Top chef and TV favourite Ben Bayley has returned to his Kiwi roots after almost a decade of culinary discovery in top kitchens across the globe. With a string of highly regarded venues in Auckland and Otago, he's also a regular on our screens. Ben has fronted two series of A New Zealand Food Story, with a third on the way, and The Restaurant That Makes Mistakes, an experiment that saw volunteers with dementia run a restaurant under his supervision. Ben talks Michelin stars, the joy of good sardines, how he maintains high standards across multiple kitchens - and why he won't open a restaurant in hometown Te Awamutu. Warning: Discusses suicide. For free help, text or call 1737, 24 hours. Check out Ben's website here. Watch A New Zealand Food Story here. Watch The Restaurant That Makes Mistakes here. You can read stories supporting this episode on stuff.co.nz. Need more great podcasts? Check out Stuff's full catalogue here. GET IN TOUCH Feedback? Got a guest you’d like Simon to talk to? We’re listening! Email us at [email protected]. CREDITS Host: Simon Bridges Producer: Jen Black Audio editing and mixing: John Ropiha Executive producer: Chris Reed