Top food magazine pulls Amisfield from its annual guide to New Zealand’s best restaurants
Tuesday, 5 May 2026
Cuisine Magazine has removed Amisfield restaurant from its 2025 Good Food Guide list after allegations emerged over the conduct of chef Vaughan Mabee.
It was revealed last Friday that Mabee resigned as executive chef from the Arrowtown winery’s restaurant in February after more than a decade leading the kitchen.
At the time, Amisfield chief executive Simon Toneycliffe did not elaborate on why Mabee resigned, saying in a statement that they do not comment on the private affairs of current or former staff to protect their privacy.
However, on Sunday, The Press revealed that Mabee allegedly assaulted a colleague at a nightclub and presided over a toxic kitchen culture where verbal abuse was commonplace, and staff were frequently left in tears.
On Tuesday, Kelli Brett, the editor of Cuisine Magazine, one of the top food and wine publications in New Zealand, announced that Amisfield had been removed from its list, which remains current until the new list is released in August.
The Good Food Guide list is published annually and features Cuisine Magazine's picks of New Zealand's top restaurants and must-visit dining destinations.
Amisfield was awarded Restaurant of the Year and three hats at the Cuisine Good Food Awards 2025.
Writing on the magazine’s website, Brett said it was not a decision they had made lightly, but that Mabee’s behaviour did not meet their standards of ethical workplace behaviour.
“As a result we can no longer promote Amisfield as the leading restaurant in New Zealand at this time,” Brett said.
“The restaurant has announced that it will close for renovations on May 18 and re-open on July 7. This means that we will be unable to re-assess the restaurant within our 2026 assessment period, however we will re-visit in 2027.”
Brett said they were disappointed for Amisfield’s current head chef, Sun Peng, and his team, adding that they look forward to the “opportunity” to re-evaluate Amisfield once its new direction is firmly in place.
She said they could not allow their audience to turn to the current guide and be advised that a restaurant where employees “were disrespected and abused” was considered to be one of New Zealand’s best.
“No amount of talent or expertise is an excuse for abuse. No high-pressure environment, no matter how monumental the expectations on delivery, make this behaviour acceptable,” she said.
Since the allegations emerged, Mabee has apologised to former Amisfield staff, saying his behaviour had “fallen short”.
In a statement reported by The Press on Monday, he said he had let his team, himself, and his family down, and “unreservedly apologised” for his “inappropriate behaviour” and for the “harm or offence” caused.
Mabee said he was stepping down from Amisfield to focus on his personal health issues and being “a present and loving father to my family”, acknowledging he had struggled to adapt to changes in the hospitality industry.
He said he was inebriated during the alleged assault at a Queenstown nightclub last year that prompted an investigation.
“While [it] was terrible for many reasons, it led me down a road of introspection and growth,” he said.
“This road has taken me to a place where I now realise how unfair and unacceptable some of my behaviour was, and now I want only to strive to become that better person I know I once was and will be again.”
Mabee had led Amisfield’s kitchen since 2012 and rose to international prominence, earning top honours at the Cuisine Good Food Awards and global recognition.
Stuff has approached Amisfield about the decision.