inboxes this morning and is online now! Subscribe free now! 📸 Pablo Picasso @ the Auckland Art Gallery (not this particular work though)
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HELLLOOOOO! We’re back from the dead — i.e. here’s a new episode we recorded about the MICHELIN GUIDE 2026, the first-ever in Aotearoa New Zealand. 110 restaurants were recognised from four cities around the country, so a huge congratulations to them all! It’s a Big Deal, and we are v happy for them! But here’s the real question… what did we think? In this episode, we talk about our initial reactions to The List, who were the biggest surprises, who were the biggest snubs, and we, once again, go back and forth about the merits of having Michelin in New Zealand. And don’t you worry, we dedicate a good amount of airtime to the ASIAN RESTAURANT PROBLEM (or lack thereof). Elsewhere, we also talk about Wellington’s food scene (where Jean is temporarily living), and food trends that we’re noticing, since this is the first episode of 2026. OOOOPPS! P.S. Sam was on the ground (i.e. at the awards) while Jean was at Schapiro’s doing a pub quiz (her team, Oat Milk Flat White, got fifth), but cannot confirm or deny whether she tagged in as the Michelin Man later in the night. Love, Jean and Sam
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Recent happenings, mostly revolving around food… as usual. Good meals with good people, things have been up to, a few sweaty sessions and dishes I’ve been cooking… My signature char siu for a private dinner I catered for the Wee family, celebrating a joint 40th, 70th, and 75th birthday. Had the privilege of being invited to the inaugural Michelin Guide Ceremony for New Zealand. Whole roasted hoisin chicken recipe is in my Reels. Go find it, cook it, and thank me later… it’s delicious. Progress check and obligatory mirror selfie at the gym. Please tell me I look good so I get a little confidence boost. Thanks! A little sweet treat. Banana cake made with almond meal and vanilla bean, filled with whipped sour cream, and finished with an aged miso caramel. 112 episodes into my How to Shop at Your Local Asian Grocer series! I hope you’ve been enjoying it, let me know what you’d like me to cover next! Made XO sauce clams with stir-fried Yee Mein. The noodles soaked up every bit of that rich, UMAMI AF sauce. So, so, so good. My latest tattoo… the white nine tailed fox, a mythical creature that appears in Chinese and other East Asian mythology. Often associated with wisdom, transformation, and longevity, it’s a figure with rich cultural significance. Some of my favourite people celebrating Jenna’s 40th birthday. Theme… Magic (however you choose to interpret that) My regular acupuncture, gua sha, and cupping sessions to help maintain my TCM (Traditional Chinese Medicine) well-being. This tray bake black bean chicken has been such a favourite with so many of you. Thank you for all the love and support! If you haven’t tried it yet, you’ll find the recipe in my Reels. It’s easy, delicious, healthy, and makes plenty for meal prep. Stopped by Kimberley’s ice cream pop-up from Side Scoop. Absolutely delicious Cantonese feast with my good Judy, Jean. Peking duck brings us a lot of joy… also we recorded a new episode of Ate Ate Ate (our food podcast), stay tuned! A photo with Mama Low Wearing some of my favourite pieces. Not quite an outfit of the day more like an outfit for a very special occasion. Here’s another bicep photo because, once again, I’m accept
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A visit from outta town and belated birthday feast for @maybe.jean, she requested a modern Chinese spread so this is what it looked like… Persimmon and kimchi Cold appetizer: fern root vermicelli and bean curd tossed in chili oil and aged soy sauce Dry Bak Kut Teh (herbal pork stew) Sweet and sour chicken inspired by lemon iced tea (lemon, lime, yuzu rice vinegar, black tea and brown sugar) with pineapple Chicken bone broth with goji berries, dates, dehydrated bok choy Wuchang short-grain Japonica rice (from China) Deep-fried prawns stuffed with prawn paste, drizzled with egg crab fat and egg yolk sauce, topped with curry leaves Blanched choy sum with seaweed salt Cardamom and buttercream layered birthday cake with kaya jam by @kimberleyylee #modernchinese #birthdayfeast #birthday #birthdaycake #chinesefood
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Now online! The Cringe Index - a helpful spreadsheet with recommendations, new openings, our top 10s and @chris__schulz has even added his favourite live bands! Get it at cringe.nz or via the link in bio. Best viewed on your laptop. 💻 👋 People always ask us, what are your favourite places in Auckland? Well, we decided to pony up and create a lo-fi, practical database that answers just that — and serve as a helpful guide to the best city in Aotearoa. Recommendations: Filter by price point, cuisine and location, with suggestions for what to order included. Will be added to in the coming weeks. New openings: A collation of all the new openings featured in Cringe week by week so you can catch up on the latest — and quickly. Top 10s: The Cringe team’s personal Top 10 places to eat, drink + be merry in, if you prefer an even more curated list. Favourite bands: The best bands in Tāmaki. We’re aiming to add other types of Bests soon, so let us know what kind of recommendations you want to see! Love, Cringe
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In the latest Summer 2026 issue: “A Leitī’s Admission of Love for Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland”. Interdisciplinary artist and writer Manu Vaea (@_petrossianbeluga) considers the dreams that have shaped this city and the brilliance it demands of those who live here, in an exclusive excerpt from the new book “Tāmaki Makaurau 2025: Essays on Life in Auckland”. Photography by Abigail Dell’Avo @abigaildellavo Tāmaki Makaurau 2025: Essays on Life in Auckland Published by Auckland Council Libraries Edited by Damien Levi, with photographs by Abigail Dell’Avo and contributions from Anton Blank, Daren Kamali, Faisal Halabi, Jeremy Hansen, Taniera Hawke-Hohepa, Abel Mercer, Perzen Patel, Emmy Rākete, Tommy de Silva, Jean Teng and Helene Wong. Metro Summer 2026 is available now wherever good magazines are sold and at the online Metro shop.
