‘No excuse’: Industry and broadcasters turn back on star Amisfield chef
Wednesday, 6 May 2026
The fallout from allegations of inappropriate behaviour by celebrated chef Vaughan Mabee has intensified, as New Zealand’s premier food guide strips his former restaurant of its top honours and broadcasters pull his reality TV show from the airwaves.
Mabee, a celebrated chef who led Arrowtown restaurant Amisfield’s kitchen since 2012 and hosted television cooking shows, quit as executive chef in February after being on a final warning following two historic complaints about his conduct.
The Press spoke to half a dozen former Amisfield employees and other Queenstown hospitality sources, who claimed 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.
Other allegations include alcohol abuse, lewd comments and physical aggression.
In a move described as being “not taken lightly,” Cuisine Magazine has officially removed Amisfield from its 2025 Good Food Guide.
The restaurant, which was recently crowned Restaurant of the Year and held the prestigious “3 hats” status, was stripped of its listing following investigations by The Press and Newsroom into Mabee’s conduct.
Cuisine editor Kelli Brett said the alleged behaviour failed to meet ethical workplace standards.
“No amount of talent or expertise is an excuse… No high-pressure environment, no matter how monumental the expectations on delivery, make this behaviour acceptable,” she said.
The restaurant closes for renovations on May 18 and is due to re-open on July 7, which means the magazine cannot reassess the restaurant within its 2026 assessment period. It will instead revisit in 2027.
“We are disappointed for current head chef Sun Peng and the Amisfield team and look forward to the opportunity to re-evaluate Amisfield once the renovation is completed and its new direction is firmly in place.
“We cannot advise our audience that a restaurant where employees were disrespected … is one of the country’s best.”
Since the allegations emerged, Mabee has apologised to former Amisfield staff, saying his behaviour had “fallen short”.
Mabee told The Press that he had let his team, himself, and his family down, and “unreservedly apologised” for his “inappropriate behaviour” and for the “harm or offence” caused.
“This industry I gave my heart and soul to has changed dramatically over the past 20 years ‒ for the better ‒ and many of us older chefs have had long roads adjusting.”
Brett said that exact statement only made it more crucial that the magazine sends an “unarguable, irreversible message that standards of excellence go hand-in-hand with respect”.
“We stand with the victims of this cruel behaviour. It is not acceptable,” Brett concluded.
The woman allegedly assaulted at the nightclub dismissed the apology as “empty”.
“This isn’t remorse,” she told The Press. “That’s who you are. Your apology is empty, and it is not accepted.”
The fallout has reached a critical tipping point for Mabee’s television career. A Taste of Art, a high-concept competition co-judged by Mabee and Melissa Leong, is now potentially facing being pulled by major networks in New Zealand and Australia.
TVNZ told RNZ that it is currently assessing whether to remove the series from its TVNZ+ catalogue, while Australia’s SBS Food — which was set to premiere the show on Thursday night — has pulled the title from its on-demand service.
“Based on reporting [on Monday] that step may be taken after this has been assessed,” said TVNZ spokesperson Rachel Howard.
TV Tonight reported that the series had been set to make its international debut on Australia’s national multicultural broadcaster, SBS, which is one of the country’s “Big Five” free-to-air networks, reaching nearly 13 million Australians every week.
SBS told TV Tonight Australia that they will not broadcast the show “at this time”, following allegations of misconduct concerning Mabee.
Both SBS and TVNZ have been approached for comment.