Tommy and Mattia are the founders of Italian Way. Originally from the region around Lake Garda and Lake Como in northern Italy, they naturally settled in the Queenstown Lakes district. They met in Queenstown in 2017 after traveling around New Zealand. Their shared passion for Italian food, baking, cooking, and travel inspired them to start a food truck. With the support of their girlfriends, Veronica and Esther, they launched Italian Way in October 2019. Since then, they've been serving pizza and Italian delicacies across the South Island.

@italianway

At The Smoke & Pickle, life is like a BBQ—hot and fast. They set fire to things, stick them in vinegar, and believe it's all worth the hard work. Reinventing BBQ one bite at a time, they cater to all your needs in Queenstown and across the South Island. If you crave unique, mouth-watering BBQ for your event, The Smoke & Pickle is your answer. Once you try them, you'll never see your Weber the same way again. They do it differently, so you love it every time.

@thesmokeandpickle

Over the past 15 years, Chef Nathan Butterworth has honed his craft in pubs, hotels, and fine dining restaurants worldwide. He developed a passion for using high-quality local ingredients but felt something was missing: the community of sharing simple, flavorful food with friends and family. He met his wife and co-founder of Old Mates, Ashna Mannu, while working in the Whitsundays, Australia. With her support, they recently set up their own business in New Zealand.

@oldmatessmokehouse