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A farewell feast for my good Judy @maybe.jean (from @ate.ate.ate.pod and @cringe.akl) as she makes a move down to the NZ capital, Wellington. Desserts were made by @kimberleyylee (of @side.scoop) and will be doing an ice cream and wine pop up this Sunday! Dishes in the feast: Raw tuna and salmon w/ ponzu and shiso Homemade wontons w/ prawn mousse and seaweed in a broth of roast chicken and dried scallop broth Crispy roast pork w/ a charred pineapple salsa Fried chicken wings tossed in a crab fat and salted duck egg yolk garlic sauce Fried eggplant w/ fermented sweet chilli sauce Pomelo salad w/ herbs and toasted rice Rice with homemade xo sauce w/ a abalone egg drop gravy #farewellfeast #modernchinese #homecooking #wonton #friedchicken
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Lately… 1. Summer 🩳 2. Eggs on eggs inspired by Culinary Class Wars 3. In the closet 📸 @jinkic 4. Mumma Low in the garden 🪴 5. 🏋🏻‍♂️ 6. Cockaccino 7. Cake with @maybe.jean 8. Feeling extra Chinese lately… 9. Knotted tassel made by @6x4online 10. Glazing fried eggplant 🍆 11. 🪴 by @coenmitchell at @tattoogold_ 12. Classic NZ fish and chips 13. First hike in a long time 14. Krispy dumplings 🥟 15. Chilli oil boy 16. Acupuncture @hc.acu 17. Aang 18. Mole on chicken, rice n beans 19. Gifts from @thericefactory.nz 20. Longing for the cottage…
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For my Avatar: The Last Airbender–themed birthday, I invited friends to dress as their favourite characters or nation members, and I cooked a full meal inspired by the four nations. For the Air Nation, I went light and vegetarian with cold appetizers: wood ear fungus with aged black vinegar and ginger, lotus root cooked in oolong tea, and a cucumber salad. For the Water Nation, I made toasted seaweed and soy noodles. From the Earth Nation, slow-cooked lamb with a medley of vegetables. And for the Fire Nation, char siu pork with preserved mustard greens. My friend @kimberleyylee made the most wonderful cake, shaped like a yellow geometric rock, with a hazelnut cake and citrus buttercream. Thank you to everyone who came, dressed up, ate, danced, and made this birthday so special. My inner child is filled with joy! #avatarthelastairbender #birthday
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✨ Toss, toss! ✨ for prosperity this lunar new year with Sam's take on yee sang. Watch the full ep on YouTube now! 🔗 in bio to watch. Made with the support of @nz_on_air
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It’s the end of 2025, and we’re wrapping a bow on the silly season by talking about the year we’ve had through food. What are the best bites we’ve had? The best food experiences? What do we think about the biggest food trends of the year (think: matcha, steakhouses, “ethnic” food in wine bars). And, a special end-of-year treat for you all: we talk to Janice Leung Hayes @e_ting, a food writer whose work has appeared in Eater, The New York Times, Conde Nast Traveler, The Wall Street Journal and more. Currently based in Hong Kong, we discuss the Hong Kong food scene, the value of food criticism, how food writing has evolved, what goes into trying to represent a city for an overseas audience and, yes, Michelin! Janice also lives between Hong Kong and Dunedin (where she fell in love with its infamous farmers market). So we talk a bit about that too. This is the last episode for the year (obviously) and may also be the last episode for awhile, so we hope you enjoy and digest. We’ll see you soon. — Sam and Jean Image: From our friendsmas pot luck a few days ago, celebrating the festive season 🤶
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Friendsmas! Kiwiana style 🥝 A classic New Zealand Christmas themed table filled with traditional ham, all the sides, trifle, pavlova and even better company. As the year comes to an end, I’m feeling extra grateful for the people who make life feel full. A reminder that family doesn’t always look one way. Sometimes it’s chosen, sometimes it’s just everyone hungry crammed around a table appreciating the food and that feels more than enough. Thank you for all the love and support you all have given me this year, I am so so grateful 🥹🫶🏼✨ Merry Christmas & happy festivities everyone! #christmas #friendsmas #christmasfeast #newzealandchristmas #kiwichristmas
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